# 11-32T vs. 11-34T Cassettes



## dandurston (Jan 20, 2005)

I'm building up a freeride bike and the time has come to choose a cassette. I'm planning on getting a SRAM cassette but i'm not sure what the differences are between the sizes and what other freeriders perfer. I'm assumming that the 11 is the number of teeth on the low gear and 32 or 34 is the number of teeth on the tall gear. So from this, the 11-32 would be slightly lower geared. Is this better? I'm going to be running 2 rings and bashguard up front on my Race Face Diabolus X-type cranks.

SRAM also has options like 12-26, 12-23, 11-23 and 11-21. Does anyone use these? Any suggestions would be awesome. I'm looking for the lightest yet strong option that will work well.


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## SCRAMPY (Nov 21, 2004)

*12-23 works for me.*

With a 2 ring up front anything over a 28 is just silly in my opinion.
How much chain slap can you deal with?

The Dura-ace 12-28 9speed is the weight weenie favorite but why do you need "lite" if you have a bash ring?


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## zedro (Jan 12, 2004)

SCRAMPY said:


> With a 2 ring up front anything over a 28 is just silly in my opinion.


 with a 12-23 and two rings, why not just go single ring with 11-34? or do you really need the close spaced ratios?

you end up getting about th same ratio spread with say a 32/22t w/12-23 as you would a 32t w/11-34, without chain dropage.


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## prerogative (Jan 15, 2004)

dandurston said:


> I'm building up a freeride bike and the time has come to choose a cassette. I'm planning on getting a SRAM cassette but i'm not sure what the differences are between the sizes and what other freeriders perfer. I'm assumming that the 11 is the number of teeth on the low gear and 32 or 34 is the number of teeth on the tall gear. So from this, the 11-32 would be slightly lower geared. Is this better? I'm going to be running 2 rings and bashguard up front on my Race Face Diabolus X-type cranks.
> 
> SRAM also has options like 12-26, 12-23, 11-23 and 11-21. Does anyone use these? Any suggestions would be awesome. I'm looking for the lightest yet strong option that will work well.


Keep in mind you can buy two and mix them. I mixed 11-32 and 11-34 Shimanos together to make a: 11, 13, 15, 17, *21*, *24*, 26, *28*, *32*
The ones in *bold * are from the 11-32. Take the pinned clusters into consideration: 11-32 has 6, 11-34 has 5. Also, to use the 32 on 34, you have to drill out the treads (that the pins screw into).

My purpose here was to have a closer ratio where I use it most (now 2nd-4th). I use a single 32 up front, never use 32 in back - all for light FR, able to climb whatever I want, but no DH on these gears w/o big front ring.

Good Luck


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## chuffer (Apr 15, 2004)

dandurston said:


> I'm building up a freeride bike and the time has come to choose a cassette. I'm planning on getting a SRAM cassette but i'm not sure what the differences are between the sizes and what other freeriders perfer. I'm assumming that the 11 is the number of teeth on the low gear and 32 or 34 is the number of teeth on the tall gear. So from this, the 11-32 would be slightly lower geared. Is this better? I'm going to be running 2 rings and bashguard up front on my Race Face Diabolus X-type cranks.
> 
> SRAM also has options like 12-26, 12-23, 11-23 and 11-21. Does anyone use these? Any suggestions would be awesome. I'm looking for the lightest yet strong option that will work well.


i run a 32t front and an 11-34 rear. if i am going lift access riding, i swap to a 44t up front.

ALSO, you gotta be careful with SRAM. The PG 990 cassette has a weird jump at the low end (11,12,14,16,18,21,24,*28,34*)...that part in bold REALLY annoyed me during any climbing.

the pg 970 (11,12,15,17,20,23,26,30,34) or 
the pg 950 (11,12,15,17,20,23,26,30,34) are a little better spaced except for the weird 12-15 jump 

the 2005 LX cassette seems to be a great buy. XT/XTR style body and decent spacing (11-13-15-17-20-23-26-30-34)

if you wanna mix and match like prerogative mentions, it is easier if you buy 2004 LX or SRAM.

_disclaimer: all of the above info is gleaned either from looking at the cassettes here in my junk drawer or from bike-components.de. i refuse any responsibility for this infos accuracy...check for yourself before buying anything_


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## j6105 (Apr 10, 2004)

*hmm*

i have heard very bad things about SRAM cassettes and chains, my advice is get a LX if you are not about to drop 30 bucks for a 1/4 a pound(like me!). SRAM shifters are pimp tho.


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## dandurston (Jan 20, 2005)

j6105 said:


> my advice is get a LX if you are not about to drop 30 bucks for a 1/4 a pound.


??? meaning...SRAM is an extra 30$ but it'll save a 1/4 lb???? I'd certainly pay 30$ extra to save a 1/4lbs but there's no way this is true so what do you mean???


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## j6105 (Apr 10, 2004)

*nope*

an XT or XTR will save almost 1/4 pound(113 grams) over HG-50 cassette(LX).


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## dandurston (Jan 20, 2005)

j6105 said:


> an XT or XTR will save almost 1/4 pound(113 grams) over HG-50 cassette(LX).


Oh, thanks....

In that case I wanna go 11-32 XT but I wanna find at least a bit of a deal on it somewhere. Pricepoint has em at regular price...

Is an 11-32 LX the exact same gearing as an 11-32 XT?


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## VIA (Feb 12, 2004)

I'll say go one ring , 36 or 38 with 11-34 cassette.
I'm runing 38 / 11-34 and works perfect for me..


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## prerogative (Jan 15, 2004)

Not sure if this is of any value:


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## VIA (Feb 12, 2004)

prerogative said:


> Not sure if this is of any value:


Yes... same value as this...


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## Chikity China (May 3, 2004)

VIA said:


> Yes... same value as this...


wuts the optical illusion?


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## dhracer1067 (Jan 13, 2004)

when you look around at it it appears they are spinning


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## davet (Jan 12, 2004)

I guess you need to figure out how much you climb. I run an 11-34 cassette with 22/34 up front. Some long steep climbs I need the granny and 34 to haul my fat ass and 48 lb bike up the hill.


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## juice (Feb 8, 2004)

j6105 said:


> i have heard very bad things about SRAM cassettes and chains, my advice is get a LX if you are not about to drop 30 bucks for a 1/4 a pound(like me!). SRAM shifters are pimp tho.


No way, SRAM chains last far longer, stretch less and are stronger than shimano chains. Personal experience on this one, and all the guys I ride with agree. Plus the powerlink deelio is a life saver.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

zedro said:


> with a 12-23 and two rings, why not just go single ring with 11-34? or do you really need the close spaced ratios?
> 
> you end up getting about th same ratio spread with say a 32/22t w/12-23 as you would a 32t w/11-34, without chain dropage.


very good point


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## chuffer (Apr 15, 2004)

j6105 said:


> an XT or XTR will save almost 1/4 pound(113 grams) over HG-50 cassette(LX).


the 2005 LX is similar in design to XT and XTR. i cant imagine the weight savings is that large this year. AND the retail price of LX dropped 3 bucks....


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## Kosk (Nov 1, 2004)

STS guide with a single 34T up front coupled to an 11x34 SRAM PG950 with PC-59 chain. Cheap and durable, never ever had problems with SRAM stuff. My bike is 39lbs. 

The 1:1 ratio is all you need for climbing, if you need more gearing, the trail is porbably so steep the fork and HA will limit you first. If I was DHing all the time I'd probably want a bigger chain ring, but for straight up FRing, 34x11 is plently for hauling-A.


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## hardcore newbie (Nov 6, 2004)

VIA said:


> Yes... same value as this...


thats kinda cool!


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## rpet (Jan 27, 2004)

I've *heard* that it can be trickier to get the rear derailleur to work smoothly with a 11-34 cassette.

I run a 2-ring setup. 36/22 with 11-32 cassette and a mid-cage derailleur for general use. I don't need gears any lower than that; if I had a single chainring, I'd probably give the 11-34 a shot.

-r


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## applegreenheckler (Feb 26, 2005)

I would go with an Ultegra 6500 12-27 224grams and under $60


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## dandurston (Jan 20, 2005)

The Ultegra sounds good too. I am 165lbs, in pretty good shape and I don't hill climb that much so I don't need super tall gearing. I want to go two rings up front because I also want a bashgaurd since I do quite a bit of urban freeriding and I am really hard on the bashring. Also I do XC every once In a while and will do so more often as I get older as more pansy so to have the big ring option is nice.

I already have: 
SRAM X9 Rear Der.
SRAM PC99 Hollowpin Chain
Race Face Evolve DH X- Type cranks that are 22/32/BG

And I'm going to get a 135mm, 10mm Thru Axle Rear Hub (I'm thinking Hadley).

Will the Ultegra Cassette fit with all of this? Or the Dura-Ace. I would like to go maybe 12/27 or 12/28 if those option exist that will work (maybe 11-27???)
If not I'm thinking a 11-32 XT or maybe an LX if I'm feeling poor.

I want my bike to be a bombproof freeride bike hence the Evolve DH cranks but components that aren't heavily stressed by freeriding such as the cassette I want to save as much weight as I can. My 1/2 built RM Switch Ltd. with a 05 Marz. Z1 FR1 150mm is, on paper, going to weigh in at 35.5lbs when completed.


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## chuffer (Apr 15, 2004)

rpet said:


> I've *heard* that it can be trickier to get the rear derailleur to work smoothly with a 11-34 cassette.
> -r


i had a cassette with a 28-34 jump at the top for a while. that used to give me a little grief when shifting in and out of the 34, but then again i was also using a short cage 105 rear derailleur. so, yeah, it can be a little trickier, but not necessarily.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

Just to be clear:
The small rear cog (11) is your high (tall) gear, harder to pedal, go faster.
The large cog (32 or 34 in this case) is your low gear, easier to pedal, climbing.

The tighter ratio cassettes (12-26, 12-23, 11-23 and 11-21) would work if you do not do much climbing.


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