Ultegra cassettes

[jjrsds]

I was thinking of using an ultegra 12-27 cassette on my bike. Just wondering if there would be any compatibility problems. Also thinking of changing 22 tooth ring to a 20 tooth for hills if needed. Any help or opinons would be helpful. The reason I am thinking of using an ultegra is they are cheaper to buy, less weight and I do not use the 32 tooth ring much.

[mtnbykr]

I was thinking of using an ultegra 12-27 cassette on my bike.
shorten the chain and reset/check the front/rear der. you should have no problem.

kl

[redwood]

I run an ultegra 12-27 and it works great. I paired it with an ultegra rear derailleur, but it should work fine with a mtb derailleur.

[jzipfel]

There is a lot of discussion of DA cassettes on the WW board over at MTBR. You might find these of help:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=63985

and

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=60677

Some good dicussion that mught help you.

[SickBoy]

I borrowed a hardtail from a friend to race at Maplelag at the end of the season. It was set up with a 12-27 DA cassette and a DA long-cage rear derailleur along with a 22-32-44 chainring setup (on RaceFace NeXT LP cranks).

It was great in dry conditions for saturday's pre-ride and STXC race. I didn't have to use the granny ring at all. Then it rained three inches saturday night and Sunday's XC was a mud slog. Granted, had the front derailleur shifted perfectly in adverse conditions, I would not have had problems. Reality, the front derailleur had problems and I wound up overgeared on a lot of tight muddy uphill singletrack sections and was forced to walk when I normally could have ridden. (if I had my own bike, equipped with a 22/32/44 crank and an 11-32 cassette)

End result? Give me a regular crank and an 11-32 cassette anyday. I prefer to not have to use the granny ring. Front shifting has never, IMHO, been reliable on any bike I've ever ridden that's older than a year. And every bike that has had front shifting problems on the trail, shifts perfectly on the stand. Maybe it's some sort of strange function of frame flex, pedal RPM, cog choice in the rear, but I have learned to try to shift smooth, anticipate shifts and overall try to prevent using the granny ring.

What does that have to do with running a 11-27 cassette? Well, unless your bike has impeccable front shifting and you have really good (aka Expert class racer) legs, I personally would not rely on using the granny. For what it's worth, I think running a 30/44 double chainring with an 11-34 cassette is a better idea if you want to try to save weight.

[nigel]

I used to use DA cassettes with a 32/44 setup in front for a while when i was all fast and a weight freak. Yeah its just stupid IMHO, it was not that bad but not worth it at all, now if i can only find an affordable 11/30 9sp!


D

[90psi]

I used to use DA cassettes with a 32/44 setup in front for a while when i was all fast and a weight freak. Yeah its just stupid IMHO, it was not that bad but not worth it at all, now if i can only find an affordable 11/30 9sp!


DDA, and to a bit lesser extent, Ultegra, cassettes wear so fast, it makes you wonder if Shimano is just some secret vast Pacific Rim corporate conspiracy to weaken the dollar, working in tandem with consumerist Bush-ite crony capitalists and Euro-hating transvestite Baptists to bring us cycling revolutionaries down..... whoa, I said too much.
Really, SRAM cassettes are cheap, light and wear great. 11-32 9sp. 11-27, i think, too. I hear IRD has 9sp 11-28. <i>STEEL</i> cogs. All of 'em. Chromed, too... mmmmm, chromed. On alloy carriers, so very nearly Ultegra weight. Teflon-frypan blocks, too. I'm gonna try and bring them into Freewheel, so let me know if you all are interested and I'll try and get some intro pricing for you ferrite-loving insurgent freedom haters. Here, check it:
http://www.interlocracing.com/cassettes_steel.html

[nigel]

I hear IRD has 9sp 11-28. STEEL cogs. All of 'em. Chromed, too... mmmmm, chromed. On alloy carriers, so very nearly Ultegra weight. Teflon-frypan blocks, too. I'm gonna try and bring them into Freewheel, so let me know if you all are interested and I'll try and get some intro pricing for you ferrite-loving insurgent freedom haters. Here, check it:
http://www.interlocracing.com/cassettes_steel.html
You should be able to get em from SBS if you have an account there. I sold a few of them but i would never use them myself *shrugs*

[jjrsds]

Thanks all for the opinions. I have an ultegra 12-27 coming if I don't like the set up on the MTB I can throw it on the road bike or let my roommate buy it.

[tedsti]

I hear IRD has 9sp 11-28. STEEL cogs. All of 'em. Chromed, too... mmmmm, chromed. On alloy carriers, so very nearly Ultegra weight. Here, check it:
http://www.interlocracing.com/cassettes_steel.html
12-28 sound ideal. How often are you ever in the 32 anyhow? If the hill is that steep, it is nearly impossible to hold traction anyway.

Ted

[SickBoy]

12-28 sound ideal. How often are you ever in the 32 anyhow? If the hill is that steep, it is nearly impossible to hold traction anyway.

Ted
Depends on how strong you are. I almost never use the 32 cog with the 22/24 ring... but because I have the 32 I can use the 22/24 ring a LOT less.

[bigwheel]

12-28 sound ideal. How often are you ever in the 32 anyhow? If the hill is that steep, it is nearly impossible to hold traction anyway.

Ted
I practically live on the 34. Maybe it's just because I'm "big boned". Could it be all the batteries I'm carrying? nah.

[tedsti]

You are also running 29" wheels. A 29" wheel running a 34 is similar to a 26" wheel running a 30. So you really aren't that far off from running the equivilant of a 28. Besides when you are in the largest gear on the cassette, you should be granny up front so you aren't crossing up the chain so much.

Ted


I practically live on the 34. Maybe it's just because I'm "big boned". Could it be all the batteries I'm carrying? nah.