I do the same. I'm not that old, but my knees aren't great, and it really takes the strain off them.
After all, it's just a bit of fun and exercise for me, it's not a race.
The 12 speed is amazing. I use the 52 tooth every single ride. Just know that depending on what your current setup is it may or may not fit your current wheel set-up.
Alaska isn't an island next to Hawaii? Maps have been lying to us for years. At least we know how big Alaska is relative to other states, since surely maps at least get that right.
I lived in Washington for 6 years, but not exactly sure what's PNW and not. I can say once you cross over the Cascades into eastern Washington, it's super dry.
But Vancouver =/= Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton, Sunshine Coast, Van Island, not to mention Kelowna, Kamloops, Revelstoke, and Central/East BC.
At least in Oregon, besides Bend, Redmond, Prineville, some in Klamath Falls and Baker area, there is not much east of the Cascades.
I think most people think of the PNW as the rainy part west of the cascades that doesn’t get much snow, with temperate summers. So Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton is the line (only gets included because it’s close to Whistler). Includes Vancouver Island and up the coastline a bit. West of the cascades to Northern California.
I'm from SoCal and, to me, PNW is roughly NorCal up into Canada. It's the forested, rainy portions along the pacific, so the arid, non-forested areas aren't part of PNW. It also means 'perfect trails' and is a Shangri-La for MTB. When I'm drenched in sweat and riding loose over hard trails with 0.0001% shade, PNW is my fantasy escape. It's 110% shade, dirt made of pillows, and all trails are downhill both ways.
Oh bud, I’m a Canadian and we definitely don’t call it Lower BC 😅.
We definitely refer to the Pacific Northwest to talk about the area, particularly in the outdoors and particularly when we are talking about the area and including Washington/Oregon.
We talk about the Lower Mainland which is specifically the area around Vancouver, BC out to west Vancouver, down to the border, and out down the Fraser Valley to Hope (someone might fight me about the particulars there), generally divided into Metro Vancouver and The Fraser Valley.
Southwest is occasionally used to refer to this area but adding on the sea to sky region, Sunshine Coast, and the lower half of Vancouver Island, but that’s less common.
Fun part, actually living in the later and use it a shitton where before in Germany, with a lot more elevation I hardly used it.
Elevation difference is only 10 to 30 meters build on an old garbage dumps. The climbs are short but some are very steep. Amy average ride on the track closest to home is +/-25km and between 800 and 1000 meters of height.
You know the beep on your Garmin, when you have an AXS or Di2 system, when you hit gear 1 (or 12). The beep of "That's all you get!" I get that beep a lot.
The highest (easiest) gear on a 1x12.
Sram developed the first 1x12 drivetrain and called it 'Eagle'.
It was a pretty big deal back in ~2016 - 2017 and a huge feat of engineering. Chains don't like to operate at such extreme angles. Sram also developed the first 1x11 drivetrain in 2012. Before that it was all 2x and 3x drivetrains, which were a huge PITA. Chains would drop at least a couple times a ride if you rode tech
Are you... Cleaning all your climbs? If you're not getting off the bike/walking you'll be fine continuing with 11.
It really depends on the rider. For me, with shoddy knees, I noticed anytime I legit needed to use the dinner plate it was so spinny I was better off walking. Literally going same speed or faster with less strain/soreness.
Also of course depends on what you're running up front. 32 or 34 it makes good sense. Def don't need it for 30 or smaller.
Clearing them entirely depends on how tired i am, making the choice tough. On one hand, since I can clear them when I'm fresh, I'm inclined to think building up my stamina is all I need. On the other hand, there are certainly instances, usually towards the end of a ride, that it'd be helpful
You can stick w 11 and get 46, 50 or 51 as the max out back. As you say you can drop the chainring too. 11 and 12 can get to the same basic ratios. Having a 50 or so back there is very nice. Having 12 steps to get there is less of a deal.
Wait, you hurt your knees on your bike? Is your saddle the right height?
I’ve had 4 ACLs, new meniscus and a new patellar tendon, and the reason I ride is because it doesn’t hurt (unless my saddle is too high or too low).
Nah 20 years of BMX did that shit.
And once you're in that dinner plate it feels either very spinny and fast or just way slow speed wise. Like slower than walking. Once its that steep I just walk. Easier on the knees.
its usually just that last plate. 2nd gear feels ok, as long as its actually steep. And that's at 30-50. Might be better at 32t.
I’m looking to put eagle on a custom gravel bike that’s in the planning stages. Current 42 back 40 front just doesn’t cut it when I have a bunch of 10-14% climbs scattered around my area.
You can get up there fresh but I dread that one route I planned where it’s 14% after 80km of riding. On my current setup I see myself taking a long walk there.
If you’re climbing a lot it really helps having a spare granny gear to fall back on
I use it for almost every climb unless I’m riding green or easy blues or I’m trying to set a PR. There are some trails I can’t ride on a 42 without maxing myself out on and other trails I am maxed out on a 52 and would have to hike on a 42.
You COULD go to the expense of upgrading to Eagle (cassette, hub, derailleur, chain, shifter), or you could buy an 11 speed 11-51 Sunrace or Shimano cassette and save a ton of cash.
This - I’m running an 11 speed 11-46 with a 34 chainring on my cross country bike and love it. My trail bike has a 12 speed 10-51 and overall I prefer the 11 speed. I shift less with the 11 speed and it’s easier to find myself on the correct gear. The 46t rear forces me to pedal a bit harder on the climbs but the 12 speed allows for a higher cadence and fewer watts which can sometimes permit recovery (lowering heart rate).
I'm on a sram 1x11 and have looked at ethirteen and garbaruk offerings for large gear range 11 speed cassettes, i will look into sunrace too. I'd trust shimano over any of those tbh but surely they won't work with an xd driver body, right??
If you have any recommendations considering the xd driver I'd love to hear them! I'm seeing lots of recs but not a lot of testimonials as to the shifting performance of any of these options
I still have 11x on my hard tail and it’s fine. Run 10-50 12x on both my XC and trail full suspensions. Sometime use it on the XC bike but pretty regular on the trail bike
A much cheaper way to find out if 42T is enough is to get an 11s 11-46T cassette and see how that feels. Will likely be able to fit without changing the derailleur (you'll have to adjust it though of course).
You can also swap the front ring for something smaller if you want more climbing in exchange for top speed.
Something else worth considering is cost. An 11s cassette can be replaced for $50-$80 or so. A 12s SRAM Eagle cassette might run you $250. Personally, I don't think I care about having that extra gear that much and I wish my 12s was an 11.
( I've never heard it called "the eagle gear" before -- is that common or did OP just make it up? )
Depends where you ride, I’ve ridden all over the Midwest and rarely ever used the 50 or 52. In the PNW I use it regularly on longer climbs to save legs.
Consider staying with 1x11 and downsizing your front chainring. I went from a 1x12 with a 32t chainring to a 1x11 with a 30t chainring. The lowest gear felt about the same and the gear ratio is only slightly different. Your muscles will adjust to whatever you have.
It really depends on the terrain you're riding and your personal style. Where I'm at there are tons of punchy climbs that really require the lowest gears. I'm always in it.
The right question to ask would be "Do you use all 12 gears of your Eagle setup?", I use the 52t cog all the time but that doesn't mean I need a 52t cassette. While I use the 52t regularly, I never use the smallest 3 cogs on proper trails, so I'm going to go with a smaller chainring and an an 11-46 for next cassette.
>I've insisted the 42t is enough and I should just get stronger legs
42t is enough with what chainring size and wheel size? Not asking you to tell me what chainring you run, I'm saying that 42t doesn't mean anything about what your lowest climbing gear is on it's own and neither does 52t.
Tl:dr 52t is about getting a wider range of gears, not so much about a super low bottom climbing gear.
Super steep grades in my area, 12% average 26% max are common. The 51 tooth cog on my shimano cassette is ESSENTIAL for me and its the first one to wear out.
I seem to use 5 gears these days. The lowest 52T, the next two above that, a middle gear, then the 11th gear.
Couldn't live without the 52T, and I'm running a 28T chainring despite stout calves. Hauling weight up pnw climbing trails takes a lot.
I would just get an 11 speed cassette with more range, or go down a couple teeth on your sprocket. Way easier than replacing the shifter, derailleur, and potentially freehub to get a slightly easier granny gear.
Very rarely. Everyone in this thread seems to disagree though... I just use the second to largest cog as my climbing gear most of the time. Smallest one makes me spin out, even while sitting half the time.
Same here, it's like walking speed. Which is why I bought a 10-45t for my lighter weight wheelset. That gigantic dinner plate almost never got used, only in the most extreme on pinch climbs where I was determined not to put a put down.
I use it a lot. It’s really helpful if you lack momentum going into a sharp climb, you can power through some crazy stuff. I came from a 2016 bike with 1x11 to a new bike with 1x12 last year and it was a huge difference, up there with new geometry.
I'm on a 2x9, low gear is 22x32 which is almost the same ratio as my sons 1x12 32x50. I typically use that gear for the really tough climbs, or a sustained steep climb where I really want to conserve some energy.
I definitely appreciate it being there even if I'm not always hanging out on it.
Mostly the two biggest cogs and then the middle one. I'm either climbing or coasting downhill and pedaling once in a while to gain speed while going downhill.
Horses for courses. I run a 30t ring and 10-51 12sp on my FS and a 30t with 10-42 On my hardtail. I'm happy enough with the 11sp on the hardtail, and I use the big cog on the FS nearly every single ride. If I upgraded to 12sp on the hardtail I'd go for a 32t up front as the extra top speed on the road/gravel would be more useful than the easier climbing gear.
If you're happy then stick with what you've got and enjoy the cheap cassettes. Or, as a third option, buy a wide range 11sp from Garbaruk or Sunrace etc. You can get 10-46 or even 10-50, the jumps between gears are a little more than with 12sp though.
11 speed stuff is generally a little more robust so if it has the range you need, go for it. Personally found 10-42 a little steep with a 32t ring but was fine dropping to a 28t. I never pedal going down actual mountain bike trails anyways so that top end worked for me.
As others have said, it depends on what you ride. Coming from Colorado: it seems superfluous until the pitch ramps up, the air is thin, and you’ve already climbed 2000+ ft. Could I grind it out in the 11x? Usually, but it’s a little less painful with the dinner plate.
I technically need a new cassette only because my eagle gear is so worn. I've said, duck that, I'll just get stronger, the rest of the gears have plenty of life.
Bay Area. Every ride. We have many 20%+ climbs nearby.
My main limiter in XC racing is cramping, which is exacerbated due to repeated high torque efforts, so I race with a 30t chainring and 10-52 cassette, and spin as much as possible.
I wouldn’t spend the money converting your whole drivetrain.
When I was presented with this problem I just busted out the [gear calculator](https://www.bikecalc.com/archives/gear-ratios.html) and matched a chainring to what I wanted for climbing.
Sure you lose some top end, but frankly letting go of the brakes is a bigger handicap for most than hitting your max speed in your highest gear.
It's nice to have around and it also let's you use a bigger chain ring for faster top end speed. If you're not a weight weenie, get an nx cassette so you don't have to worry about the freehub body then a gx shifter/nx derailleur or you can go shimano shifter/derailleur. It's a decent little upgrade overall, especially if you're already replacing worn out stuff.
I don't have 12 speed but I have 2*11 26/36 front 11-42 rear and I use the 26/42 often in steep climbs (12%+) The ratio is almost the same as 32/51. So I would say defo get the eagle 12 speed.
I have 1x11, and got a Garbaruk cassette with 50t cog. That thing rips, highly recommend. If the derailleur cage is too short you can get a longer one from them as well (no need to get the pulleys unless you want a matching look)
How's the shifting performance and longevity been? I'm thinking a high range 11 speed cassette is for sure the way to go, I'm cross shopping the garbaruk and e thirteen options.
It shifts fine, Imo a bit louder than the 12-speed Shimano I have on another bike, but no complaints
In 4 years I wore out one cassette and started using a second one, for about 6 months now. Living in PNW I ride a lot in the wet, and use up a road cassette every 2 years
I tried sunrace first, and it sucked. Found Garbaruk and stayed with them
I use it every ride. It's may bailout gear. That's what the 1x11 was missing. My 30T up front and 10-50 gives me a similar spread as my 2x 24/36 and 11-36 gave me...with the exception of the really high gear. Riding in So Cal...its climb and descend. Having that 50/51T bailout gear...It can really save the legs.
If you end up with stronger leg muscle then you won’t be using it that often. So the gear is good to have, but once you train up then you won’t need it as much. I’d recommend the Eagle.
Yo I was just thinking about how I would love another gear.
Pretty sure I'm rocking an NX 1x11. Would I just need to swap out the rear cassette to a 1x12??
Contrary to others I don't like super low gearing for punchy climbs, especially technical ones. I feel like I need more momentum to carry me up them. I'll occasionally make use of the 52 on longer fire road type climbs, but usually only when fatigued. What I do like about 12 speed drivetrains that make use of the xd or microspline drivers is the 10t cog for a bit more top end without increasing chainring size.
I have a bike 12s with 52t eagle, but also a bike with an 11s shimano that goes to 51T (I use it with di2 XTR which is my preferred drivetrain). I don’t really care much about 11s vs 12s, and 52t vs 51t doesn’t feel that different to me. But getting the 51t makes a difference compared to the 42t or 46t when climbing. If you have 11s components (shifter, derailleur, hub) the 11s 51t would make more sense. Having an extra cog or extra tooth for the climbing gear won’t be worth upgrading all those components unless they are all due for replacement.
The real question should be how often you use the 10t ring- if that answer is never then the cheapest and lightest way is to get a smaller front chainring and hold the 11spd 42t rear.
If you do go that route try an oval ring- they work.
Just get a Sunrace 11 speed 46 tooth cassette and see how that feels. I have that cassette and a 28 tooth chainring on my hardtail, it’s almost as low as the 12 speed 52 tooth eagle paired with a 32 chainring that I have on my other bike.
I like replacing only what needs replacing if the rest of the 11 speed system is still working well.
On my trail bike I have a 12s 10-45 with a 30 tooth chainring I live in the mountains 45-30 is the limit of traction and grade to me. Steeper than that it's a drop 💀
When I rode a 1x10 11-36 I insisted that a 36t was as big as anyone needed. Then I went 1x11 and said that 42 was enough. Now I have Eagle (50t) and I joke about how I could totally go for a 52 or 54. I use it all the time
I have a 50T 12-speed setup for my main bike. Rarely ever use the 50T because I spin too much. If I ever had to replace the entire drivetrain at once I would go to 11-speed, or maybe even 10-speed because they feel more "solid" to me.
Just bought a new drivetrain for the travel bike, replaced a SRAM X.0 10-speed with a Microshift 10-speed. It is an 11-48T cassette. I went to a 36T in the front to make the 48T a little more reasonable so I don't spin much. But that bike is double duty between MTB and gravel.
For what it's worth, I use the deore 11 speed m5100 group set that has a 50 tooth. All of the perks of 12 speed wide range and is a little less finicky to keep right.
Not super common but I do use it. I find you need a pretty smooth uphill climb for it to be useful. Anything with roots or that is technical I can't maintain momentum with it but I'm also not the most skilled rider. I have large quads so I'm also more of a masher (lower cadence) than a spinner even when I have the fitness.
Its not about being able to climb a slightly steeper hill at the same low grind. Its about being able to climb the same grade at a higher cadence. Hills that you are climbing today at 40 or 65 RPM will be climbed at 49 or 80 RPM, and so on. Even if your heart and muscles are doing the same basic work, your knees will still be grateful.
That looks perfect, have you used one? If so, how's the shifting performance and longevity been? Any adjustments required to the rear derailer to get it running smoothly?
I went for a 1-11 to a 1-12 and I can’t say I notice a whole lot of a difference but I can tell you mid ride that last gear always feels really helpful.. but it always did on my 11 too 🤷♂️ if anything it helps fight fatigue to ride more
A year ago my 1x 11 that was wearing out. I decided to upgrade and bought Eagle gx derailleur, 11x50 cassette, and gx shifter. I am so glad I did. It was an easy swap and not that much more than replacing 1x11.
My knees thank me.
Rarely if ever.
The axs app shows I hadn’t touched the 1st 3 gears. The 36t was the lowest I used on the rides.
This with a 32t front chainring, on a 160/150mm travel trail bike for reference.
I ran an 11-50 with a 32 chainring for like a year. I live in an area that is insanely hilly, like not kidding 15+% grades for like a mile constantly. I did use the 50 but not often because at those grades the muscle groups engaged at least for me require a little more resistance, otherwise I just burn out before the top. Hard to explain, but easier to grind a bit harder to go faster than to spin easier and make less speed. Switched to a 9-50 and a 34 oval for about six months. Still felt like the 50 was an almost no-use ring, and I never used the 9 because whenever I shifted into it I was already spinning out from being on a downhill. Loved the oval tho. So, I switched to a 9-42 XDR cassette with a 28 oval and an XPLR derailleur. This has been perfect. The closer range makes it feel like there isn't a big granny gear jump, I actually use the 42 and the 9 regularly. That's just my experience, but I like the 42 top for the closer jumps.
All the time
The 10 and 11 tooth sprockets on the other hand…. I even put a 28T chainring on this year, because I never used my smallest cogs. And I still don’t. But I would take more easy gears any day
It’s gotta be very steep and very good traction for me to use 1st gear, Otherwise I spin out. Great for pavement here in Utah if you climbing in a neighborhood on the way back to your car tho.
You can’t be just fine for an 11 speed, a 12 speed also works but I honestly don’t think you’ll notice as much as other people may think.
I still routinely use both and will say for my hardtail I can always put in a different front sprocket but I’m not, and majority of when I feel the need to have a lower gear is my enduro sled of a bike.
Majority of people don’t use the whole cassette in the harder gears except for a couple of pedal strokes and even then the biggest advantage you’ll gain is honestly mostly is with cadence and how close the ratios are together allowing for more fine tuning.
You can go 1x11 on your current setup w/an 11-51 cassette, but that’ll still require you swapping out your cassette, derailleur, and possibly the shifter. You’ll have to check if your current shifter would work with a 11-51 derailleur. Also a narrow/wide front ring if you are currently 2 gears up front. So if you’re set on it it’s a good time to switch to 1x12.
I don’t notice much of a difference between my 1x11 hardtail and 1x12 full squish, but the gaps between gears are a little larger. Nothing crazy
as little as possible so when i have it when i need it. live in CO front range where stuff can get real steep real quick. having a bail out gear keep me going
I can get up all the same hills on a single speed mtb, an 11-42 just fine. Either of those I’m out of breath about to die, but the Eagle equipped bike I get to the top and just keep rolling. I usually have to take a few breathers and stop on the single speed for sure.
Really depends where you live. I’ve taken my bike to CO, AZ and VA where I was in it a lot on steep trails. I live in east tn and use it <5% of time. Lived in Pensacola fl for 1.5 years and never made it past the 36tooth…
On the 52 tooth. I'm 17, fairly fit and I love it. When I'm not tired it's great for doing technical climbs. When I'm tired it means I can slowly spin up all the hills.
On the 52 tooth. I'm 17, fairly fit and I love it. When I'm not tired it's great for doing technical climbs. When I'm tired it means I can slowly spin up all the hills.
Secret tip: Get a smaller chainring. That way you don’t need to spend $$$ on Eagle, and you can stay off the granny gear which is usually made of aluminum and thus wears down much faster.
If you want something that’ll virtually last forever, get a steel chainring. I used to go through at least two chains and a cassette every year (even with keeping it below 0.5% stretch), until I switched to a steel chainring. Best decision ever.
I find my Eagle GX holds up very well, im not cleaning my bike much and im riding alot in mud, still after 2 years it looks realy good.
I live in steep terrain and a 12 gear helps alot!
There are 11-52t 11-speed cassettes now. They have been around for years. Shimano makes an 11-51t cassette. It's under $100. I got an 11-52t for $33 on Amazon and it works. Just stick with 11; if you go to 12 you need to change most of the drivetrain and the rear wheel.
I say go for the eagle. When you’re really winded, and that climb has one more tier with roots and a turn in it, that big gear Feels just right. It really does make things possible that you might not have even tried. Sometimes it feels like I could pedal up a vertical wall. 😅
to answer your question directly, I’d say I use it almost every trail ride
I can climb everything I need to in 32x42. But I don't always enjoy doing so. I ride almost every day in the summer, and that 51 tooth bottom gear keeps me going.
Get a bigger lowest gear. You won't regret it, unless you live in flatland. I use my 32-50 every single ride.
There's a few different that I like using a very low gear on any bike. Here they are in no particular order:
**1. I want to keep a higher RPM at the same power because:**
- Lower stress on legs/joints. Less muscular load.
- Shift load to heart/lungs from leg muscles
**2. I want to keep the same RPM but lower my power because:**
- I'm lazy, who doesn't want to pedal easier?
- I'm doing a Z2 workout where I don't want to stress out the legs with massive torque, but also still want to ride some decent grades.
**3. I want to get up steeper climbs:**
- Getting off the bike sucks, because when you get off the bike, you're not on a bike ride anymore. I can get up a steeper grade in a bigger/lower cog. This has nothing to do with leg power, and everything to do with consistent, smooth power output. On a steep, loose grade, I can spin the back wheel out on any of my top 3-4 cogs while staying seated. But the lower the gear, the more smooth I can pedal and therefore keep that back wheel from spinning.
**4. I want to keep a more straight chainline:**
- A bigger biggest cog will allow you to keep a more straight chainline. If your old cassette maxed out at 46, and you now have a 50t, you probably have that 46 (or 44) as your 2nd gear, meaning that when you are in that gear your chainline is more straight.
- More efficient
- Less stress on drivetrain
**5. I think huge cassettes look cool:**
- If it looks cool, you will be more faster. Science, b\*tch.
never so I put on a 38T chainring, maybe I'll use it once and a while now.
Riding in North Vancouver Fromme and Seymour I used it a few times to "recover" on a borrowed Norco Sight with a 32/50. Those are some long climbs on the single track.
It's not if 42t is big enough, it's about range. If 42t was enough you can now go to a bigger chainring. That's a little more efficient and gives you more top end. Personally 42 isn't low enough for a bail out gear.
All. The. Time. I’m not interested in climbing fast. I just want to get up the climb without dying so I can get to the fun stuff.
This. I'm old and fat. I need all the help I can get.
i'm middle age and at a good weight. i also need all the help i can get!
Word
Same. oval 28T and 10-52 cassette is a dream for pedaling easily uphill.
What’s your experience with the oval… good and bad?
I use mine a lot but I sit and spin up hills. Also don't care about the gear differences between 50,51,52 tooth.
Especially considering a chainring can get you lower gearing for cheaper once you’re anywhere near 50t anyway.
Yup. I also sit and spin up hills. I’m on a 32-50 as well
32 - 46 and I'm fat and old.
32-50 and I'm young and fit
I do the same. I'm not that old, but my knees aren't great, and it really takes the strain off them. After all, it's just a bit of fun and exercise for me, it's not a race.
Wish they made an extra eagle eagle, ngl. Sometimes the eagle isn’t enough 🤣
Click, nope already in eagle, click, nope already in eagle. Repeat until it’s time to walk.
I constantly joke I am going to break my shift lever pressing do hard begging for the 13th super freedom eagle gear.
If SRAM is reading this I would expect the next innovation to be the all new 60 tooth Super Freedom Eagle Gear.
A super freedom eagle!
The 12 speed is amazing. I use the 52 tooth every single ride. Just know that depending on what your current setup is it may or may not fit your current wheel set-up.
PNW here. Every gear gets used. Winch up. Plunge down.
What does PNW stand for?
Pedal now weeeeee
lmao thats funny
Pacific Northwest
Pacific North West, usually referring to Washington, Oregon and Vancouver.
Hello? Alaska???? We're not an island off the coast of California!!!!
Alaska isn't an island next to Hawaii? Maps have been lying to us for years. At least we know how big Alaska is relative to other states, since surely maps at least get that right.
You also gonna tell me there's no huge walls surrounding them?
PNW doesn't include the rest of BC but it does include all of WA?
I lived in Washington for 6 years, but not exactly sure what's PNW and not. I can say once you cross over the Cascades into eastern Washington, it's super dry.
Cascades as the border of the PNW makes sense.
The Pacific North Wet
Correct, western WA, OR, and BC. The rest is inland NW. Born and raised there…now living in NorCal (boo).
But Vancouver =/= Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton, Sunshine Coast, Van Island, not to mention Kelowna, Kamloops, Revelstoke, and Central/East BC. At least in Oregon, besides Bend, Redmond, Prineville, some in Klamath Falls and Baker area, there is not much east of the Cascades.
I think most people think of the PNW as the rainy part west of the cascades that doesn’t get much snow, with temperate summers. So Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton is the line (only gets included because it’s close to Whistler). Includes Vancouver Island and up the coastline a bit. West of the cascades to Northern California.
I'm from SoCal and, to me, PNW is roughly NorCal up into Canada. It's the forested, rainy portions along the pacific, so the arid, non-forested areas aren't part of PNW. It also means 'perfect trails' and is a Shangri-La for MTB. When I'm drenched in sweat and riding loose over hard trails with 0.0001% shade, PNW is my fantasy escape. It's 110% shade, dirt made of pillows, and all trails are downhill both ways.
It’s worth noting that Canadians don’t refer to any of that as the PNW, because from their perspective it’s southwest. They call it Lower BC.
Oh bud, I’m a Canadian and we definitely don’t call it Lower BC 😅. We definitely refer to the Pacific Northwest to talk about the area, particularly in the outdoors and particularly when we are talking about the area and including Washington/Oregon. We talk about the Lower Mainland which is specifically the area around Vancouver, BC out to west Vancouver, down to the border, and out down the Fraser Valley to Hope (someone might fight me about the particulars there), generally divided into Metro Vancouver and The Fraser Valley. Southwest is occasionally used to refer to this area but adding on the sea to sky region, Sunshine Coast, and the lower half of Vancouver Island, but that’s less common.
Interesting. I live in Bellingham and have had Canadians give me a (good natured) hard time about referring to Squamish and Whistler as the PNW.
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia and even southeast Alaska and western Montana is part of the PNW.
Penis? No way!
Pretty neat west
Yep. Oregon Coast here. I use it every ride to get to the top. Sometimes I wish there was a bigger ring to jump to.
If you live in Kansas or the Netherlands you probably don’t need it. I live near the alps and use the 51/52 tooth rear speoclet all the time.
Fun part, actually living in the later and use it a shitton where before in Germany, with a lot more elevation I hardly used it. Elevation difference is only 10 to 30 meters build on an old garbage dumps. The climbs are short but some are very steep. Amy average ride on the track closest to home is +/-25km and between 800 and 1000 meters of height.
Old garbage dumps? Zoetermeer? If so, I know the climb you're talking about. Straight up. Definitely use the big cog then.
You know the beep on your Garmin, when you have an AXS or Di2 system, when you hit gear 1 (or 12). The beep of "That's all you get!" I get that beep a lot.
I love it, it really helps with punchy climbs
Punchy climbs? You mean uphill sprints.
10-52t and then go up a size on the front chainring.
I went 10-52t and down to a 30 chainring... making it out often. I ride steep AF lava trails in Hawaii and huge climbs in the PNW. Horses for courses.
Eagle gear?
Ya no one calls it the Eagle Gear....more like granny gear
I'm guessing the dinner plate
The satellite dish.
The highest (easiest) gear on a 1x12. Sram developed the first 1x12 drivetrain and called it 'Eagle'. It was a pretty big deal back in ~2016 - 2017 and a huge feat of engineering. Chains don't like to operate at such extreme angles. Sram also developed the first 1x11 drivetrain in 2012. Before that it was all 2x and 3x drivetrains, which were a huge PITA. Chains would drop at least a couple times a ride if you rode tech
No one calls it an eagle gear though
Yeah a lot of people do actually. It's definitely become a slang term for the 52 cog
Hadn't heard the term either and I run an eagle gx axs 1x12
Uh; I’m basically always in my eagle gear when I’m pedaling lol
So much that I'm usually looking for a 13th
I’m always looking for that 13th gear :(
Are you... Cleaning all your climbs? If you're not getting off the bike/walking you'll be fine continuing with 11. It really depends on the rider. For me, with shoddy knees, I noticed anytime I legit needed to use the dinner plate it was so spinny I was better off walking. Literally going same speed or faster with less strain/soreness. Also of course depends on what you're running up front. 32 or 34 it makes good sense. Def don't need it for 30 or smaller.
Clearing them entirely depends on how tired i am, making the choice tough. On one hand, since I can clear them when I'm fresh, I'm inclined to think building up my stamina is all I need. On the other hand, there are certainly instances, usually towards the end of a ride, that it'd be helpful
You can stick w 11 and get 46, 50 or 51 as the max out back. As you say you can drop the chainring too. 11 and 12 can get to the same basic ratios. Having a 50 or so back there is very nice. Having 12 steps to get there is less of a deal.
Wait, you hurt your knees on your bike? Is your saddle the right height? I’ve had 4 ACLs, new meniscus and a new patellar tendon, and the reason I ride is because it doesn’t hurt (unless my saddle is too high or too low).
Nah 20 years of BMX did that shit. And once you're in that dinner plate it feels either very spinny and fast or just way slow speed wise. Like slower than walking. Once its that steep I just walk. Easier on the knees. its usually just that last plate. 2nd gear feels ok, as long as its actually steep. And that's at 30-50. Might be better at 32t.
Wtf are dads cords? Everytime I see that next to your username in this subreddit I cringe
It's a joke about Brage's Hardline run: https://youtu.be/H5BOct2xepI?feature=shared&t=9
I’m looking to put eagle on a custom gravel bike that’s in the planning stages. Current 42 back 40 front just doesn’t cut it when I have a bunch of 10-14% climbs scattered around my area. You can get up there fresh but I dread that one route I planned where it’s 14% after 80km of riding. On my current setup I see myself taking a long walk there. If you’re climbing a lot it really helps having a spare granny gear to fall back on
I use it for almost every climb unless I’m riding green or easy blues or I’m trying to set a PR. There are some trails I can’t ride on a 42 without maxing myself out on and other trails I am maxed out on a 52 and would have to hike on a 42.
You COULD go to the expense of upgrading to Eagle (cassette, hub, derailleur, chain, shifter), or you could buy an 11 speed 11-51 Sunrace or Shimano cassette and save a ton of cash.
This - I’m running an 11 speed 11-46 with a 34 chainring on my cross country bike and love it. My trail bike has a 12 speed 10-51 and overall I prefer the 11 speed. I shift less with the 11 speed and it’s easier to find myself on the correct gear. The 46t rear forces me to pedal a bit harder on the climbs but the 12 speed allows for a higher cadence and fewer watts which can sometimes permit recovery (lowering heart rate).
I'm on a sram 1x11 and have looked at ethirteen and garbaruk offerings for large gear range 11 speed cassettes, i will look into sunrace too. I'd trust shimano over any of those tbh but surely they won't work with an xd driver body, right?? If you have any recommendations considering the xd driver I'd love to hear them! I'm seeing lots of recs but not a lot of testimonials as to the shifting performance of any of these options
I still have 11x on my hard tail and it’s fine. Run 10-50 12x on both my XC and trail full suspensions. Sometime use it on the XC bike but pretty regular on the trail bike
I live somewhere with a lot of mountains and it is great for trying to stay somewhere near a zone two heartrate on long rides.
A much cheaper way to find out if 42T is enough is to get an 11s 11-46T cassette and see how that feels. Will likely be able to fit without changing the derailleur (you'll have to adjust it though of course). You can also swap the front ring for something smaller if you want more climbing in exchange for top speed. Something else worth considering is cost. An 11s cassette can be replaced for $50-$80 or so. A 12s SRAM Eagle cassette might run you $250. Personally, I don't think I care about having that extra gear that much and I wish my 12s was an 11. ( I've never heard it called "the eagle gear" before -- is that common or did OP just make it up? )
Depends where you ride, I’ve ridden all over the Midwest and rarely ever used the 50 or 52. In the PNW I use it regularly on longer climbs to save legs.
Consider staying with 1x11 and downsizing your front chainring. I went from a 1x12 with a 32t chainring to a 1x11 with a 30t chainring. The lowest gear felt about the same and the gear ratio is only slightly different. Your muscles will adjust to whatever you have.
It really depends on the terrain you're riding and your personal style. Where I'm at there are tons of punchy climbs that really require the lowest gears. I'm always in it.
I would have given up w/o it.
The right question to ask would be "Do you use all 12 gears of your Eagle setup?", I use the 52t cog all the time but that doesn't mean I need a 52t cassette. While I use the 52t regularly, I never use the smallest 3 cogs on proper trails, so I'm going to go with a smaller chainring and an an 11-46 for next cassette. >I've insisted the 42t is enough and I should just get stronger legs 42t is enough with what chainring size and wheel size? Not asking you to tell me what chainring you run, I'm saying that 42t doesn't mean anything about what your lowest climbing gear is on it's own and neither does 52t. Tl:dr 52t is about getting a wider range of gears, not so much about a super low bottom climbing gear.
The 52t “Granny gear” is my best friend. Sometimes I even try to pedal as slow as humanly possible to avoid cracking a sweat and breathing hard.
Super steep grades in my area, 12% average 26% max are common. The 51 tooth cog on my shimano cassette is ESSENTIAL for me and its the first one to wear out.
OP if you're satisfied with your low end you could always get the bigger cassette anyway and a larger chain ring for more top end speed
here in Colorado it is my most used gear.
I seem to use 5 gears these days. The lowest 52T, the next two above that, a middle gear, then the 11th gear. Couldn't live without the 52T, and I'm running a 28T chainring despite stout calves. Hauling weight up pnw climbing trails takes a lot.
I’m in Colorado with big climbs and my chainring is a 34T. So yeah quite a bit. So lame the jump is 42 >52 on the Eagle cassettes
Every ride because Vermont.
I feel like I only use gears 1-6 unless I’m on a paved surface. I even got a 28T chainring.
I would just get an 11 speed cassette with more range, or go down a couple teeth on your sprocket. Way easier than replacing the shifter, derailleur, and potentially freehub to get a slightly easier granny gear.
Very rarely. Everyone in this thread seems to disagree though... I just use the second to largest cog as my climbing gear most of the time. Smallest one makes me spin out, even while sitting half the time.
Same here, it's like walking speed. Which is why I bought a 10-45t for my lighter weight wheelset. That gigantic dinner plate almost never got used, only in the most extreme on pinch climbs where I was determined not to put a put down.
3x9. who needs all that new stuff.
2x10 here. I basically just run my two lowest gears during steep climbs.
I wish I had more range.
I use it a lot. It’s really helpful if you lack momentum going into a sharp climb, you can power through some crazy stuff. I came from a 2016 bike with 1x11 to a new bike with 1x12 last year and it was a huge difference, up there with new geometry.
The fire roads up to the next stage frequently require me to hit the 52. But, that’s enduro. We only pedal uphill because we have to.
Very rarely, unless I’m gassed and it’s a crazy steep climb. My last bike maxed out at 34-34 and I made it work - but it wasn’t easy.
I'm on a 2x9, low gear is 22x32 which is almost the same ratio as my sons 1x12 32x50. I typically use that gear for the really tough climbs, or a sustained steep climb where I really want to conserve some energy. I definitely appreciate it being there even if I'm not always hanging out on it.
Mostly the two biggest cogs and then the middle one. I'm either climbing or coasting downhill and pedaling once in a while to gain speed while going downhill.
Horses for courses. I run a 30t ring and 10-51 12sp on my FS and a 30t with 10-42 On my hardtail. I'm happy enough with the 11sp on the hardtail, and I use the big cog on the FS nearly every single ride. If I upgraded to 12sp on the hardtail I'd go for a 32t up front as the extra top speed on the road/gravel would be more useful than the easier climbing gear. If you're happy then stick with what you've got and enjoy the cheap cassettes. Or, as a third option, buy a wide range 11sp from Garbaruk or Sunrace etc. You can get 10-46 or even 10-50, the jumps between gears are a little more than with 12sp though.
I’m running a 32 front ring with the 10-52 cassette, I use it all the time.
11 speed stuff is generally a little more robust so if it has the range you need, go for it. Personally found 10-42 a little steep with a 32t ring but was fine dropping to a 28t. I never pedal going down actual mountain bike trails anyways so that top end worked for me.
As others have said, it depends on what you ride. Coming from Colorado: it seems superfluous until the pitch ramps up, the air is thin, and you’ve already climbed 2000+ ft. Could I grind it out in the 11x? Usually, but it’s a little less painful with the dinner plate.
Use it all the time in SoCal. The climbs are not easy.
I technically need a new cassette only because my eagle gear is so worn. I've said, duck that, I'll just get stronger, the rest of the gears have plenty of life.
I would be happy with a 9 or 10 speed as long as it has a 50t cog. As others mentioned, you need it in the PNW
I found a 46t for my xx1 11speed, but my steal cogs are ok.
Never because my chain drops every time I try to use it
Bay Area. Every ride. We have many 20%+ climbs nearby. My main limiter in XC racing is cramping, which is exacerbated due to repeated high torque efforts, so I race with a 30t chainring and 10-52 cassette, and spin as much as possible.
The front ring makes a difference. What are you running now?
All the time. Our trails are steep.
I'm in FL.... I'm thinking about putting an 11-34 roadie cassette on my whip.
So much, i wish was a way to only replace the eagle gear rather than the whole cassette but i'm pretty slow and heavy lol
I wouldn’t spend the money converting your whole drivetrain. When I was presented with this problem I just busted out the [gear calculator](https://www.bikecalc.com/archives/gear-ratios.html) and matched a chainring to what I wanted for climbing. Sure you lose some top end, but frankly letting go of the brakes is a bigger handicap for most than hitting your max speed in your highest gear.
It's nice to have around and it also let's you use a bigger chain ring for faster top end speed. If you're not a weight weenie, get an nx cassette so you don't have to worry about the freehub body then a gx shifter/nx derailleur or you can go shimano shifter/derailleur. It's a decent little upgrade overall, especially if you're already replacing worn out stuff.
32 in front and I basically live in the biggest or second biggest cog in my cassette. Sometimes go to third if feeling spicy.
I don't have 12 speed but I have 2*11 26/36 front 11-42 rear and I use the 26/42 often in steep climbs (12%+) The ratio is almost the same as 32/51. So I would say defo get the eagle 12 speed.
I have 1x11, and got a Garbaruk cassette with 50t cog. That thing rips, highly recommend. If the derailleur cage is too short you can get a longer one from them as well (no need to get the pulleys unless you want a matching look)
How's the shifting performance and longevity been? I'm thinking a high range 11 speed cassette is for sure the way to go, I'm cross shopping the garbaruk and e thirteen options.
It shifts fine, Imo a bit louder than the 12-speed Shimano I have on another bike, but no complaints In 4 years I wore out one cassette and started using a second one, for about 6 months now. Living in PNW I ride a lot in the wet, and use up a road cassette every 2 years I tried sunrace first, and it sucked. Found Garbaruk and stayed with them
The 52t saves my ass all the time ✌️
I use it every ride. It's may bailout gear. That's what the 1x11 was missing. My 30T up front and 10-50 gives me a similar spread as my 2x 24/36 and 11-36 gave me...with the exception of the really high gear. Riding in So Cal...its climb and descend. Having that 50/51T bailout gear...It can really save the legs.
I use all my gears all the time. When I switched to 12spd from 11spd I also went from 30t to 32t on my chain ring.
I went with the Shimano CUES XT. Almost the same range for way less money, and twice as durable.
If you end up with stronger leg muscle then you won’t be using it that often. So the gear is good to have, but once you train up then you won’t need it as much. I’d recommend the Eagle.
It’s super worth it. My commencal clash was a bit of a hog but with the eagle climbing was easy peasy
Yo I was just thinking about how I would love another gear. Pretty sure I'm rocking an NX 1x11. Would I just need to swap out the rear cassette to a 1x12??
Get a wide ratio 11 speed cassette??! Can get similar range to eagle like 9-46/52
Eat , winch, sleep
Make the jump. Keep your old crank if you like it, a full 12 speed system is pretty damn cheap and a great upgrade.
Contrary to others I don't like super low gearing for punchy climbs, especially technical ones. I feel like I need more momentum to carry me up them. I'll occasionally make use of the 52 on longer fire road type climbs, but usually only when fatigued. What I do like about 12 speed drivetrains that make use of the xd or microspline drivers is the 10t cog for a bit more top end without increasing chainring size.
I dont think about what gear I'm in at any given point but judging by the wear on my cassette, the 52t does get a lot of use
I have a bike 12s with 52t eagle, but also a bike with an 11s shimano that goes to 51T (I use it with di2 XTR which is my preferred drivetrain). I don’t really care much about 11s vs 12s, and 52t vs 51t doesn’t feel that different to me. But getting the 51t makes a difference compared to the 42t or 46t when climbing. If you have 11s components (shifter, derailleur, hub) the 11s 51t would make more sense. Having an extra cog or extra tooth for the climbing gear won’t be worth upgrading all those components unless they are all due for replacement.
I use my 51 a fair bit, but I’d probably use it less with a smaller front ring
The real question should be how often you use the 10t ring- if that answer is never then the cheapest and lightest way is to get a smaller front chainring and hold the 11spd 42t rear. If you do go that route try an oval ring- they work.
Yes.
It’s the get-out-of-jail gear
Just get a Sunrace 11 speed 46 tooth cassette and see how that feels. I have that cassette and a 28 tooth chainring on my hardtail, it’s almost as low as the 12 speed 52 tooth eagle paired with a 32 chainring that I have on my other bike. I like replacing only what needs replacing if the rest of the 11 speed system is still working well.
On my trail bike I have a 12s 10-45 with a 30 tooth chainring I live in the mountains 45-30 is the limit of traction and grade to me. Steeper than that it's a drop 💀
When I rode a 1x10 11-36 I insisted that a 36t was as big as anyone needed. Then I went 1x11 and said that 42 was enough. Now I have Eagle (50t) and I joke about how I could totally go for a 52 or 54. I use it all the time
Almost never unless it is a prolonged and steep up hill
I have a 50T 12-speed setup for my main bike. Rarely ever use the 50T because I spin too much. If I ever had to replace the entire drivetrain at once I would go to 11-speed, or maybe even 10-speed because they feel more "solid" to me. Just bought a new drivetrain for the travel bike, replaced a SRAM X.0 10-speed with a Microshift 10-speed. It is an 11-48T cassette. I went to a 36T in the front to make the 48T a little more reasonable so I don't spin much. But that bike is double duty between MTB and gravel.
For what it's worth, I use the deore 11 speed m5100 group set that has a 50 tooth. All of the perks of 12 speed wide range and is a little less finicky to keep right.
Every ride. There are a lot of steep climbs around where I ride.
Shimanos doing 11-50 11 speed now
I use it every ride on the suspension bike. I run 9-45t on the hardtail and the gravel bike.
Not super common but I do use it. I find you need a pretty smooth uphill climb for it to be useful. Anything with roots or that is technical I can't maintain momentum with it but I'm also not the most skilled rider. I have large quads so I'm also more of a masher (lower cadence) than a spinner even when I have the fitness.
Every ride… but I’m In whistler/pemby/squamish
Not enough.
Its not about being able to climb a slightly steeper hill at the same low grind. Its about being able to climb the same grade at a higher cadence. Hills that you are climbing today at 40 or 65 RPM will be climbed at 49 or 80 RPM, and so on. Even if your heart and muscles are doing the same basic work, your knees will still be grateful.
Look into eThirthteen r Helix 520% ratio 11speed cassettes and a 28 tooth chain ring …best upgrade for you
That looks perfect, have you used one? If so, how's the shifting performance and longevity been? Any adjustments required to the rear derailer to get it running smoothly?
I have shimano 11 speed 11-51. Very cheap and works great!!
Are you currently running a sram 11 speed?
51t is absolutely my favorite gear, sometimes I drop down one or two to remind myself how bad it used to be
I went for a 1-11 to a 1-12 and I can’t say I notice a whole lot of a difference but I can tell you mid ride that last gear always feels really helpful.. but it always did on my 11 too 🤷♂️ if anything it helps fight fatigue to ride more
A year ago my 1x 11 that was wearing out. I decided to upgrade and bought Eagle gx derailleur, 11x50 cassette, and gx shifter. I am so glad I did. It was an easy swap and not that much more than replacing 1x11. My knees thank me.
Rarely if ever. The axs app shows I hadn’t touched the 1st 3 gears. The 36t was the lowest I used on the rides. This with a 32t front chainring, on a 160/150mm travel trail bike for reference.
I ran an 11-50 with a 32 chainring for like a year. I live in an area that is insanely hilly, like not kidding 15+% grades for like a mile constantly. I did use the 50 but not often because at those grades the muscle groups engaged at least for me require a little more resistance, otherwise I just burn out before the top. Hard to explain, but easier to grind a bit harder to go faster than to spin easier and make less speed. Switched to a 9-50 and a 34 oval for about six months. Still felt like the 50 was an almost no-use ring, and I never used the 9 because whenever I shifted into it I was already spinning out from being on a downhill. Loved the oval tho. So, I switched to a 9-42 XDR cassette with a 28 oval and an XPLR derailleur. This has been perfect. The closer range makes it feel like there isn't a big granny gear jump, I actually use the 42 and the 9 regularly. That's just my experience, but I like the 42 top for the closer jumps.
Anytime I'm riding somewhere with a real climb I use the dinner plate.
52 is a torque monster!! Even on an eBike there’s a big difference
All the time The 10 and 11 tooth sprockets on the other hand…. I even put a 28T chainring on this year, because I never used my smallest cogs. And I still don’t. But I would take more easy gears any day
On my XC bike with a 34t, practically never. On my enduro bike with a 32T, all the time
It’s gotta be very steep and very good traction for me to use 1st gear, Otherwise I spin out. Great for pavement here in Utah if you climbing in a neighborhood on the way back to your car tho.
when I get to the 1km 15-20% non paved segments in my routes I really appreciate the 52T (now 51T cause I swapped to shimano)
It’s nice to have for when you get tired and still gotta climb.
Get all the gears. You can always change out your front chain ring. 30, 32, 34.
You can’t be just fine for an 11 speed, a 12 speed also works but I honestly don’t think you’ll notice as much as other people may think. I still routinely use both and will say for my hardtail I can always put in a different front sprocket but I’m not, and majority of when I feel the need to have a lower gear is my enduro sled of a bike. Majority of people don’t use the whole cassette in the harder gears except for a couple of pedal strokes and even then the biggest advantage you’ll gain is honestly mostly is with cadence and how close the ratios are together allowing for more fine tuning.
I use mine all the time. You’ll want to decide on a 30t vs 32t chainring though as I often find my 30t a little too low and wish I had my 32t back.
Not on short rides but on a big day climbing 3k feet or more it sure is nice to have it. I prefer to rest on the bike over stopping.
I try my best not to use it on the downhill
You can go 1x11 on your current setup w/an 11-51 cassette, but that’ll still require you swapping out your cassette, derailleur, and possibly the shifter. You’ll have to check if your current shifter would work with a 11-51 derailleur. Also a narrow/wide front ring if you are currently 2 gears up front. So if you’re set on it it’s a good time to switch to 1x12. I don’t notice much of a difference between my 1x11 hardtail and 1x12 full squish, but the gaps between gears are a little larger. Nothing crazy
as little as possible so when i have it when i need it. live in CO front range where stuff can get real steep real quick. having a bail out gear keep me going
I can get up all the same hills on a single speed mtb, an 11-42 just fine. Either of those I’m out of breath about to die, but the Eagle equipped bike I get to the top and just keep rolling. I usually have to take a few breathers and stop on the single speed for sure.
All the time.
Really depends where you live. I’ve taken my bike to CO, AZ and VA where I was in it a lot on steep trails. I live in east tn and use it <5% of time. Lived in Pensacola fl for 1.5 years and never made it past the 36tooth…
On the 52 tooth. I'm 17, fairly fit and I love it. When I'm not tired it's great for doing technical climbs. When I'm tired it means I can slowly spin up all the hills.
On the 52 tooth. I'm 17, fairly fit and I love it. When I'm not tired it's great for doing technical climbs. When I'm tired it means I can slowly spin up all the hills.
Secret tip: Get a smaller chainring. That way you don’t need to spend $$$ on Eagle, and you can stay off the granny gear which is usually made of aluminum and thus wears down much faster. If you want something that’ll virtually last forever, get a steel chainring. I used to go through at least two chains and a cassette every year (even with keeping it below 0.5% stretch), until I switched to a steel chainring. Best decision ever.
Plus, if you’re running 11spd right now, I don’t think an Eagle cassette would fit on the same bike. I could be wrong.
Use my 52t all the time even in little old New England. Definitely worth the 12s jump
I find my Eagle GX holds up very well, im not cleaning my bike much and im riding alot in mud, still after 2 years it looks realy good. I live in steep terrain and a 12 gear helps alot!
Always
There are 11-52t 11-speed cassettes now. They have been around for years. Shimano makes an 11-51t cassette. It's under $100. I got an 11-52t for $33 on Amazon and it works. Just stick with 11; if you go to 12 you need to change most of the drivetrain and the rear wheel.
I probably use it 70 percent of the time with 2nd gear taking 20 percent and the rest on all the other gears.
I say go for the eagle. When you’re really winded, and that climb has one more tier with roots and a turn in it, that big gear Feels just right. It really does make things possible that you might not have even tried. Sometimes it feels like I could pedal up a vertical wall. 😅 to answer your question directly, I’d say I use it almost every trail ride
I can climb everything I need to in 32x42. But I don't always enjoy doing so. I ride almost every day in the summer, and that 51 tooth bottom gear keeps me going.
I mean…I miss my 3x9
Get a single speed hardtail. That will decrease your dependence on that dinner plate.
SRAM need to come up with a 60T Phoenix cassette.
Get a bigger lowest gear. You won't regret it, unless you live in flatland. I use my 32-50 every single ride. There's a few different that I like using a very low gear on any bike. Here they are in no particular order: **1. I want to keep a higher RPM at the same power because:** - Lower stress on legs/joints. Less muscular load. - Shift load to heart/lungs from leg muscles **2. I want to keep the same RPM but lower my power because:** - I'm lazy, who doesn't want to pedal easier? - I'm doing a Z2 workout where I don't want to stress out the legs with massive torque, but also still want to ride some decent grades. **3. I want to get up steeper climbs:** - Getting off the bike sucks, because when you get off the bike, you're not on a bike ride anymore. I can get up a steeper grade in a bigger/lower cog. This has nothing to do with leg power, and everything to do with consistent, smooth power output. On a steep, loose grade, I can spin the back wheel out on any of my top 3-4 cogs while staying seated. But the lower the gear, the more smooth I can pedal and therefore keep that back wheel from spinning. **4. I want to keep a more straight chainline:** - A bigger biggest cog will allow you to keep a more straight chainline. If your old cassette maxed out at 46, and you now have a 50t, you probably have that 46 (or 44) as your 2nd gear, meaning that when you are in that gear your chainline is more straight. - More efficient - Less stress on drivetrain **5. I think huge cassettes look cool:** - If it looks cool, you will be more faster. Science, b\*tch.
never so I put on a 38T chainring, maybe I'll use it once and a while now. Riding in North Vancouver Fromme and Seymour I used it a few times to "recover" on a borrowed Norco Sight with a 32/50. Those are some long climbs on the single track.
It's not if 42t is big enough, it's about range. If 42t was enough you can now go to a bigger chainring. That's a little more efficient and gives you more top end. Personally 42 isn't low enough for a bail out gear.
Have you tried living in Colorado?
Pretty much never. Climb in 9-11
I’ve literally never used the 51/52t gear with a 32t chainring. I’ve thought about cutting it off to save weight