You need to ensure you’re using a compatible rear derailleur if you’re using the 10-52 option, because the previous-generation Eagle mechanical rear derailleur’s cage is slightly too short.

SRAM also offers just two cassette sizes in its Eagle lineup – 10-50 and 10-52. The 10-52 is the widest-range cassette made by either manufacturer. Although there are currently two options, it’s likely the 10-50 will be phased out in time because it has been superseded by the 10-52. Shimano got on the low-gear train with its GRX components including 46/30 chainsets. Going for a triple chainsetNow that 12-speed road bike groupsets exist, cassettes can have a larger range and the jumps between each gear can be relatively small. We're going to focus on Shimano systems in this article, as that covers the majority of bikes out there. Rear derailleur capabilities we need to be clear what we mean when we write 'gears': do we mean cog and chainring teeth (11-12-13 &c and 52-39 &c)? Cog & chainring combinations (52x13)? 11sp vs 10sp? Gear sequence (1st to 22nd)? Gear relationship (higher/lower; highest/lowest)? Cog number on cassette (1-11)? Gear ratios (1:1, 2.74:1)? Gear inches (30–135")? Metres development (4.56)? 'Gain'? Speed at rpm? Or the whole system (derailleurs, chain, cassette, [internal hub] chainrings)?

This saves weight and, since it isn’t subject to wear from the chain, the carrier is often made of a lighter material – carbon fibre in the case of Dura-Ace cassettesSo to summarize, if you are a competent home mechanic you can go way beyond manufacturers recommendations which are only there to cover themselves for warranty reasons. I agree on the lever front in general, but it's less straightforward in cycling, as the longer the lever, or crankarm, the higher your knee comes up, which makes it harder at the top of the power phase to push down. Like a deep versus less-deep squat, sort of! On the mountain bike side, Shimano uses its Microspline freehub standard for its 12-speed Deore, SLX, XT and XTR groupsets. The very latest versions of Shimano's Ultegra and 105 GS rear derailleurs will actually handle an 11-40 cassette, which opens up a range of possibilities for gravel bikes, touring bikes, and any other situation where you're not in a hurry.

Proudly designed and hand-finished in the UK, the AirBike UK 11 Speed Cassette 11-36T boasts Hyperglide-style shift ramps for smooth and efficient gear changes. This versatile cassette is designed to replace Shimano and Sram HG splined hub cassettes, fitting MTB, Road, Hybrid and Mountain bikes with ease. It’s important to note that this figure is only indicative of the range of gears you have on your cassette, and is not the same as working out how far you will travel with your chosen gear ratio. If you are specifically using a Shimano HG freehub, you need to consider how wide the cassette you are buying is. Road wheels have slightly wider freehubs than MTB ones – by 1.85mm – and 11-speed Shimano HG road cassettes are slightly wider than 8- or 9-speed ones, again by 1.85mm.Chain reaction Cycles and CRC are trading names of Wiggle Ltd (In Administration) registered in the United Kingdom at 1000 Lakeside, Suite 310, Third Floor N E Wing, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3EN, Gravel bikes are best viewed as a crossover between a road and mountain bike. As such, it’s normal to see them specced with either a road or mountain bike cassette. Shimano only goes to 11-34 with its 105 components, but there are reports of people getting SRAM 11-36 cassettes to work in Shimano systems.

It's not really worth considering changing your gearing until you understand what it is you want to achieve. A lower gear by changing the cassette or chainset/chainrings might come at the expense of bigger gaps between gears or a lot of repeated gears, or lots of cross-chaining to achieve the right ratios. The crank is a lever, and as with all levers, the longer the lever from effort (your foot) to load (the bb axle), the less effort you need per unit of movement achieved. Like rear derailleurs, front derailleurs have a maximum capacity. Here it relates to the difference in size between the large chainring and the small chainring. So, say you are using 50/34T chainrings: the difference is 16 teeth. I’m using a 44/30 chainset hence the need for a 10-up cassette. 48 x 9 would be a pointlessly high gear. Even with 650b wheels you’ll be over-geared. There are new rear derailleurs on the market that are identifiable as being compatible because they have a ‘520% range’ graphic printed on the derailleur cage. SRAM Eagle AXS rear derailleurs are compatible with the new 10-52 cassettes.In the last couple of years, Shimano has introduced 11-34 cassettes at Tiagra, 105 R7000, and Ultegra R8000 levels, so the old 105 5800 is now the only enthusiast-level groupset you're likely to find on a new bike that doesn't officially work with 11-34, and there's not much 5800 left on bikes in the shops. You can always upgrade the rear mech to R7000. Well, the smallest cog is a 10-tooth, and the largest cog is 52-tooth, which is 520 per cent larger than the 10-tooth cog, thus giving a 520 per cent range. Please also note that we highly recommend fitting a new chain with your cassette. This is because chains and cassettes wear sympathetically with each other. The cage of a rear derailleur is designed for a certain range of gears. For example, Shimano’s outgoing Dura-Ace R9100-SS rear derailleur is designed for use up to an 11-30 cassette.