48/32 10 speed question

[Guitars and Bikes]

I'm considering taking the shimano 105 10 spd 50/34 off my caad8 and using 48/32 instead as I want nice easier gears for spinning up hills. Top end speed is of no importance to me whatsoever these days. Never even tried 48/32, can I ask those who have, how noticeable is the difference from 50/34 ?

 

[ColinJ]

It will feel approximately 32/34 as hard, which would be an improvement but not a huge improvement!

I went further on my CAAD5... I replaced its 53/39 with a 48/36/28 triple. The 28 is massively easier on steep ramps than the 39 was.

Is the 32 as small as you can go? Could you also put a bigger cassette on?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Never done it but if you want to read about replacing a 50/34 with a 46/30 (and doing loads of other stuff) then read on ...
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/mullet-drivetrain-conversion.285302/page-3#post-6732779

 

[Dogtrousers]

It will feel approximately 32/34 as hard,

Come on @ColinJ you can simplify that to 16/17ths.

 

[si_c]

I have 48/32 on my winter bike, it's not really that noticeable in general riding from my 52/36 or 50/34 setups, but it is quite noticeable on hills, it's like having an extra gear or two to drop down in how it feels.

 

[fossyant]

If the chainset is 110 BCD you can only get a 33t minimum.

 

[MadMalx]

Not really much point just dropping 2 teeth. Get a 46-30 instead.
On your 50, how often do you really need your 11 tooth sprocket? For the sake of a bit more freewheeling on downhills you can have the equivalent of a whole gear lower to get you up.

 

[Guitars and Bikes]

How is the gear shifting if you go 46/30 ?

 

[ColinJ]

Come on @ColinJ you can simplify that to 16/17ths.

But it might not have been quite as obvious where that came from!

 

[MadMalx]

How is the gear shifting if you go 46/30 ?

There’s no reason for shifting to be any different from 50/34 - both have 16T gap and the drop is the same. I’ve got a GRX 46/30, with GRX derailleurs (cable) front and back and 105 shifters. Shifting is impeccable- very little effort, short travel, smooth, and very easy to align with no chain rub even when cross-chaining.

 

[MadMalx]

Incidentally, I’m running an 11sp cassette and rear derailleur, but the front GRX was sold as 10sp. I don’t think there it makes any difference

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

It's not a great comparison, but my road bike has 34/50 with 11-34 cassette, while my electric gravel bike has 30/46 and 11-34 cassette.

30/34 easiest gear is very welcome on inclines above approx 4%, without the motor. Albeit it weighs 6Kg more than the road bike and I'm an overweight 96Kg.

26(?)/36 on my hybrid with a triple crank set is positively wonderful these days, or at least it was, before I got the electric gravel bike!

 

[Guitars and Bikes]

There’s no reason for shifting to be any different from 50/34 - both have 16T gap and the drop is the same. I’ve got a GRX 46/30, with GRX derailleurs (cable) front and back and 105 shifters. Shifting is impeccable- very little effort, short travel, smooth, and very easy to align with no chain rub even when cross-chaining.

With shimano 5700 105 shifters , ultegra front mech, and 5700 med cage rear derailleur,any reason for poor shifting using 46/30 grx front rings seeing as I don't have grx shifters ?

 

[Guitars and Bikes]

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/grx-10sp-pull-ratio/

Hmmmmm this thread suggests it is a right mess, seems to me like you need grx shifters, front mech and rear mech for pristine shifting, appears 10 spd 105 shifters aren't a great match

 

[MadMalx]

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/grx-10sp-pull-ratio/

Hmmmmm this thread suggests it is a right mess, seems to me like you need grx shifters, front mech and rear mech for pristine shifting, appears 10 spd 105 shifters aren't a great match

Reply deleted- i was misremembering