I have an 8 year old Domane and can't get up a hill in my neighborhood without walking. I am 68 and stopping 3/4 up the hill is challenging. No falls yet. I have a 50/34 on my front cassette and an 11 gear cassette with a 32 low gear. Is this as good as I am going to do with this bike?
Low Gear Cassette for Trek Domane
- Thread starter MJAustin
- Start date
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N0bodyOfTheGoat
Über Member
- Location
- Hampshire, UK
You might be able to fit an 11-34, which comes with a spacer, because the 11-speed is made to fit a 10-speed freehub. Might need at least a chain extension, a short cage rear mech might just about manage it but a medium cage would be a safe bet.
I have a 2018 Trek Domane with 105 11 speed on it, you can fit an 11-34 cassette and that will work well enough but it's pretty much the edge of the capacity for the rear derailleur (medium cage, so GS) in it's standard configuration.
You might be able to fit a wolftooth road link or similar and extend the rear dropout to fit a larger rear cassette like a Sunrace MS8 11-40 cassette which would massively extend your lower gear. But you need to be more considered around shifting with these larger cassettes as you'll hit the capacity of the derailleur earlier if you don't shift down and a slightly longer chain will mean more slack when you're in a higher gear so drivetrain noise might rise a bit.
You don't say what crankset you have, but I'm assuming Shimano, so the alternative might be to swap that for a GRX 2x11 46/30 which would also lower your bottom gear significantly. Keeping an 11-34 cassette would be a similar range to the 11-40 cassette with probably a little bit less hassle other than repositioning your front derailleur (slightly lower and a little further out most likely).
A comparison to all three options is here.
You might be able to fit a wolftooth road link or similar and extend the rear dropout to fit a larger rear cassette like a Sunrace MS8 11-40 cassette which would massively extend your lower gear. But you need to be more considered around shifting with these larger cassettes as you'll hit the capacity of the derailleur earlier if you don't shift down and a slightly longer chain will mean more slack when you're in a higher gear so drivetrain noise might rise a bit.
You don't say what crankset you have, but I'm assuming Shimano, so the alternative might be to swap that for a GRX 2x11 46/30 which would also lower your bottom gear significantly. Keeping an 11-34 cassette would be a similar range to the 11-40 cassette with probably a little bit less hassle other than repositioning your front derailleur (slightly lower and a little further out most likely).
A comparison to all three options is here.
Going from 32 to 34 will only be a marginal gain.
I'd start looking at sub compact chainsets, and what is compatible with your bike.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
With all due respect
The OP's current 11sp cassette is on an 11sp freehub: it would not fit on an 8/9/10sp freehub.
And a short cage mech will not 'manage' a 50-34 and 11-32 and certainly not a 11-34.
to @MJAustinThe OP does not say what rear derailleur they have but I shall guess:
https://www.specshift.bike/components/rear-derailleurs/shimano-ultegra-rd-6800-gs
The spec allows a 32t large sprocket max (the SS spec is 28t max). If the RD is 105, specs are the same.
If this rider is struggling with a 29" gear then I doubt a 27" gear (34/34) will offer a sufficient margin (if clipped in). If not clipped in they'll have a 24" gear easily available, with both feet on the road.
The solution, more expensive than a cassette, is a sub-compact chainset eg 46-30, but it'll get you up the hill.
N0bodyOfTheGoat
Über Member
- Location
- Hampshire, UK
With all due respect
The OP's current 11sp cassette is on an 11sp freehub: it would not fit on an 8/9/10sp freehub.
And a short cage mech will not 'manage' a 50-34 and 11-32 and certainly not a 11-34.
The OP does not say what rear derailleur they have but I shall guess:
https://www.specshift.bike/components/rear-derailleurs/shimano-ultegra-rd-6800-gs
The spec allows a 32t large sprocket max (the SS spec is 28t max). If the RD is 105, specs are the same.
If this rider is struggling with a 29" gear then I doubt a 27" gear (34/34) will offer a sufficient margin (if clipped in). If not clipped in they'll have a 24" gear easily available, with both feet on the road.
The solution, more expensive than a cassette, is a sub-compact chainset eg 46-30, but it'll get you up the hill.
With all due respect, I was simply saying what the specs of the 11-34 cassette are, it can fit a 10-speed freehub without the provided spacer behind the 34t sprocket. On an 11-speed setup like OP, the spacer is needed, to stop the cassette swaying side to side.
How do you know the 34t wouldn't be enough?
Shimano rear mech official specs are conservative, officially a medium cage is needed, but a short cage might fit (I wouldn't do it but many have exceeded Shimano road rear mech specs and I did write medium would be a safer bet).
The exact gear inches provided in each gear combo will depend on what rear tyre is fitted.
The OP gave few details while asking the question, hence my reply was moderately vague, but hardly telling lies.
