Petition to Shimano to introduce cassettes starting with 14

[MontyVeda]

It's so that the shifting gates line up with each other (i.e. the ramps and truncated teeth).
There are about 3 versions of each size sprocket, and if you use the wrong one, you're back at old-style clunky shifting.

You'd also lose out on the weight saving gimmicks, where 2 or 3 steel rings are mounted on an aluminium spider, so your free choice cassette would be heavier.

of course there's pros and cons... it'd still be nice to have the choice though.

eg... i used to run an 11-28 7sp cassette and changed it to 12-32... but that one tooth change on the top gear made a significant difference, so I put the 11 tooth loose sprocket back on. What I've got is 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 26, 32... what I'd like to try is 11, 13, 16.... but i can't

 

[freiston]

Personally, I would prefer more teeth on my high gear sprockets and less of a jump between sprockets. Running out of high gears doesn't bother me (because at 90 rpm, even on my middle chainring of 36T, that still gives me almost 24 mph, going up to 32mph on my big ring of 48T - I only go those speeds with wind or gradient assistance and I'm happy to freewheel or drop a gear instead of pushing it when I don't need to) but running out of low gears does. As for the argument of changing the chainrings to suit the 11T sprocket - this doesn't address the jumps between sprocket issues.

Also, especially when you've got narrow sprockets (to accommodate a 10, 11 or 12 speed cassette), running a chain on a tiny 11T sprocket isn't anywhere near as kind to your drivetrain as running on a larger sprocket.

I really don't see the benefit of the 11T cassette over a 13T or 14T cassette for the average or non-racing cyclist but I do see the cons.

 

[andrew_s]

Sprockets used to be stamped with a figure '0' on the side and you needed to line those up.

That must have been a long time ago. Ever since hyperglide (1995?) there hasn't been any choice about how to put the sprocket on (so long as it's number side outside). The wide spline on the sprocket has to go on the wide spline on the freehub, and that's it.

of course there's pros and cons... it'd still be nice to have the choice though.

eg... i used to run an 11-28 7sp cassette and changed it to 12-32... but that one tooth change on the top gear made a significant difference, so I put the 11 tooth loose sprocket back on. What I've got is 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 26, 32... what I'd like to try is 11, 13, 16.... but i can't

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/shimano...?product_shape=standard&article_size=Standard
OK, it's 9-speed rather than 7, but if the sprocket itself is thinner than your 14T 7-speed sprocket (rather than just the spacers), you can always add a coke can shim

 

[Blue Hills]

Bring back triples, I say.

Still available from spa.
And "lower end" shimano, though for touring and general use I am not sure that that "lower end" matters.
You can still get chainrings from various places.
Am talking about 9 speed (ditto 8) which for most things is I think all you need.

 

[Vantage]

Still available from spa.
And "lower end" shimano, though for touring and general use I am not sure that that "lower end" matters.
You can still get chainrings from various places.
Am talking about 9 speed (ditto 8) which for most things is I think all you need.

Spa used to have a 42-32-22 chainset. I've noticed it's disappeared from the shops site
Was gonna get one.

 

[Globalti]

8 or 9 speed with a triple is perfectly good for touring.

 

[Globalti]

The nice thing about a triple is the small difference in cassette ratios. It means you can always be in a comfortable gear.

 

[Blue Hills]

Spa used to have a 42-32-22 chainset. I've noticed it's disappeared from the shops site
Was gonna get one.

check out Shimano Alivio/Acera.
Newer stuff probably Octalink.

There's also older pretty much new chainsets/cranksets on ebay if you prefer square taper.

I rather like the old Alivio 410 - nominally 8 speed - someone who shall remain nameless told me it was for shopping bikes but what did they know? I have one on my self built 8 speed tourer.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Spa still sell quite a range of bikes equipped with triples. I considered one when I bought my Steel Audax. I may well have loved it if I'd chosen one, but having never (or only briefly) ridden one I stuck with what I knew - a double.

There are four models on their "Audax and Sportive" page with triples, and it seems to be the default on their "touring" page.

 

[andrew_s]

I'm on 3x8 triple.
It's all you need for touring, but for general use some people may find the shortage of STI/Ergo triple front shifters a problem (doesn't bother me - I use bar ends).

If you want 42/32/22 square taper, I think that SJSC still have them