dura ace cassette on mountain bike

[eurorider]

i currently have an XT cassette (9sp 11-32) which i upgraded from LX ....i see alot of weight weenies here use dura ace cassettes which i guess is a 12-27?? ...i think this is a pretty good idea considering the significant weight savings over even XTR ....i'm wondering how you guys like the 12-27 and would i need a dura ace rear derailleur as well for it to work right ...i have an XT rear derailleur right now ...are there hills that you find you cannot climb? ...i have 11-32 with 22-32-44 on the front ...so my maximum gear ratio is 44/11=4 ...and my minimum ratio is 22/32=0.69 ....now when i am racing i don't think i use either of these ....not first gear because here in southern Ontario there isn't that many insanely steep hills and if there are i usually lose traction and end up running up anyways .....during races i don't really use 27 gear for example either since even on the steeper downhill sections you just don't have enough energy to need it (for me anyways) ....the only thing is that i commute to school on this bike so having a maximum ratio of 4 is quite nice ....what do u guys think? ....

[ger]

I use a 105 cassette which has loose cogs. I buy a 9speed cassette and use only 8 cogs (I still have an 8speed drivetrain). I use an 11 tooth Dura Ace start cog and lockring (alu), and the rest are the 105 cogs. This gives me a cassette weight of 185 grams. (11-13-15-16-17-19-21-25)

[flat_chipmunk]

I switched to a Dura Ace 12-17 this summer and love it. You do not need a Dura Ace rear deral., I run a SRAM X.O rear deral. and it works great. Only difference is I use the granny ring a little more on the steepest climbs where I may have stayed in the middle ring previously. GO FOR IT!

[SPRUNG]

If you run the Dura Ace cassette, it would probably be best to run a 20-30-42 chain rings up front. Because we all know how tired we get sometimes pushing that 32-32/34, so you would have to be in the granny ALOT more and switching back and fourth between middle ring and granny would not be the rest in the middle of a race(if you race) risk of dropping your chain, or chain suck... etc..

[eurorider]

Yea I do race Ontario University Cup ...I think the ideal situation here would be like sprung stated ...go with the dura ace (12-27) and then change rings to 20/30/42 (which would further shave off weight) ...only thing is I also ride the bike on the road everyday and FAST! ...I may be redlining with this combo a bit eh? ...but for XC racing, yea that would be sweet! ...one other note; aren't dura ace cassettes going to become 10 speeds soon if not already ...if i get a 9sp now what happens when it needs to be replaced? ...back to XT or XTR? ....also i'd probably have to then change my chainrings back

[Joel]

Yea I do race Ontario University Cup ...I think the ideal situation here would be like sprung stated ...go with the dura ace (12-27) and then change rings to 20/30/42 (which would further shave off weight) ...only thing is I also ride the bike on the road everyday and FAST! ...I may be redlining with this combo a bit eh? ...but for XC racing, yea that would be sweet! ...one other note; aren't dura ace cassettes going to become 10 speeds soon if not already ...if i get a 9sp now what happens when it needs to be replaced? ...back to XT or XTR? ....also i'd probably have to then change my chainrings back

A 42*12 isn't very 'big'

[SPRUNG]

You will still be able to get 9 speed Dura ace... Its just like the 2003 XTR, you can still order the old XTR.

42-12 is still pretty big. How often in a race are you in your 44-12/44-11 you might be in your big ring, but MID cassette.. So it'll balence out. And if you wanted to, you could just get an 11T, and replace the 12T with it.

[Kirkster]

You will still be able to get 9 speed Dura ace... Its just like the 2003 XTR, you can still order the old XTR.

42-12 is still pretty big. How often in a race are you in your 44-12/44-11 you might be in your big ring, but MID cassette.. So it'll balence out. And if you wanted to, you could just get an 11T, and replace the 12T with it.

Hell Guys stick a 55 ring on an' a 11/17 cassette and stop mesing around!!!

[polaris]

....hang on a minute, my sixth sense tells me you're a roadie!

[eurorider]

ok! well i guess i'll keep my eyes pealed for a steal on a dura ace cassette ...my XT is almost new though and next season is almost a year away so i have lots of time ...i'm wondering why all mountain bikes don't come stock with 12-27 and 20/30/42 ...

[elendil]

Well, I'm having a Dura Ace 11-27 (!) self-made with 22-32-44 in my Nicolai Helius CC and 22-32-48 on my Bergwerk Mercury. I need 44-11 bzw. 48-11. If you're climbing up mountains, you must come down, don't you? I live in the Black Forest...

[drew]

ok! well i guess i'll keep my eyes pealed for a steal on a dura ace cassette ...my XT is almost new though and next season is almost a year away so i have lots of time ...i'm wondering why all mountain bikes don't come stock with 12-27 and 20/30/42 ...

I raced a 11-27 with 22-32-44 for 3 yrs on the O-Cup circuit, same places you probably ride. Hardwood hills, calabogie, Kelso, Boler Mtn etc. Sram 9.0 short cage (optional) with no probs. when i did 24 hrs etc i switched to a 32 cassette. Rarely used the granny, a race is only 2hrs so pushing a 27 wasnt too bad. Are you a big rider?

[Cyco]

I also use the 12-27 cassettes on both my XC and FR bikes The FR normally runs an Ultegra one rather than the D-A as it dosn't get the attention it deserves (yes - I put it away dirty, regularly).

Even with a 24 inner the 27 at the back has been low enough for me in 24hr racing for the last 2 years.

[eurorider]

hey drew, did you own an S-works once upon a time?

anyways I'm 6'3" ...168 lbs after my spinning class yesterday ...not really that heavy of a rider then

the places we raced at this year were Mansfield, Hardwood Hills, Ganaraska and Boler ...all excellent ...Hardwood is probably my favouite

if you ran in the O-Cup without any problems then i imagine i would be alright ...races are all under 1 1/2 hours for the top runners ...

[drew]

hey drew, did you own an S-works once upon a time?

anyways I'm 6'3" ...168 lbs after my spinning class yesterday ...not really that heavy of a rider then

the places we raced at this year were Mansfield, Hardwood Hills, Ganaraska and Boler ...all excellent ...Hardwood is probably my favouite

if you ran in the O-Cup without any problems then i imagine i would be alright ...races are all under 1 1/2 hours for the top runners ...

Yeah had my S-works stolen at christmas, How did you know?

Replaced it with a Gary Fisher Sugar, not so flash, heavier but waay comfier, as I do more 12 and 24 hrs these days. The only probs i had were at Kelso, thats one bitch of a hill, and a 27T just wont cut it, granny ring for me!