Wondering if this is good idea and also if there is better alternative.

I live in colorado and obviously most time you spend climbing so i need that 20t.
But im also trying to save much weight as possible by going 12-27 cassette.
I also Race XC alot and always felt that i never needed so much gears. But i need that high gear to mash to go at certain speed also.

So i was thinking if its possible to go
2x9 Super compact setup. 12-27 Rear. 20t and a 38t or 40t on front.
Proabably replacing 12t to 11t, maybe ill stay with 12t for better chainline.

Hmm, interesting,

I live in Holland (which is not as flat as evrybody thinks) And i also ride with a 2 x 9 setup. But that is in max 44 x 11 and 32 x 34 at the min. What do you need the granny for? Very very long climbs i think. I dont know the terrain over there. Youre the man to decide! Why dont you try not to shift in the granny while riding. If its cool then take the granny of! I think that you have to keep a lower then one gear ratio at all costs. Thats for the long climbs.

Remember, if you think you are going slower uphil than walking get of the bike!

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Lets just say we have miles and miles of at least 6%- (pick any number higher than 6%) gradient, climbs. For both road and dirt.

I find my self going much faster spining with 22T than mashing 42T. Well i actully took off 22T and 32T for Strong Macho Man reasons.
But i just got so tired pushing big gears, so i put the 22T and 32T back and started spining. Which i found was much much better, in terms of speed and fatique.

By the way im buying new a BB, Crank Arm and Chainrings so i wanna get it right. Not later and get screwed all over

Why don't you try a 28 or 29 with a 42 and an 27/11 at the back. When riding downhill with a 42/12 youll feel like falling to short!

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I assume you ride these long 6%+ roads in training etc NOT on races so my suggestion is run a 28 and a 42/44 with a 11-27T for races and a
12-32/34 cassette for training rides. You will have trouble shifting smoothly between 20 and a 38 its a huge jump, requiring VERY soft pedalling between shifts or you wil loose the chain.

Your correct, most races i would be pushing big gears (i should just ride a SS)
But for trainning i need the low low gear and i have hard time finding ideal cadence with 11-32 cassette.

Theres another i talked to, he said his running 12-28 cassette and 22t and 36t on front for both trainning and races.

try to get some speed when riding a 12 36

Good luck with that one.

I rode a 12 42 once, but found myself with to less speed on the long decents

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I can always change the chainring so im gonna try 20T/36T first and if that doesnt work out for me, ill probably go to standard compact 20T/32T/42T.

Dont you have trouble switching from spinning in a 22 to "mashing" in a 44? Try to find a happy medium OR $$ allowing 2 bikes??

Hey Tim, just get a cycle dynamic cassette, they can get whatever ratio's you want, so that would help you get your cadence where you want it and save weight. I think its around 180g for a 12-28. Only bad thing is they cost around $130,

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Cool thanks XTR 11-32 cost around that too but weighs in the 200s

I dont have $$ so... trying to find best alternative.

I Don't have much problem, its kinda like track pursuit (i never been good at pursuit by the way) start out mashing but later spining in the upper 100's.

Maybe my legs are all screwed up... I do ride a little strange

O.K lets look at this properly. Tell me Minimum gear you would normally ride. (22 x 28T etc and max gear for your area 42 x 14T etc) Very few people ride 44 x 11/12 unless on road and thats not really what we are talking about here is it eh. Then we can figure out gear inches that will work for you. Sound o.k?

Let see... for training, riding; and depending on the hill F 22t / R 28t or 32t but i always felt i need something in between.

When racing always on F 42t and probably R 14t max - 28t. I Hardly use 11t and 12t.

But i thought going with chainring thats smaller than 42t i can save weight and possibly use full range of gear in the rear.