options for a cheap 12-28 cassette?

[davidalone]

I live in a pancake flat country so I only use 2 sets of cassettes- 53-39 standard (FSA K force light) and a 12-23 7800 cassette and a 12-25 6600 cassette for the occasionaly lumpier road race around the region. all tied up to a /rival/force/ultegra frankenstein gruppo. ( rival shifters and brakes, force rear dee, ultegra front dee.)

last year I headed slightly further afield to tackle a mountainous region. this year we may be doing it again. I'd like to have better gearing for that, so I've looked into getting a 12-27 or 12-28 cassette.
given that I'm probably only going to use it a few times a year and I'm a poor college student, what are my options for a low cost 12-27 or 12-28 cassette? I was thinking about getting a tiagra 4600 cassette, and combine the last 3 gears with my 12-25 cassette. this would give me weight savings + the gearing I want.

any other options?

[kode54]

other option is to change the rings up front. you can go mid-compact, like 52/38 or 52/36.

[davidalone]

I can't go 52-36 on a 130bcd. smallest possible would be a 52-38, and that doesnt give me as much range as the 28 cassette.

[MattSoutherden]

I use a SRAM PG50 for this.

[eric]

Shimano 105 also works.

[metal]

There are 12-30 ultegra cassettes out there. Depending on your rear derailleur model, and how much b tension you can add, you might be able to get away with this combo.

[kman]

But the reason he's considering Tiagra is because he is on a tight budget, I assume 105 and Ultegra aren't options. The Tiagra should work fine, as long as you're not mixing worn cogs and new cogs and old chains etc.

[metal]

sorry.

to the op, there is a 12-30 in tiagra as well (they are about $40). Very good cassette for training (I actually use this one on my training bike).

I have missed the 16 cog though, after running a 12-27 for quite a long time. So my next cluster is going to be a 13-30 ultegra. Already have the extra 13t top cog replacement, and the extra 16t normal cog, just have to get the 12-30 in ultegra to complete it

[davidalone]

it's not that I am on a tight budget. I just don't see the sense in shelling out close to 100 bucks for a 105/ultegra cassette thats going to be used a handful of times a year when I already have a 12-23 and 12-25 to use.

[davidalone]

sorry.

to the op, there is a 12-30 in tiagra as well (they are about $40). Very good cassette for training (I actually use this one on my training bike).

I have missed the 16 cog though, after running a 12-27 for quite a long time. So my next cluster is going to be a 13-30 ultegra. Already have the extra 13t top cog replacement, and the extra 16t normal cog, just have to get the 12-30 in ultegra to complete it

by the way, do you need a long cage derailleur to handle the 12-30? or can the short cage handle that.

[metal]

Some of the later model 10 speed short cages can handle it depending on the derailleur hanger length which varies a little between frames.

The only way to know though is to try it.

[aerogurl]

My short cage 7800 RD shifts 12-30 with a 53-39 up front.

The Tiagra 10s cassette works great, but is loose cogs riveted together. You'll need to drill/dremel the rivets to get at the loose cogs/spacers. 12-28 =~$35 shipped from Ribblecycles.co.uk