You're over complicating this over one part of equipment IMO.icantaffordcycling wrote: ↑Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:53 amJunior gearing is the short answer.spdntrxi wrote:^ kinda agree with Rich.. 42/11 gear... that's like a gravel setup... hell my gravel rig is 40/9
Just a little over 100 gear inches but I have friends that have gotten away with 42-11. Way better than 52-14 as there are no lightweight 14-28 cassetes (Ultegra is the only option and heavy). Pit wheels at crits use 11-28 cassetes.
So many standard 52-14 junior bikes easily under 15 lbs at races... BUt it's your "project" .
Did you measure your max gearing (in lenght) ? How far from max allowed are you ?
With 30 mm tires you will go longer with each pedal stroke than with 25-28 mm (obviously).
Louis