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Is 11-34T better then 11-32T? (and other drivetrain questions)

3379 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by arw45, Jul 1, 2009

gdotbat

Discussion Starter · Jun 26, 2009

I just picked up a Shimano XT CS-M770 11-34T 9 speed cassette. What exactly does the 11-34T give me? They had an 11-32T as well, but I vaguely remembered reading a post somewhere on the boards about how the 11-34T is better, so I went with it but I don't remember the specifics about it. I got the cassette at REI and the bike guy wasn't in yet and the person there couldn't really answer my question for me. So what does it give me exactly?

I also have some questions about the rest of my Drive train re-build plans. Here is what I plan to get:

Shimano SLX M662 Rear Derailleur (Already Have)
Shimano SLX Front Derailleur (haven't chosen which one yet)
Shimano XT M770 9 Speed Cassette (Already Have)
Shimano SLX M660 Crank set
Shimano XT M770 Rapid Fire Plus Shifters
Shimano XT CN-HG93 9 Speed Chain

Since I have the 11-34T cassette now, do I have to get a crank set that matches that?

How do I choose what front Derailleur to go with, theres like six different versions!?

Will I have any issues with this combination of components?

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FBinNY

· #2 · Jun 26, 2009

it isn't a question of which is better, 11-34 vs. 11-32. The advantage of the wider range cassette is that the lowest gear is about 7% lower than with the 32t.

If your riding situation often has you looking for a lower gear this is the right cassette for you. OTOH if you rarely, if ever, use the 32t cog as is, than the 34t will be used even less often, and you might prefer a better selection of middle cogs with smaller differences between each.

It's a matter of choosing wide range vs. close spacing according to your personal needs. In any case we're not talking a big difference here, it isn't like comparing a 11-34 cassette to an 11-23.

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gdotbat

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 29, 2009

Thanks for the reply, I do use the granny gear alot and find myself wishing I could go lower, so sounds like this will be a good cassette for me.

Any opinions on which SLX crank will be a good fit for this?

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Bikinfoolferlife

· #4 · Jun 29, 2009

gdotbat said:
Thanks for the reply, I do use the granny gear alot and find myself wishing I could go lower, so sounds like this will be a good cassette for me.

Any opinions on which SLX crank will be a good fit for this?

Similar to the cassette, get chainrings to match your needs. If you never use the big chainring and tend to bash into logs and such, get the two ring version with a bash guard.

As to your front derailleur question, get one that suits your frame (or the one specifically for the two ring setup but it's not necessary). What frame is it?

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AZ-X

· #5 · Jun 30, 2009

FBinNY said:
it isn't a question of which is better, 11-34 vs. 11-32. The advantage of the wider range cassette is that the lowest gear is about 7% lower than with the 32t.

If your riding situation often has you looking for a lower gear this is the right cassette for you. OTOH if you rarely, if ever, use the 32t cog as is, than the 34t will be used even less often, and you might prefer a better selection of middle cogs with smaller differences between each.

It's a matter of choosing wide range vs. close spacing according to your personal needs. In any case we're not talking a big difference here, it isn't like comparing a 11-34 cassette to an 11-23.

+1. Agreed.

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jersey0826

· #6 · Jul 1, 2009

As for the 32 vs 34 tooth cassette, it is all about ratio. 34t gives a lower ratio and makes it easier to climb steep sections. 32t saves a small amount of weight. If you are a strong climber, go with the 32t. However, if you prefer to "spin" your way up hills and stay in the saddle for even the steepest climbs, go with the 34t.
In regards to the front der; What selection choices are you refering to? 1) If asking about clamp size, that's specific to the seat tube diameter. 2) If you mean top vs bottom PULL, that depends on where your cable comes in from. 3) As far as top vs bottom SWING, that depends on your crank setup. I have found that a bottom swing will catch or rub if you have a bash gaurd. For most triple cranks, either will work.

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arw45

· #7 · Jul 1, 2009

I recently switched to 34 tooth and enjoy the fact that I can spend more time in the middle ring--this might be because my front shifting sucks. But I find the extra rear gear is enough to let me climb hills in the middle ring that I couldn't before...nice.

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