When I found this box on the doorstep I did wonder who'd ordered pizza for lunch! Actually with my first race booked I'd decided it was time to get the bike dialled. The drivechain is a couple of years old and has been through several chains. So it was time to replace the cassette and chainring to keep everything running nice and smoothly. It wasn't fast food on my doorstep, I'd just forgotten how big the box needs to be for a modern cassette.
I have been running a 10-51 cassette with a 32 tooth chainring since I switched to 12 speed. I've very rarely used the massive 51 sprocket, so this time I have gone for a 10-45 cassette. To be honest the decision was helped because this size was also available with a nice discount at my favourite online retailer!
Having made this decision I then worried I might miss that bail out gear on those rare occasions when I had pushed the derailleur all the way inboard. So when I ordered the new oval chainring from Absolute Black I wimped out and went for a 30t! Together this combination will give me a slightly narrower range of gears than before. When racing I have never used either extreme of the gear range available so the new drivechain should be perfect, with smaller steps between the gears.
If I am going to miss my old gear range it will only be during social rides or at longer endurance events which tend to have bigger climbs and descents. However, I always say you ride to the gears you have. I've been riding my fully rigid bike with a 36 chainring matched with a 10-42 cassette for 5 or 6 years
Time will tell if I made the right decision!
