Why the mark up for 11 - 25 Campag cassettes?

[αdαmsκι]

I need to replace the cassette on my bike and I've been checking out prices online. I need a Campagnolo 10 speed cassette and was planning on using the same ratio as I've currently got, which is 11 - 25. However, from my research it seems that 11 - 25 costs more than other ratios. For example, a Veloce 11 - 25 cassette from Parkers is over £10 more than expensive than the other ratios. The same's true from Velomax. Any idea why this should be the case? I'm now thinking about getting a different ratio, for example 12 - 25, because it seems pointless spending an extra £10 just to wizz downhill faster.

[Really Ancien]

Because a fool and his money are easily parted.

Damon.

[Rob S]

Whilst it probably doesn't reflect the true price hike...cassettes with an 11T cog include an 11T compatible lockring.....other sizes come without any lockring .

[finch]

Rob is spot on , a normal lockring won't cut it and will ship your chain , 11t lockrings are really wee so need to be supplied with the cassette , I'd be concerned if you didn't get one with , but you will

[αdαmsκι]

Whilst it probably doesn't reflect the true price hike...cassettes with an 11T cog include an 11T compatible lockring.....other sizes come without any lockring .

Oh. Erm. As I said, it's currently got a 11 - 25 block. If I switched to something like a 12 - 25 block, would I also need to get a different lockring as the current one will be a 11T compatible lockring?

[Zoidburg]

Do you really need an 11x52 set up?

Its pushing limits of reality in relationship to how fast you can actually spin a big gear IMHO

11x52 or 12x52, either is going to get you to the same point on a descent where you spin out if the descent is long enough. It's cadance, not the the size of the gear.

[αdαmsκι]

Do you really need an 11x52 set up?

I've got a compact chainring, so it's 11x50, which isn't quite as silly as 52x11.

11x52 or 12x52, either is going to get you to the same point on a descent where you spin out if the descent is long enough. It's cadance, not the the size of the gear.

Well, as I said it's 11x50 or 12x50 for me. But yes, I agree & tis why I was thinking of saving £10 or so & getting a 12-25 block, rather than 11-25 block. Incidentally, the bike came shipped with 11-25 & there was no mark up on the price, so at that point it made sense. Now I'm just worried I'll need a new lockring to change the block from 11-25 to 12-25.

[rafletcher]

You will, and they're around £15-17.00   so cheaper to buy the 11-25 option.

[mattc]

Do you really need an 11x52 set up?

Its pushing limits of reality in relationship to how fast you can actually spin a big gear IMHO

11x52 or 12x52, either is going to get you to the same point on a descent where you spin out if the descent is long enough. It's cadance, not the the size of the gear.

From Sheldon's site:
Gear chart using MPH @ 120 RPM
For 700 X 25 / 25-622 tire with 170 mm cranks
With 10-speed 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23 Cassette
   50
11   42.8
9.1 %
12   39.2

(I believe 120rpm is fine for most folks.)

So that's 39mph vs 43mph.(which is actually a big gap, but that's not the point here... )

I am pretty certain that at 39mph I get more advantage by a really aero tuck than trying to pedal harder. If you were MUCH faster than me, you could be looking at those speeds on  gentle down-slopes, so maybe gearing starts to matter. But not for anyone I've ridden any distance with.

[αdαmsκι]

I thought I had a 11-25 block on my bike, but a closer inspection (ie counting the number of teeth) has made me question this theory considering the smallest gear has, erm, 12 teeth. I'm an idiot . Cheers for your replies, I've now been made aware of different Campagnolo lockrings and the reasons for the difference prices of cassettes. Time to go an buy a 12-25 block like I originally intended.