The Massive Difference Between 11-34T and 11-30T

You’re halfway up a climb. Legs screaming. Lungs burning. You shift down, hoping for salvation. But that last gear?

Yeah, it’s not as easy as you remember. That’s when you realize—this is your new 11-30T.

The 11-34T you left behind? It was your lifeline. A safety net for your suffering.

Now, you’re wondering: How much difference could four tiny teeth really make?

A hell of a lot.

Let’s break it down. Seven points. No BS. Just the raw, grinding truth.

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1. Climbing: Your Knees Will Know the Difference

Think of it like this: A 34T cog is 13% easier to pedal than a 30T. That’s not a rounding error.

That’s the difference between grinding and spinning, between barely making it up and actually enjoying the view.

If you’re struggling on climbs with the 11-34, you’ll suffer with the 11-30.

Table 1: Gear Ratios and Climbing Impact

Cassette	Easiest Gear Ratio (With 36T Chainring)	% Difference in Effort
11-34T	36/34 = 1.06	Baseline
11-30T	36/30 = 1.20	13% Harder

At 10% gradients and beyond, that 13% isn’t just a number. It’s pain. It’s your cadence dropping. It’s your power output turning into pure suffering.

2. Cadence: The Rhythm of Survival

Cadence is king, and if you don’t know that, you haven’t suffered enough.

You haven’t felt the slow death of a climb when your legs fill with wet cement, and every pedal stroke is another shovel of dirt on your own grave.

You want to keep spinning, keep the rhythm clean, smooth, like a well-poured drink.

The 11-34 lets you do that—lets you dance up the climb like you’ve still got some dignity left.

But the 11-30? That bastard makes you grind at 60 RPM, your knees creaking, lactic acid gnawing at your muscles like a junkyard dog.

You start making deals with your own legs—just one more mile, one more switchback, one more breath.

And then someone says, “Just get stronger.”

Sure, pal. And I’ll just sprout wings and flap my sorry ass over the Alps.

Fred and the Climb

Fred, my friend, believed in suffering. He thought every ride should hurt, should scrape something raw inside you. “Otherwise, what’s the point?” he’d say.

One summer, we rode up a climb so steep it should’ve come with a priest for last rites. I had my 11-34, spinning like a man with a plan. Fred? He had his old 11-28 because “gears are for cowards.”

Halfway up, I looked back. Fred was out of the saddle, wrenching the bars, his whole body begging for mercy. His face was a mask of regret and bourbon sweat. “You good?” I asked.

“Never better,” he lied.

A mile later, he snapped. Threw his bike into the ditch and sat down on the gravel, chest heaving. “This is stupid,” he said. “Cycling is stupid. I’m selling everything.”

I handed him a water bottle. “Just get stronger, right?”

Fred looked at me like I’d just kicked his dog. Then he laughed. “Screw you,” he said.

We sat there for a long time, watching the road curl upward into the sky like a bad decision. Then he picked up his bike, swung a leg over, and started pedaling again. Because what else was there to do?

3. Fatigue: The Slow Burn of Bad Choices

A higher gear means more force per pedal stroke. More force means more muscle fatigue. More fatigue means you’re toast by the second half of your ride.

Ever finish a long climb and feel like someone filled your legs with cement? That’s the price of riding a cassette that’s too small for your fitness level.

4. Shifting: Smoother vs. Suffering

Here’s where the 11-30 fights back. Its smaller jumps between gears make it easier to find the perfect cadence on flats and rolling hills.

The 11-34? Bigger gaps. Sometimes, it feels like you’re either spinning too fast or pushing too hard.

So if you live in a flatter area, you might actually like the 11-30. But if climbing is your thing? The 11-34 wins. Every time.

5. Flatland Efficiency: The One Win for 11-30T

For those who don’t climb much, the 11-30 might feel better. Tighter spacing means fewer awkward shifts. You stay in the sweet spot more often.

But let’s be real—if you’re asking about 11-34 vs. 11-30, you probably ride hills. And in the hills, small cassettes break riders.

6. Strength vs. Sanity

Some old-school cyclists argue that harder gears make you stronger. That’s cute.

You know what makes you stronger? Riding more.

Grinding a 30T when you need a 34T doesn’t make you tough. It makes you slow. It makes you miserable. And eventually, it makes you injured.

7. Regret: The Final Climb

You’ll notice the difference the first time you hit a steep hill.

You’ll notice it even more at the end of a long ride when your legs are wrecked, and you’re searching for a gear that isn’t there.

And that’s when it hits you:

You should have kept the 11-34.

Table 2: Pros and Cons of 11-34T vs. 11-30T

Cassette	Pros	Cons
11-34T	Easier climbing, better cadence on steep gradients, less fatigue	Bigger jumps between gears
11-30T	Smoother shifting, better for flats, more efficient on rolling terrain	Harder climbing, increased fatigue, tougher on knees

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TL:DR;

You thought four teeth wouldn’t matter.

You were wrong.

If you climb a lot, the 11-34 will save your legs, your cadence, and your soul. If you ride mostly flats and rollers, the 11-30 might be fine.

But if you ever, even for a second, feel like you need an easier gear—do yourself a favor: get the 11-34.

Because one day, you’ll be on a climb, staring at your cassette, and realizing…

You made the wrong choice.

And the road?

It doesn’t care.