As a newbie to road riding would I do better to have a compact chainset
34/50 or a standard 39/53?

Stop calling it the darkside.

As for compact or not…partly it depends on where you live. If it’s hilly then a compact makes alot of sense.

It also depends on whether or not you want to race. If you want to race then go for the more usual 42/52 or 39/53.

Thanks RiD,
Not really interested in racing just looking to do a bit of different riding and maybe some long rides such as C2C and local 50-100 mile sportif’s

If your going to be doing sportives a compact might be more appropriate, as most sportive routes tend to find all the best hills in the area.

Coming from a mountain bike background you’ll probably get on best with a compact. Just try and keep crank length between your bikes constant tho. Ok? I’m not saying that you’ll have problems if you don’t, it’s just that keeping that measurement the same between bikes makes alot of sense.

Mate 39/53 is all you need, only need a compack in the Alps.

If your new to road riding, as I was 4 months ago, stick with the compact. You only need a double if your Bradley Wiggins.

A compact will work fine for most riders.

I really doubt many on here can push a 50/11 gear effectively, let alone a 53/11

Sounds like a compact would be a better bet than 39/53.

Just try and keep crank length between your bikes constant tho. Ok? I’m not saying that you’ll have problems if you don’t, it’s just that keeping that measurement the same between bikes makes alot of sense.

I can’t see the basis for this, on my various road, fixed and tt bikes I have a variety of crank lengths (165, 170 & 172.5) but as, unlike my mountain bike, I don’t move the saddles up and down they are each set up to the required seat hight and left there. I’ve no idea what the crank lengths on my mountain bikes are and run the saddle hieght lower than on my road bikes also as one is on a dropper seat post crank length is a fairly minimal factor.

Mate 39/53 is all you need, only need a compack in the Alps.

You either only cycle in Norfolk or are a cycling god Rochey. For the rest of us mortals that live in places with hills and don’t want to use a triple then compact is the way to go.

I’m not saying that you’ll have problems if you don’t, it’s just that keeping that measurement the same between bikes makes alot of sense.

don’t agree with this either.

170 fixed 172.5 road 175ssMTB

would definitely go compact if not racing

You need to be riding at 30-33mph to ride a 53x11t on the flat, which is seriously hard work. Stick to a compact and you’ll be fine. 50×11 is plenty big enough for no-racers.