Building up a road bike and have two sets of cranks. One is a compact set and the other is "standard" 110 pcd. I know that the rings are way different sizes but what are the benefits over each other please?
If you ride lots of hills and go for a compact.
If you have legs of iron or live in the flatlands get a normal
Road compact is 110 is it not?
Ah, yes I meant 130 for normal. Sorry, I know MTB's but not much road stuff!
Compact all the way unless you are a man of steel.
Two sets, do they use the same BB?
Anyway standard for UK assuming 52/42 or 53/39. Personally I found the 34 nice for steep climbs, but very slow. And you can't use it for general riding, where as you just about can with a 39.
taps foot Road bike? taps foot
😆
stick to standard and if needed get a bigger cassette on the rear. Found i constantly spun out on my compact. Standard gives you more range
I normally use 53/39 around North Yorkshire where it is fine for me with either a 25 or 27 on the back. I've experimented with a compact at the Etape du Dales this year. They were both shimano chainsets so easy swap - dropped the front mech a couple of mm, tightened the cable a bit to compensate and that was it - no need to shorten the chain or anything. It was good on the silly steep stuff with tired legs where I just wanted to winch myself up. If you've got both why not just give it a go and see what suits?
If you use an 11-whatever cassette instead of 12-? you loose the possible disadvantage of running out of gears going downhill. Other than that the only disadvantage could be traditionalists taking the pi$$. I'm sure one will be along soon ;o)
53/39 everytime....alter the cassette if you need lowergears (i.e. 27) -ran a compact on a winter bike and found I seemed to be constantly switching between the inner and outer to find the right gear which i dont seem to do on a normal.Run a 23 most of year and I live in pennines.
Stick with a standard, I use a 53/39 chainset and 12-23 cassette. Done loads of Sportives with this setup. I was undergeared for the Tour of the Black Mountains but got through it fine. If you use a 27-12 cassette you'll be fine. One chap I spoke to said you'd need a 27 for the Hardknott Pass on the Fred Whitton or Etape du Dales.
Living in the Lakes I use 50/34 and 12-28 (I think - SRAM)
I can ride comforatbly up any of the passes, without causing exploding knees. Don't use the 50 x 12 much, so can't see why I would want standard.
Don't tell anyone, but I've a triple on my CX/commute bike.
Just come back from a weekend in North Wales running 39/52 & 12-25 & managed everything, was hard work in places, but that's all part of the fun! Stick with the standard unless you're heading abroad.
I have run a compact for a few years and only noticed the lack of top gears when road racing, on the flat, in a bunch going way faster than my fitness should have allowed.
I think for normal riding they are much better, but i do like to spin my legs quickly.
Alternatively, try the compact with a nice close ratio cassette instead of something that looks like a dinner plate cluttering up your rear wheel - anything wider than 27t & you'll probably need a long cage mech too which looks gopping.
All these people that complain about the jump between the 34 & 50 are doing it wrong. Use the 34 for proper climbs, where you'll appreciate the lower gear, & the 50 for everything else.
If you have to ask then you probably want the compact, I'd certainly start with that
I would use the Compact as it's lighter and then chose chainrings to suit. I use a 36 inner and 50 outer. I can then put on a 34 if I'm going to be doing lots of lakeland passes. Sure, you can get some big cassette out back if you want, but I would much rather have a closer range cassette.
I cannot believe you spin out a 50 chain ring, Eddie Mercx did very well on a 50 (apparently). 50x11 is also a bigger gear than 53x12.
Many pros are using compact, so the macho thing is no longer the case.
Traildog, Very few PRO's use compact's and even when they do its usually on a mental off road TT climb like in the Giro, even then only a hand full of the midgets use them.
Compacts are for sissy homo's. Similar to the granny ring, dont go there.
Compact or triple. But then I'm not a pro cyclist, nor ever will be.
Compact here, find I ride on the 50 most of the time, 34 for steep stuff, spinning is better for your knees than using 53-39 just coz some **** who can't escape the stereotype says it's more manly
Yup - compact for the fat/unfit.
Living in S Wales and having ridden both, I used to get up everything on 39:27. But when my old cranks died I had no hesitation in switching to compact!
As others have said, depends on your riding style and where you live. I'm skinny, quite high cadence and regulary ride long 10%+ climbs, whereas obviously if you're a rouleur living in the Fens you might require a different setup! Only disadvantage to compact is the smaller crossover between small and big ring, but I find I spend 90% of the time in big ring and only use the 34T for proper hills.
With people talking about running 27T or more, its worth pointing out that I have had some difficulty finding a 9spd 27T cassette without paying ££££.
kingkongsfinger lots of the pros admit to training on compact tho, train easy fight hard 😉
Compact = Gay. Fact.
I bought a s/h bike that had one on, swapped it for a 39/53 as I didn't have the gears for pedalling down hill, and as someone else said, you spend an awful lot of time flapping around between chain rings to find the right ratios.
Compact = Gay. Fact.I bought a s/h bike that had one on, swapped it for a 39/53 as I didn't have the gears for pedalling down hill, and as someone else said, you spend an awful lot of time flapping around between chain rings to find the right ratios.
50/11 = 119.5 inch 50/12 = 109.5 inch
53/11 = 126.6 inch 53/12 = 116.1 inch
as you can see a compact with a 11 cog is a bigger gear than a standard with a 12 cog
doesnt look much difference for non race types to me tbh
39/53 = Gay.Fact
I bought a s/h bike that had that on, swapped it for 59/60 as I didn't have the gears for pedalling on the flat and as someone else said, you spend an awful lot of time flapping around between the chainrings to find the right ratio.
also 34/23 is 38.8 inch and 39/27 is 38 inch 😉
It all comes down to how fit you are!
Personally I'd now always go for a compact. I'd be interested to know how fast the guys who spin out in 50:11 were going but it must have been 50+mph which isn't a regular race speed for me as it's only achieved on very long or very steep downhills which aren't included in many races.
From the macho point of view it is far more noticeable that someone is running a big casette than a compact chainring so a compact, small spaced block looks more match IMO. It might also be better in terms of small gaps between gears.
I would class myself as fit. But even top level amateurs are much better than me. Top level pros are something out of this world so to try and compare the gears they use is futile. In fact I'd argue that to use the same gear set up as any pro tour rider probably means you are using the wrong ones as they are much better than you.
Actually, lots of pros will use 110 cranks but may run something like 52/36 (Carlos Sastre apparently likes this). The mental climbs of the Giro where many use 34T inner ring are often no steeper than many UK climbs. Alps climbs are not actually that steep.
I still don't get anyone who says they are always spinning out on a 50T chainring. Are you saying that you have to spin a 53x11 because a 50x11 is a bigger gear than a 53x12. More likely you cannot spin your legs quickly and mash a 53x12 at 45kph thinking your some sort of big-ring riding god.
David Millar was quoted recently as saying that he and his team mates always use Compacts in training and then 'proper' chainsets for racing
I've not found anything in the UK that can't be climbed with a 39/25. I don't like the jump between 34 and 50, and have found quite a few descents, especially here in the Peak, where 50/12 spins out too easily and my pedalling style is definitely spinny rather than a masher.
11 tooth sprockets aren't as widely available, especially on 9-speed stuff. And they're not available on shimano cassettes with anything bigger than a 23 IIRC.
I ride a 12/25 sprocket with 39/53 chainrings and can get up anything I ride in the Pennines. Yes, I could spin up stuff slowly with smaller chainrings, but at the end of the day, it's a race bike and there's no point riding like a vicar!
When I had a compact on, I was spinning out over about 40mph - a speed I expect to exceed several times every ride. Yes, I could have changed sprockets, but I find a proper chainset combined with a 25/12 cassette gives me the perfect range of gears, and I don't have to keep shifting chainrings to find them.
David Millar was quoted recently as saying that he and his team mates always use Compacts in training and then 'proper' chainsets for racing
...but then they don't win much 😉
As someone up there noted, if you have to ask, ignore the internet hardmen, and get a compact. I run a 50/34 with 11-23 for everyday and 12-27 for silly hills/winter/when I'm unfit. Last time I went to the peak I was going up winnats in 34-23, and of course you can do it, but I KNOW I'd be quicker on 34/27 up there as it is a gear that a normal human being can turn.
So, shibboleth/spokescycles, what sort of cadence do you push up winnats on a 39/25?
I've not found anything in the UK that can't be climbed with a 39/25.
I've seen a good few fail on [url= http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=472277&y=495090&z=120&sv=472277,495090&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=613&ax=472277&ay=495090&lm=0 ]this one[/url] - more than 33% in places
No idea, I couldn't give a shit about what my cadence actually is so long's it feels right. Don't think I've ever bothered doing Winnats- I tend to road bike to the north of home where the climbs are a bit steeper but shorter, and like I say, I'm a spinner not a masher.
Haha, there's a place called Low Bell End on that map!
Ian, don't use a cadence metre.
Spokescycles has ridden all the UK roads, don't question him OK?
There's a road hill near me that was almost unrideable for me on 32/27. It was so steep that I couldn't get off for fear of falling down the hill on the tarmac.
Al's right you know.
Why not use a triple and get the best of both worlds?
now that is taking it too far...
At the end of the day you should run what you like and there is no point arguing as it works for you. But....in the spirit of the internet...
There is a 30%(ish) climb near my house and I can climb it on a 50T but I'm far faster climbing it on my 36T ring and can then do it again and again if I want. Which is the key, keeping your legs fresh on repeated hills at pace. As you say, it's a race bike, so why slowly grind up things? And 40mph is still only 120rpm on a 50T-12 so hardly spinning out! And you can still go for something like 52-36 and it'll still be lighter than running a 130BCD crank.
Anyway, back to the original question, the advantage for me is that a compact crank gives me far more choices. I can run a 38 inner or go down to a 34 inner if I wish. And I can use a 52 outer, or a 46 inner (as you can on standard) if I wish.
Anyway, I'm not really saying you must use this. I just trying to get you to see my point of view and that compacts are far more useful than perhaps the 50-34 you are thinking of.
1 in 3 on a 50T ring?
*resurrects "BS of the week" thread*
Why? At no point do I mention speed or cadence. If you calculate the force needed to turn a crank on a bike up a 1-3 slope it's hardly super human at all. Which is actually my point. You can push some very big gears but it's actually much much slower.
It's probably not a 30% climb anyway, it just has a sign which says as such.
I use 39/53 for La Marmotte. i wouldn't use a triple as tehy just look silly on a road bike. I would consider a compact for the short sharp stuff over here.
When I wer't lad we all used 52/42 and a five speed 11-19 and t'rode up everything.
A 39t ring was seen as a bit foreign, and 34t wasn't even a twinkle in Mr Campagnolos eye. It's got easier and easier and yet more debatable as to what you need to be able to go uphill. Jumars for bikes next?
Basically you need what you need for the way and what you want to ride. The thing with compact is that you can large it up with new rings. Standard can only go down to 38t.
And if you're racing you should probably know anyway.
Like I said I use 53/39 but I haven't done a single race in years that has needed the 39, not coz I'm hard - just the races are getting soft.
My ideal is 50/38. As again I've never actually raced in an 11 and I hardly use a 12. And I never use the 11/12 whilst training or going downhill as it's of little value to me.
The only other mildly annoying thing is riding in groups with some on standard and some on compact, very messy.
Was thinking about going standard from my 50/34 recently but decided against it.
In the crit races I've done its all big ring stuff and not had any issues.
90%+ of the club rides have been big ring only
The only time I use the inner is when it gets [u]really[/u] steep or when I am away somewhere for a long day out and don't want to crucify myself up some of the climbs
Whilst I could probably get up everything with a 39 it would limit the options and I really can't see any advantage.
Why? At no point do I mention speed or cadence. If you calculate the force needed to turn a crank on a bike up a 1-3 slope it's hardly super human at all.
I think it is if you are me, at least. I'm almost 100% sure I couldn't turn the pedals using a 50t up a 1 in 3.
There's plenty of 20%+ hills around here and I have to be out of the saddle even on a 30t ring.
Video evidence of you riding the climb please...I dread to think what the gradient is that defeats me on a 36:18 off road, it's way less than 1 in 3.
Some old pro who used to knock around here and other parts used to say "copy the pros cadence not their gear choice" which always seemed very sensible advice for me.
39T - 34T = circa 13% smaller.
I know I'm sure as hell giving Bertie more than 13% in the power to weight ratio stakes so compact should make sense.
Having said that when I road raced it was standard all the way (compact didn't really exist anyway). When I was not racing but using a road bike for a few sportives as light relief and as a solo training bike for time trail and triathlon racing I dabbled with compacts - still do. To me the compact works for two types of rider - the very strong and the comparatively weak. I've always preferred to change between front ring as little as possible and a very strong rider can ride the big ring on a compact over most terrain, only switching to the little ring for proper stiff stuff. You miss out on the very top of the gear range (unless you use a cassette with an 11T which I've always avoided) but you don't really need that unless you are sprinting or being sucked along in the middle of a bunch, yet the extra at the bottom of a 50T makes it more usable in a non racing environment, especially when riding on your own. A comparatively weak rider will also love a compact as an alternative to a triple and use it in the little ring most of the time, rarely venturing into the bigger ring and even then finding it more useful than the 53T.
For riders somewhere in the middle, it's not quite so good. They can't quite muscle up stuff in the big ring so are still switching front ring frequently, yet the smaller ring does not have the top end of a 39T which might have done them for most of their riding on a standard setup with a sensible cassette.
To me the compact works for two types of rider
There's another - the rider who is base training and needs to get up hills whilst staying in zone 2.
what convert said.
Oldgit: Why is it messy in a group with some on compact and some on standard ? ..... Just wondering as I bow to your opinion on these sort of things as you've been doing it far longer than I.
I've noticed that the ability to change gear smoothly/fail to keep a steady speed seems more difficult with a compact but to be honest I've put that down to the sterotypical rider that rides a compact (i.e. every bloody "sportive" bike has one on now).
Duc; I just find that those with compacts tend to stay in 50 all the time including the climbs. Whilst those on standard tend to switch more often. Petty I know, but you can feel the slightly awkward pace changes.
My little foible is to have three sprockets straight through in the middle of the cassette. This is for long sitting climbs. Nothing worst than when your running out of steam and you change gear and it's a two teeth difference, you can feel yourself falling back down the hill 😐
Hmm - I just stay mainly in the 34/36/38 and raise my cadence!
The biggest advantage I have found is with the new campag shifters that let you go multiple sprockets down the casette in one movement as that makes the jump down from a 50 to the middle ring seamless.
Thats just me though I guess I am at any given time 3 sprockets lower than most of the guys I ride with regularly
Interesting reading. Thanks people. For the amount that I ride etc, I will stick with the compact I think. As I get fitter and I find that I can push bigger, then I will think about standard.
Anyone want to buy a set of FSA SLK carbon cranks and BB? 8)
Keep the bottom bracket as FSA are cross compatible with the other "standards" like Shimano and Race Face