[Closed] Ultegra compact WTF

sorry - the voice of those who care cant time travel from 1982

some riders spin - fact

People who ride slowly spend more time on the bike so have to have more robust components. Simples 😉

There's been an Ultegra level compact for a while - FCR700.

I have standard and compact chainsets. Former lives on there most of the time, but the compact was a godsend when I died a thousand deaths at Flanders last year (because there was no effing way I was going to walk any of the bergs).

Ermmmm

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I'm powerless to resist feeding the troll...

You know that more than a few pro riders use compacts in high mountain grand tour stages, right?

It's 'breeze', you looser!! 😡

wish i could ride slow enough to notice how much better other peoples bikes were than mine

Sir,

I could have dealt with your concerning concerns at the time had you detailed them to me over lunch.

Top Angus burger BTW. mmmm BBQ sauce!

iirc they only sell them so you can feel superior and smug

finbar - Member
I'm powerless to resist feeding the troll...

You know that more than a few pro riders use compacts in high mountain grand tour stages, right?

I don't doubt that, nor the Flandrian stuff (more shame in having compact than walking tho, IMO).

And I know Edinburgh can be pretty hilly but really?

TBC I felt embarrased for you. I am now eating strawberry shoelaces.

mav12 - Member
wish i could ride slow enough to notice how much better other peoples bikes were than mine

Martini: I'll take you on, any road/trail, any time, anywhere. Not even TLR has said "yes".

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Who you talking about grime?

It's the "mid life crisis roadie sportive rider with more money and carbon fibre than sense" market they are pitched at.

That's where the money is.

I don't doubt that, nor the Flandrian stuff (more shame in having compact than walking tho, IMO).

.. to n00bs who look at the bike not the rider, perhaps 😉

I have one!! Goes on the cross bike for the three peaks and the road bike for the etape du dales and the Fred Whitton. I like to spin up really steep hills rather than wrench my bars off being an animal. I have finesse.

i overtook a roadie with his dinner plate big ring grinding up a hill, my compact ultegra and 12-25 was just the ticket to dish out the humiliation.

is that as bad as overtaking a roadie on my SS mtb? or is it better?

i'm really confused now?

tour of flanders in a few weeks time should i get a 54 and a 11-20?
only i managed all the climbs with my beginner gearset last year and wondered if i should make life difficult for myself?
is it worth it for the 'pro' look?

gwaelod - guilty as charged, well, at 105 level as I couldn't afford ultegra

If this isn't a troll, it smacks of a surprisingly smug and sanctimonious attitude even for this place!

with more money and carbon fibre than sense

And that money helps bring down the price of high end stuff for you young 'uns. Get over it and give me another pie please

Who you talking about grime?

Who do you reckon?

i overtook a roadie with his dinner plate big ring grinding up a hill, my compact ultegra and 12-25 was just the ticket to dish out the humiliation.

I overtook a roadie who was walking/pushing his triple equipped carbon wonder bike up Winnats Pass. I was on my old aluminium (remember that? it was what they had before carbon fibre...) road bike with a proper 39/53 chainset. I was spinning too.

I R awesome.

I use a compact chainset but I have a Jens ratio 11-12 cassette.

>It's 'breeze', you looser!! <

'Loser'

What's Ultegra? Is that like Suntour or Sachs or something?

Well I've always slated compacts, but after a winter on one I take it all back. I now start my rides in 34 and spend about two hours progressing through the gears, and spend the last three or so hours in the 50.
Even in shandy land we have a 100k with 4300M of climbing, nice on that it was.
The actual racing bike remains 53/39 so not all is lost cynic-al

Another recently converted spinning Ultegra compact user here, and on a Spesh Tarmac too. God, the shame of it, but me and my legs are not macho enough for a double. Maybe I should change it back just to save face!! And I shave my legs too. 🙄

No GG it's more like Zeus.

Noobs aren't allowed nice kit? Smuggy arsed troll much?

fwiw I run a dura-ace triple AND I've just ordered a 48T outer ring to replace the 53. But that's cos I'm not pro enough for big gears.

oldgit - Member

The actual racing bike remains 53/39 so not all is lost cynic-al

Yes it is - 42-52 is fine for racing - even here in Scotland.

I have a 50-39, it is proper bo. Allows me to actually use the 11 sprocket in races.

I run a compact and I don't give a shit, but than I am also a

"mid life crisis roadie sportive rider with more money and carbon fibre than sense"

I've a compact and I don't care the man's crank was just too much with panniers on so I sold it

Is Al going to tell us about his manly geared racing experiences then?

I raced on standard 53-39, but after a few years off a compact suits me fine; nothing to prove, see?

(and yes, I know it's a troll but I'm too tired to resist; Tour of Flanders training...)

So the OP uses a double? And only a 52. Bender.

I met [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adri_van_der_Poel ]Adrie van der Poel[/url] and [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hennie_Kuiper ]Hennie Kuiper[/url] a few years ago just before I did the Marmotte. I apologised for the fact that I had a triple on my road bike, Hennie said he did too and Adrie said he was planning to get one as he did not like the gaps between gears on his compact.

Lots of the pros train on compacts...

But then they don't have to try and prove anything to other riders 😉

Not to mention that they laugh at slow (that's basically everyone slower than them, so all of us) riders, using the same gearing that the pros do when racing...

I've taken my 42-21 up Witchy Knowe on the Gordon Arms time trial you know.

I've also had a top 12 finish in a 72 mile 3/4 cat race.

So "ner".

LOL winterfold - no need for a 53 or 39 in UK. FATC.

Wooooh.

tour of flanders in a few weeks time should i get a 54 and a 11-20?
only i managed all the climbs with my beginner gearset last year and wondered if i should make life difficult for myself?
is it worth it for the 'pro' look?

I've always ridden the bergs with a standard, but that's because we usually do the shorter version. Full edition last year and all but one of us were on compacts. We rode the lot.

This proves nothing, other than the fact it's the best sportive out there and I wish I was going again this year. Have fun..! 😀

cynic-al - Member

I've also had a top 12 finish in a 72 mile 3/4 cat race.

AL'S BIG RING IS 56. HIS REAR CASSETTE IS 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-12.

(al's inner ring is chocolate)

Reminds me of winning a road hill climb comp on my mountain bike with slick tyres circa 1991. People riding 'proper' bikes commented that I won because I had lower gears. Well, it wasn't my fault they were pushing such stupid gears due to some outdated ideology was it?!

druid - FAIL - shoulda said 12.

Hums "The circle of life..."

I managed holme moss on my teens on a 42/21,although that was with the added bonus of biopace!.

Now i is sooo chunky and i loves my compact (which did replace the triple on my roubaix).