sram comact is 36-50.

Since when? or have you changed yours?

SRAM force compact here, from 2010, chainrings are 50:34

One of my colleagues who’s much fitter than me and does a lot of sportives etc. borrowed one of my wheelsets for an event recently. That had an 11:28 cassette on it and the first thing he did after the even was order the same for his own wheels. He found it very helpful towards the end of the event, so even a reasonably fit rider might prefer lower gearing on longer & hilly days.

Gearing on the road is a lot more important than off road- or at least you notice it more as there are less other things to distract you and you pedalling action is smoother as you have less rocks to avoid etc.

Anyway you should spend some time and maybe try some other sprockets. Different cassettes are available and if you work out the gear inches you might find something more suitable. Might also be worth changing the rings at the front although you are more limited by what will fit your crankset. Closer spaced rings at the front and a narrower range casette at the back will help you find the right gear more often but at the expense of range.

You need to find something that suits you and where you ride.

I’ve never had a problem with a compact running a 12-27 on the back. I race on it, do sportives on it but then it suits me and where I live. I actually ride my cross bike on club runs and that is limited to a 46 up front and a 12 out back. It actually works really well as if the ride is easy I just do the whole thing in the big ring. Bit of a pain on the occassional fast downhill but I’m ok up to 35mph.

Contador switched to a mtb cassette during last years tour to help on the hills.

I cant understand why anyone would need less than a 39 up front. Im not fast at the mo and with a 39 and 23 as my lowest gear i can get up anything. (checks knees for expolding cartilage)

Was going to say “are you Alberto Contador, and can I claim my £5?” Until I saw the following quote…

Contador switched to a mtb cassette during last years tour to help on the hills.

Explains how he rattled up the Galibier on his 53T ring then! 😯

ANYONE who makes outlandish statements about not needing anything taller than a 39/23 as their bottom gear, I can assure you you just don’t ride anywhere with very steep hills. I’m sure you’re pretty strong and can get up some fairly steep hills, but as davidtaylforth said, how would you plan on tackling the Hardknott pass, in places a 1 in 3 iirc? One of my friends is doing it, normally rides a 39/53 with an 11-21 or 11-23 for racing, but is taking a CX bike with a 30/39/53 triple and an 11-34 MTB cassette out back to make sure of getting up the Hardknott pass!

From the last few posts, beginning to think a Triple would make much more sense for me, especially given what oldgit said about staying in the 39T all day on his STD sometimes, but there’s no way I could climb everything I would ride on a 39 and a 53 would get used almost never. Though I can also see why now that Tiagra has moved to 10spd (I’ve only got 9) that new Tiagra equipped bikes are coming with a 34/50 compact and 12-30 cassettes, or sometimes 11-28 fitted. Makes more sense. But a cassette with that range in 9spd will have pretty large gaps in the ratios.

Just one more quick question… Is 110BCD 5 bolt on a compact, the same as the 110BCD STD 5 bolt MTB chainsets of years gone by? Cos if so then I shouldn’t have any issues finding a 46T outer to try out…

110 bcd is 110 bcd.

ANYONE who makes outlandish statements about not needing anything taller than a 39/23 as their bottom gear, I can assure you you just don’t ride anywhere with very steep hills. I’m sure you’re pretty strong and can get up some fairly steep hills, but as davidtaylforth said, how would you plan on tackling the Hardknott pass, in places a 1 in 3 iirc? One of my friends is doing it, normally rides a 39/53 with an 11-21 or 11-23 for racing, but is taking a CX bike with a 30/39/53 triple and an 11-34 MTB cassette out back to make sure of getting up the Hardknott pass!

Same here: I’ve always ridden 39/53 with either a 12-23 or 12-25 but when I did the Fred Whitton I used my CX bike with 34/48 chainset and a 12-27 cassette. 34:27 low gear was *just* enough. And I like climbing hills!

I like a triple but must admit to using a 28/38/48 with a 12/25 cassette.
The 28 is for gravelling but the 38 front does most hills, a touch lower than the road 39 and a 48 does everything else. Stick that on the 12 and its fine for everything on the flat, I never spin out. Downhills that are steep and long need no pedalling, partly as 40 plus is just plain moronic.

When I converted my SSCX into geared I went 34/46 with 12/27, I use the 34/27 to twiddle up a 1 mile long 1:10 hill that’s close to home on my commute. I too struggle to keep a good chainline particularly when twiddling home after a 14hr night shift with the brain and zest of a snail. Horses for courses n all that jazz.

I used to make fun of compact cranks, but they’re actually good man. Better cadence. Compact cranks are the way to go. You know Basso uses compact cranks? So does Tyler Hamilton.

partly as 40 plus is just plain moronic.

You say moronic I say wuss