Long story but basically got a road triple (cranks only) a planned tour next year with the idea of swapping (compact double) current rings onto it when needed. The inner will then become the middle ring but of course will be unramped.

How much worse is shifting onto unramped rings? Not expecting to be swapping back and forth, granny will be bail-out gear for the big climbs. Or do I try and find a compact middle ring with all the bells and whistles on it as well?

Ta.

It’s fine. Everyone managed just fine before shifting ramps came along. It just means you need to shift ‘properly’ and back off the power when shifting up.

If your front mech is set up okay it will be fine. Not perfect but fine, you will not die.

My 2*9 set up uses an unramped 36 tooth middle ring off an XT hybrid chainset, it works fine

the ones ive used have outlasted ramped shimano cheese rings.

The ramps seem to make such a small difference you would not notice it in the real world. Like most marketing hype really.

OK, so road triple chainsets are 130mm bcd for the outer and middle, and 74mm bcd for the inner.. Compacts are 110mm bcd.

No idea what rings you have, but check they fit first..!

What ourmaninthenorth said- it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to run compact rings on a triple chainset.

Will shift but not as well 🙂 You wont die!

It’s an old TA Zephyr, so it’s 110mm outer rings with a 74mm inner so the compact rings will be fine.

I use a 40 tooth unramped (DH) ring on my 2×9 bike – purely because I had it lying around.

Works perfectly.

Shifting is fine.

You won’t die!