[James]

So I went on my first real road ride in the last probably 6 months or more. Wow, what a revelation! I forgot how much fun it can be! I think maybe because it's more "social" than a mountain ride, I hadn't seen my buddy I rode with in a while, and because I've actually been riding a lot lately.
About two hours, and we went pretty fast, including a pretty long "final sprint" to the door, which pretty much finished my energy reserves!
Now that I"m 100% back on the road bandwagon, I think I'm gonna upgrade my frame from the alloy front/carbon rear stay bike I'm riding now, to the full carbon TCR frame that I was planning on selling. But hell, if I'm gonna be doing a lot more road riding (and I am for sure!), I want to be riding the best I can be on.
Plus it'll look sooo good next to my carbon hardtail...
It's just easier to go on a good road ride than load up my car, and drive half an hour to the closest mountain trail...

JJames

P.S. Totally sold on the compact chainrings that are all the rage now. 50t/34t is the rage.

 

[chriskaiser]

What's the deal with compact cranksets? What does it give you other than more leverage?

Yea, once you get back on a rode bike after you have been off of one for any period of time the feeling is just great.

I can't wait 'till the weather here lets me get off my winter beater.

 

[LordOpie]

It's just easier to go on a good road ride than load up my car, and drive half an hour to the closest mountain trail...

That's a factor to me too, tho I will load up the car with my roadie and drive an hour for climbing. But it's nice to start riding out the front door.

What's the deal with compact cranksets? What does it give you other than more leverage?

Well, the 34 gives you more of a range than a 39 ring. Suppose the easiest gear you need is a 39-27. If you went with a 34-23, that's pretty similar and then you get a tighter cassette. Or suppose a 39-27 is still too difficult for the climbs, then a 34-27 might do and prevent you from needing a triple.

Triples are for wimps.

 

[James]

What's the deal with compact cranksets? What does it give you other than more leverage?

Yea, once you get back on a rode bike after you have been off of one for any period of time the feeling is just great.

I can't wait 'till the weather here lets me get off my winter beater.

The compact gives you more usable gears, especially on the flats. I really hate the look of a triple crankset, and this also gives me a lower gear for the climbs.
Thinking I need to go for another ride today, though it is windier than s***, but still...

 

[Serial Midget]

I run an 11/23 off of 51/39 for my current road bike, my former had 12/26 and 53/42... I tough it out on the climbs but tire sooner than I should when I switch from spin to torque.

If I were to switch I would keep the 51 and go with a 34 but... something tells me that the chain would be too long for one ring and too short for the other...

 

[Heidi]

Nice to hear your feelin the love. After my knee injury, I love my time on my bike even more. It's just such an awesome feeling.

 

[damnit jim]

I got out and rode today after not riding for about a month. i haven't ridden due to weather and high winds, mainly the wind, the wind on guam is around 15 to 20 mph. well, I gave into the "jonesing" and did it. Let me tell you the ride out is easy and fast, wind to my back. But... I did have to come back home. well, all I have to say is there is something rewarding about getting your butt kicked by the elements and still making it home(15-20mph head wind). so... the love is still there.

Hell...I'm going again tommorrow.

 

[sanjuro]

What's the deal with compact cranksets? What does it give you other than more leverage?

Triples for road suck, and a compact you get almost the same low gear with a 34/25 as a 30/25 (35 gear inches vs 32), but with the a lower weight than even a normal double (because of the smaller chainrings and chain length).

You lose some high end gears with a compact, but unless you go for every town line sprint, it is not a big deal.

 

[HarryCallahan]

Triples for road suck, and a compact you get almost the same low gear with a 34/25 as a 30/25 (35 gear inches vs 32), but with the a lower weight than even a normal double (because of the smaller chainrings and chain length).

You lose some high end gears with a compact, but unless you go for every town line sprint, it is not a big deal.

I wouldn't say they suck. In fact, I like 'em a lot. But maybe I'm older and have less time to ride than you. I've got a triple on my road bike for the same reason I've got one on my mtn bike - so I can make it up the steep climbs.

I'm intrigued, though by the apparent advantages you mention. In all the years I've been riding, no matter how fit I've been, I can count on my fingers the number of times I was able to spin a 52/12 any great distance, and it was almost alwasy wind assisted.

 

[sanjuro]

I wouldn't say they suck. In fact, I like 'em a lot. But maybe I'm older and have less time to ride than you. I've got a triple on my road bike for the same reason I've got one on my mtn bike - so I can make it up the steep climbs.

I'm intrigued, though by the apparent advantages you mention. In all the years I've been riding, no matter how fit I've been, I can count on my fingers the number of times I was able to spin a 52/12 any great distance, and it was almost alwasy wind assisted.

To be absolutely clear, a standard double chainring setup is 53/39, a triple 52/42/30, and a compact double chainring setup is 50/34. The weights of a triple/double/compact double are 660/535/515 grams for the FSA carbon cranks. Also the BB spindle lengths are longer for triples, with the resulting weight penalty.

Today, 75% of road bikes come stock with triple cranks. I think the old-school and the purists like the idea of a double crank set, and Tyler made the compact popular during the TdF where he broke his collarbone and needed to be seated most of the time (btw, he used a 52/35).

A double is lighter than a triple and shifts better as well. A compact double shifts just as well as regular double, but is lighter because of the smaller chainrings and chain length (so you can climb even easier). The only negative is most road front derailleurs only have 14-15 tooth capacity, so you might need a special compact front derailleur.

With a small chainring of 34 teeth, with a 27 you get almost the same gear as a 30/25. With a 34/25, you lose only 4 gear inches over a 30/25.

If the absolute smallest gearing is critical, then you still need a triple. But compact gets you close without the triple disadvantages.

 

[LordOpie]

The "weight penalty" for most people is completely irrelevant.

Even weight of wheels isn't as important as people think. Slightly heavier wheels could even be prefered depending up on bumpy a road is as the rotational momentum will help carry a rider on.

But as I learn more, I realize a compact double is the best way to go IF a person can get the right rings. If a rider likes a triple, then perhaps a 30-46 or 28-44 would be ideal. Unfortunately, that never comes as a stock option and this is why triples are popular and needed in general production.