A question of gearing ( No Triple v Compact debate !)

[AlanW]

On my Audax bike I have a 10sp 12/23 cassette and a 28/39/52 triple up front.

No big gaps, so you can a keep a nice smooth cadence going......why have a compact?

 

[MacB]

porkypete, I use a Campag Centura groupset where the 13-29 is a standard cassette.

MacB, or maybe not... my 52/13 gives me a slightly lower ratio than 46/11, however the 13-29 cassette actually gives me a nicer set of ratios to ride on than a 11-28 as it gives me an extra gear in the 90-60" gear range that I normally ride in.

wouldn't disagree that it's each to their own but you clearly know your gearing and what works for you. I actually think a 13-29 cassette is pretty good but thought these were Campag only? I was looking at running a 29/44 and 12-27 cassette as opposed to my existing 30/42/52 and 12-26. I'd have a top of 97 inches so losing a 105 and 114 inch gear and I'd gain a bit at the bottom. A 97 inch gear would give me 30mph at 100rpm, that's all I need. I've even looked at just running 1x9, probably 11-34 on a 40t ring.

Whatever I look at I feel I get better options with a smaller large ring than otherwise.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

wouldn't disagree that it's each to their own but you clearly know your gearing and what works for you. I actually think a 13-29 cassette is pretty good but thought these were Campag only? I was looking at running a 29/44 and 12-27 cassette as opposed to my existing 30/42/52 and 12-26. I'd have a top of 97 inches so losing a 105 and 114 inch gear and I'd gain a bit at the bottom. A 97 inch gear would give me 30mph at 100rpm, that's all I need. I've even looked at just running 1x9, probably 11-34 on a 40t ring.

Whatever I look at I feel I get better options with a smaller large ring than otherwise.

As an update Shimano were only going upto 27t on their 10 speed road bike sprockets, but recently they have increased this to 28t

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

 

[PpPete]

Hi Paul
Are you selling the 28T cassettes in your shop?

I've just butchered a couple of HG50 cassettes to build a 9 speed 12-30T

Not tried it out yet, because of the ice. But ramps don't line up so a little concerned as to how well it will shift.

 

[lukesdad]

On my Audax bike I have a 10sp 12/23 cassette and a 28/39/52 triple up front.

No big gaps, so you can a keep a nice smooth cadence going......why have a compact?

Totally agree. I use a 30/39/53 and a 12-23 on my climber and get smirked at untill the climbs and the descents smaller the changes the smoother the climb.

 

[Tynan]

know nothing abut gearing other than riding with them but hasn't the introduction of 10 and now 11 speed casettes reduse the need for triples? or is the closer gearing all good?

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Hi Paul
Are you selling the 28T cassettes in your shop?

I've just butchered a couple of HG50 cassettes to build a 9 speed 12-30T

Not tried it out yet, because of the ice. But ramps don't line up so a little concerned as to how well it will shift.

Yes, all Shimano stockist, us included will be able to get 28t road cassette in 10 Speed

know nothing about gearing other than riding with them but hasn't the introduction of 10 and now 11 speed casettes reduse the need for triples? or is the closer gearing all good?

Triple chainsets are for many more about increasing the overall range, more often than not increasing the low ratios available, where as increasing the sprocket numbers is for many more about reducing the size differences between each gear.

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

 

[jimboalee]

Choosing low gearing. Two methods.

1/ Witchcraft. But we'll leave it alone cus it's just TOO simple.

And

2/ Power, cadence and speed.

Method 2 is a little bit longer to sort.

How fast can you ride on the flat? 25, 27, 29 mph??

Now all the hard work is alleviated by PowerCalc.xls on the CTC website.
Fill in your details and results from the level road test to see PowerCalc's idea of how much power you are producing.
Now on another row, punch in a gradient, eg 16% and lower the speed value until the power result is near the same.

So now you have a speed to climb a 16% when producing the same power as your high speed level road effort.

Do some maths using 45 - 50 cadence to find a gear that is appropriate.

 

[NickM]

Well that tortuous method won't work unless you go everywhere flat out...

 

[GrasB]

Triple chainsets are for many more about increasing the overall range, more often than not increasing the low ratios available, where as increasing the sprocket numbers is for many more about reducing the size differences between each gear.

For me today a compact is actually better than a triple setup right now, especially as I've always found double shifting natural... but that doesn't mean another person will come along and take the opposing view. The interesting thing is my current 10sp compact setup gives me 1 more sequential step across the same gear range as my old 8sp triple setup, the starting point. The compact setup is actually using a cassette I didn't like on a triple setup due to annoying ratio holes & the chainrings being in the 'wrong place'. It's a personal thing & I'd not say one way is right or wrong, I just know which works for me.

 

[jimboalee]

Well that tortuous method won't work unless you go everywhere flat out...

There's always one who doesn't engage their brain.

If your legs can produce the power to ride at 27 mph on the flat FOR A FEW MINUTES, they'll be able to produce the same power up a hill FOR A FEW MINUTES...

I said "How fast CAN you ride on the flat?", not "How fast DO you ride on the flat?"

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

For me today a compact is actually better than a triple setup right now, especially as I've always found double shifting natural... but that doesn't mean another person will come along and take the opposing view. The interesting thing is my current 10sp compact setup gives me 1 more sequential step across the same gear range as my old 8sp triple setup, the starting point. The compact setup is actually using a cassette I didn't like on a triple setup due to annoying ratio holes & the chainrings being in the 'wrong place'. It's a personal thing & I'd not say one way is right or wrong, I just know which works for me.

For many, novices especially, the hard bit is to work out what it is they require, that to an extent comes with their own personal experience.

In your case you have worked out what you need and how to achieve it, the fact that you can do that with a compact double means that is the correct choice for you. Someone else doing a similar style of riding yet with a preference for different ratios may result in completely different specification, doesn't mean either you are wrong, you have both come to a conclusion of what suits you personally; as long as you can both end up saying, as you have,"I just know which works for me",then that's perfect.

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

 

[jimboalee]

It's nice to have a great big range of gears, but it's nicer to have the technical ability to ride at a range of cadence from 40 rpm up to anywhere your legs can manage.

 

[NickM]

There's always one who doesn't engage their brain.

There's always one with a mouth bigger than theirs.

If your legs can produce the power to ride at 27 mph on the flat FOR A FEW MINUTES, they'll be able to produce the same power up a hill FOR A FEW MINUTES...

I said "How fast CAN you ride on the flat?", not "How fast DO you ride on the flat?"

Why would you want to go up every hill flat out, with no gear in reserve?

 

[I am Spartacus]

J, you keep quoting power figures, which without spending a fortune on a powertap etc , are impossible to even guess at.
Perhaps a better way is to test yourself on a variety of hills of severity... from 10% 15 20 to 25% and just see how 'comfortable' 'in control' you feel as you attack them. Check which gearing you are using.
If you have run out, on a 15%, then maybe have a think about
getting fitter,
a diff chainset/ cassette combo

add in a fatigue factor question, could you attack that hill in that gear after 50 miles in good order?

on 25%, I have 1 gear left - just in case it gets steeper..or longer.. and longer .