Thought they were the same thing. Whats the difference between a normal double and a compact? Im assuming by its name that a compact has shorter ratios.
Change from triple to compact
- Thread starter Enw.nigel
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Thought they were the same thing. Whats the difference between a normal double and a compact? Im assuming by its name that a compact has shorter ratios.
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Your inner ring on a compact is either a 34 or 36t while a double would be a 38 or a 40t inner ring.
Thomk
Guru
- Location
- Warwickshire
I also have the Defy 2. When loaded with 8kg of pannier I puff and pant up steep hills and almost prefer my Charge Mixer with an 8 gear Alfine hub even though it's 7 or 8 Kg heavier!
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Took out a club rider today who like most newish riders [she had been riding for just over a year] had a compact. I was supposed to be teaching her how to climb hills but the compact was a nightmare to deal with, as someone else has said you go from a slightly too slow a cadence to a manic spin, this completely ruined any rhythm she had. In my humble opinion compacts are a very poor compromise between standard doubles and triples and seem to have appeared about the same time as sportives, I'm assuming to aid the newbie mamils in getting up 5% hills whilst still looking like they didn't need a triple. Weight saving??? Anyone actually picked up a granny ring? Can't be more than 30 or 40 grammes.....oops starting to rant.
I would have stuck with what I had but someone pinched my Cayo triple 10 days ago. I am now looking around for another bike to purchase quickly (when the insurance is settled) as I am hoping to do the London-Paris in June and I need a replacement soon to keep on training.E.N. - if you want to change from a triple because you don't use the small ring, then it would make more sense to change to a standard double, but then why not just stick with what you've got, save the money and the hassle, and keep the granny ring in reserve for the odd occasion when you tackle a 20% climb into a headwind at the end of an 80 mile ride, when you will find its charms irresistible!
Most suppliers don't stock triples but many stock compacts. After reading the comments here though I think I will stick with a triple -I don't think I want to learn the technique of double shifting regularly with a compact and just hope I can find a triple quickly in the bike of my choice.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Well, that has convinced me - my Cannondale will stay as a conventional double - 53/39! It's my fair-weather bike anyway so most of my rides will still be done on my triple-equipped Basso. I can choose less hilly routes for the Cannondale, such as our century forum ride on Sunday. When I'm fit, I get by quite happily on its 39/29 on all but longish stretches at 20%+ gradient.
Ah, I see - that's bad luck! I had a quick look just now and you are right - compacts are definitely flavour of the month in the stores!
PatrickPending
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
I went for a stronglight 50/34 on my winter commuter - liked it so much thast I put it on my (now main) other commuter. It was a specialized allez triple - i found i never used the granny ring and always found the front mech a bit of a pain to set up. The compact gives me all the range i need (think ie got 13/27 on the back) - bear in mind its leicester/warwickshgire on my commute so i dont encounter more than a 9% gradient
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
A standard double would probably have been fine for you living there!
Banjo
Fuelled with Jelly Babies
- Location
- South Wales
I have a triple Scott Speedster road bike. 99% of the time I only use the middle 39 or big 52 chain ring. Which change quite smoothly between the two.
Now and then on an extra big hill or when tired the 30 tooth granny ring is worth every gram of its weight.
I know you can get compact doubles with wide range of ratios buit the downside is the big jump in size between the two chainrings.
Now and then on an extra big hill or when tired the 30 tooth granny ring is worth every gram of its weight.
I know you can get compact doubles with wide range of ratios buit the downside is the big jump in size between the two chainrings.
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
Late to the debate, but here's my experience. I had a compact double Boardman, with 50/36 and an 11-32 cassette. I tried a 34 inner ring, but there were so many huge gaps in the gearing that on occasions I had to triple shift to maintain cadence. It felt very wrong so I put the 36 back on. Even then it began to annoy me that I had to double shift, and I was determined to have a triple on the next bike. Bliss. Current triple has 50/39/30 and a 12-38 cassette. Very much smoother and more civilised, and about 100 grams heavier than the compact. Meh.!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
12-28 cassette, methinks!
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
Typo's are so important. I asked someone the other day whether the frame I was buying took a 60.9mm seatpost. Not much flex there/12-28 cassette, methinks!
MTB cassettes have already reached 11-36 in 10 speed and 12-36 in 9 speed, we'll have 38s soon enough!
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
Could someone expand on this? It's been mentioned a few times and I'm not sure I'm grasping it.
Is a double shift having to change both front and rear at the same time or one immediately after the other?
I don't do / experience a need for this so would like to understand more.
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Yes you have it. The jump between the front rings on a compact is so big (in teeth terms) you need to change the rear as well to maintain a similar cadence. Otherwise you end up spinning wildly and losing momentum when you change to the small inner.
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Just to make the point, last year one of the top duathlon ladies approached me to ask if I thought her gearing was what she really needed, she had a compact. To cut a long story short I fitted her bike with a regular 52/42 set up, she had previously only ever had a compact, after her first ride on the new double her reaction was wow! How much easier and smoother was that! On the back she had a 12-25 cassette, easily good enough to get a strong rider up most hills.
Another interesting thing I have noticed is that big chain rings on new bikes seem to have jumped up a tooth to 53 instead of what had always been as far as I can remember 52. Are people getting stronger? Think it might be a bit of willy waving
plus it makes the drop on to an inner compact even worse.
Another interesting thing I have noticed is that big chain rings on new bikes seem to have jumped up a tooth to 53 instead of what had always been as far as I can remember 52. Are people getting stronger? Think it might be a bit of willy waving
