Cycling with a compact chainset

[zizou]

Just stay out of 50x30 (and at the other end 34x11) and you'll be fine

 

[CharlesF]

Just stay out of 50x30 (and at the other end 34x11) and you'll be fine

Thanks, that makes it much easier to handle

 

[choplee]

i'm running 52/36 compact with 11/28 cassette .... not had much experience with the full compact ,as i've always been a 53/39 or 52/39 old skool guy with 12/23 cassette,but legs getting old and hills seem to be getting steeper ..

 

[kloeshuman]

I have always had a triple front myself. But from all of the doubles I have tried, if the gear spacing is right in the back you still get the full range of gears. I run 52/42/30 up front and 11-26 in the rear. I have never found a reason yet to get into the 30/26 combo. I can normally use 42/23 for big hills or even 42/17. Not much help I know....given the choice of gears you have I would run 34/17 or 34/21 on hills that are killers

 

[SWSteve]

Also running a compact with 50/34, however I have a 27-12 rear.

I've also thought about dropping to a 48 chainring on the front to give myself greater use of the cassette as I would say I only really use the big 5/6, and this is still mainly the big 4.

Is changing a Chainring an arduous task?

 

[CharlesF]

Also running a compact with 50/34, however I have a 27-12 rear.

I've also thought about dropping to a 48 chainring on the front to give myself greater use of the cassette as I would say I only really use the big 5/6, and this is still mainly the big 4.

Is changing a Chainring an arduous task?

As long as you get a cmpatible ring and have the right tools - easy peasy

 

[double_dd]

Small ring to large ring = drop two gears

Large ring to small ring = increase two gears

I always do this and seems smooth. In running 54/30 11/28

 

[CharlesF]

Lots of good tips, and easy to understand, thanks!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

For the weight-saving of a compact versus a triple, which entails carrying around an extra few grammes (1 ring at the front minus not needing the bigger rings at the back for the horribills on a compact) and the need to double shift down - down on one side and up one or two on the other - I'm gradually becoming a triple fan rather than a compact faddist.

 

[videoman]

Thats why I have recently purchased a bike with a triple rather than a compact being old with dodgy knees although manufacturers are not selling many new bikes with a triple fitted.

 

[CharlesF]

My bike is new, so I don't want to spend money on changing the chainset. In fact I am enjoying the compact, I just wasn't sure of the technicalities of using it.