I've Had Enough of my Compact.

[Hacienda71]

That's it. I am done with my compact. I have had enough and have bought a standard double to replace it. I rode doubles when I was younger and have a triple on my beater bike, but the last three years with a compact have not been good. I know in my mid forties many of my mates are thinking of going the other way, but I just can't stand the huge drop between the front rings and the resultant habit of riding with a sheeite chain line to avoid the drop. I will struggle and grind up some of the steeper climbs around here. Winnats may be out, but I feel relieved that I am no longer tied to a compact.

As you were, rant over.

 

[Sharky]

Similar experience. Forever wanting to changing up and down on the front and having to change down and up on the rear. Made worse when I was commuting in the dark and couldn't see which gear I was in!

So in a mad fit, swapped the inner 34 for a 40 and removed my front changer. Now have a nice range of gears , which are selected with just a single click up or down.

 

[Tojo]

I know what you are on about here, I am running a 50-34 ultegra and am going now for a 52-36, I would rather change the cassette as I have 11-25, 11-28 and a 11-32, but that doesn't get much use as I have to change the RD and put the medium cage back on, I feel the 34t is too small with a 11-28 even in granny and the 50t also too small when descending...I'll see, I'm reverting back to when my 90's road bike came with 52-42 and a 9spd 12 -27......that was pushing it a bit and 20 yrs on at 50 I do need a bit of a smaller inner front nowadays.....

 

[Citius]

So fit a 36 or 38 inner. By the way, the ability to turn a certain gear relates to fitness, not age.

 

[Hacienda71]

I could have done that but for similar money to a couple of new rings I got a good condition Sram Red crankset. In fact in far better condition than the compact it is replacing.

 

[gbb]

Similar experience. Forever wanting to changing up and down on the front and having to change down and up on the rear. Made worse when I was commuting in the dark and couldn't see which gear I was in!

So in a mad fit, swapped the inner 34 for a 40 and removed my front changer. Now have a nice range of gears , which are selected with just a single click up or down.

Exactly what I did, 34 or 36 (cant remember which now) to a 40...perfect. But removed your front changer ?...I'm intrigued ?

 

[gbb]

And on the subject...I ran a compact because thats what was on the bike I wanted, I wouldnt have deliberately chosen a compact. That said, once changed to a 40, I got on fine with it to the degree when I reverted back to a 53/39 on a later bike, it made me nervous (not literally but you know what I mean). But no problem, you cope fine..why wouldnt you if your're not carrying any injuries/weakness.

 

[Andrew_P]

My first road bike had a 52-42 and 12-23 I don't remember walking any hills, but it was 35 years ago..

I miss the compact a bit sometimes on std double with 11-26, I find I am starting to grind a bit up some hills when all I fancy doing is spinning. To add insult to injury I still have not got used to the Sram changing down a gear when I have run out..!

 

[Sharky]

Exactly what I did, 34 or 36 (cant remember which now) to a 40...perfect. But removed your front changer ?...I'm intrigued ?

Yep, was getting fed up with changing up and down in the dark and chain rubbing on the front when cross aligned too much, so I just removed the front changer. Now have 7 usable gears out of 9, without any rubbing etc. still have the big ring on, but it is just there to stop the chain coming off. May not seem a very wide set of gears, but one of my other bikes is a SS, so used to pushing and twiddling. Having 7 gears is a luxury!

I'll probably put the front changer back on at some stage, but I feel it is doing me good, making me pedal at a higher cadence.

Cheers Keith

 

[gbb]

Yep, was getting fed up with changing up and down in the dark and chain rubbing on the front when cross aligned too much, so I just removed the front changer. Now have 7 usable gears out of 9, without any rubbing etc. still have the big ring on, but it is just there to stop the chain coming off. May not seem a very wide set of gears, but one of my other bikes is a SS, so used to pushing and twiddling. Having 7 gears is a luxury!

I'll probably put the front changer back on at some stage, but I feel it is doing me good, making me pedal at a higher cadence.

Cheers Keith

Gotcha, youre effectively running a single up front.

 

[Tojo]

So fit a 36 or 38 inner. By the way, the ability to turn a certain gear relates to fitness, not age.

I know what your saying about fitness but what I neglected to say that in my case its unfortunately due to injury after some A-hole knocked me off my motorbike....

 

[blackgoff]

I bought a bike once, in the excitement went out on it and could i get on with that 50 ring - drove me absolutely CRAZY...being in a big-ring ALL the time didnt make sense to me so it went near free to anyone who wanted it lol

Now I run 42-53.. i also have a 39 if needed to throw on for excessively hilly rides and usually ride 13-23(25/27/28).

The only time ive been 'stuck' was on a century ride and had a big mountain to crest and the 23 was hardcore but it was about 4mls of that compared to the rest..

Oh and did i mention i can never get the spin right with people who ride 50 rings..

Thats another MAJOR reason..they're smiling until the speed goes to 30...+ they wear out faster too!

 

[blackgoff]

Tho my mate criused the mtn on his 34 tho LOLz !!!!

 

[Citius]

Cool story bro...

 

[Justinslow]

Just purchased an ultegra 53 39 to replace my compact as I want to go FASTER! That's assuming I can handle the set up with an 11 - 23 cassette. Started TTing this year and I'm losing shed loads of time down the hills, let's just hope I can still climb up the other side!