power vs weight vs triple / compact

[mr messy]

I've always really liked my 52/42/32 triple...just seems right!

 

[andyfraser]

That would be my choice too.

 

[mr messy]

That would be my choice too.

What's not to like! Sweet changes, lots of gears so small jumps. Apart from a new engine what more does anyone need

 

[andyfraser]

What's not to like! Sweet changes, lots of gears so small jumps. Apart from a new engine what more does anyone need

What cassette do you use with that? I can think of so many great choices with those rings.

 

[Sittingduck]

Not a good enough test to have only done one ride on the summer bike. Go and repeat a few times and I pretty much guarantee your results will vary and ultimately improve.

 

[steveindenmark]

You are correct Colin. I think the highest point in Denmark is just over 100m But what is the highest point in Cornwall? And thats a pig to ride. Its up and down where I live and I am often in Italy and Majorca where a triple helps on a touring bike the weight of a moped.

 

[ColinJ]

You are correct Colin. I think the highest point in Denmark is just over 100m But what is the highest point in Cornwall? And thats a pig to ride. Its up and down where I live and I am often in Italy and Majorca where a triple helps on a touring bike the weight of a moped.

Ha ha - I was just thinking that!

I spent a week in Penzance with my bike and used to ride down to Newlyn every morning and then on through Mousehole. There was a mighty headwind against me every time I hit the steep climb out of the village. I certainly used my little chainring on that.

 

[mr messy]

What cassette do you use with that? I can think of so many great choices with those rings.

Not much of a spinner but must admit i love a straight block. If memory serves current is 12-25 but had in past up to 28t. 9 speed of course

 

[andyfraser]

I like my current 11-25 cassette. With a 32 tooth ring I'd get 34.6", down from 36.7", and gain 5 gear inches at the top. A 12-25 would be a bit closer in ratios but I'd lose just over 5" at the top over 50x11 and round here I do use it so I think I'd stick with 11-25 and enjoy the slightly expanded range. I could see me using the 42 tooth ring a lot.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Gearing is personal. We all have different engines and just as a Ferrari has different gear ratios to a truck different bodies require different ratios on a bike. A 34*28 bottom gear suits my needs at present, as I get older I may well need to try something lower even though back in the days when 52/42 and a five speed block was the standard setup there were plenty of seventy and eighty year olds still riding.

 

[Ian H]

You are correct Colin. I think the highest point in Denmark is just over 100m But what is the highest point in Cornwall? And thats a pig to ride. Its up and down where I live and I am often in Italy and Majorca where a triple helps on a touring bike the weight of a moped.

The highest point in Cornwall is probably Brown Willy (no sniggering at the back there).

 

[TheJDog]

Gearing is personal. We all have different engines and just as a Ferrari has different gear ratios to a truck different bodies require different ratios on a bike. A 34*28 bottom gear suits my needs at present, as I get older I may well need to try something lower even though back in the days when 52/42 and a five speed block was the standard setup there were plenty of seventy and eighty year olds still riding.

Even Ferrari put different gears in their cars depending on the circuits they're going to...

As a young man I had a double with 13-23 5 speed, and got up some horrendous hills with that that I really struggle to do (and one that I failed miserably on) on my 34/28 25 years (and a few stone) later.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

The selling point of a triple [for all those newby sportive riders who think a double is a compact], is that if you have a 40t middle ring you can spend 90% of your riding in 90% of the country in this one ring without the ridiculous jump from 50 to 34 that a compact offers, and all the accompanying right and left gear lever changing or worse, riding in large front to large rear or small to small with a horrible chain line.

I use 46/34 chainrings (was 46/36) until I got the smaller ring - tbh 46 is my 'normal' ring until I get into the chunkier local hills. I have 12-30 on the back. Wish it was 12-32 at times as well!

46/36 is a nice differential and to echo what you say avoids that big 16 tooth drop of 50/34.

 

[mr messy]

I like my current 11-25 cassette. With a 32 tooth ring I'd get 34.6", down from 36.7", and gain 5 gear inches at the top. A 12-25 would be a bit closer in ratios but I'd lose just over 5" at the top over 50x11 and round here I do use it so I think I'd stick with 11-25 and enjoy the slightly expanded range. I could see me using the 42 tooth ring a lot.

The 42 makes it so easy to stay in middle of cassette on slight inclines that have you thrashing around trying to find right gear on a 34t

 

[andyfraser]

The 42 makes it so easy to stay in middle of cassette on slight inclines that have you thrashing around trying to find right gear on a 34t

I end up on the 50t unless an incline gets too steep. There was a head wind tonight and I'm feeling rough and was all over the place. I couldn't find any nice gears!