Road bike - Compact or Triple?

[ColinJ]

What happens if you sign up for an alpine holiday, and want lower gears?

With a compact, all that is possible is to buy an (expensive) 11-34 MTB cassette, and an MTB rear mech to go with it. You are already using the smallest chainring that will fit the cranks, so any change at the front will be expensive major surgery - new chainset, new (triple) STI levers etc.

With a triple, it's much cheaper to get lower gears, and you can go lower. Just swap the 30T chainring for 26, or that plus the MTB cassette for something suitable for going up the side of a house.

True for Shimano, but not for the Campagnolo groupsets that I have. I think that the lowest I could go is a 30 tooth chainring and a 29 tooth sprocket. That's fine for everyday hilly riding, but probably not low enough for an Alpine touring holiday. (Mind you, losing the 45 pounds of surplus fat I'm carrying would easily make up for any extra weight carried on the bike! )

 

[KingstonBiker]

Always an interesting topic for discussion this one. Really does depend upon rider and terrain.

I've been doing a lot more cycling since joining my local cycling club a few months back. I have a triple (50/39/30) and have found I've been using the granny ring less and less.

However after last week's club run which involved two hills with sections above 20% any stupid thoughts of changing to a compact have been well and truely scrapped.

 

[brokenflipflop]

shoot a brick ! Do you lot count the sugar granules in your cup of tea ?

 

[rb58]

These triple or compact discussions always puzzle me. I cycle for pleasure. And I'm built for comfort, not speed. And I'm not getting any younger. I have followed up (and often passed) plenty of folks grinding their way up hills on the small chain ring and largest rear gear on doubles (including those walking) and I can't help wondering if they're enjoying it. I'm not proud and will happily work my way up a hill on the granny ring if it saves my knees and means I don't have to stop for a lie down at the top. And as for looks, well a lot of people don't even realise my Ultegra set up is a triple. Shifts beautifully too. I know you can replicate the extremes of triple gearing by using a double with a very wide range rear cassette, but wouldn't that make the jump between gears significantly higher? The machine is there to help us, not punish us. If it's punishment you want, go fixed.

 

[albion]

I've been using a 42T /13T for descents and switching wheels get 42T/11T for descents.

Long fast descents don't happen too often but lack of pedal is a good reminder that I have become a leisure rider.

 

[Chris S]

Get a compact. You have to be pedalling at a decent speed to move the chain on the front derailleur. By the time I realize that I need to change down to the smallest cog I'm travelling too slow to do it.

 

[Gixxerman]

After due consideration I am going for a triple.
There are several reasons for this:
1) I am not getting any younger, so hills will only get harder.
2) It is a bit more versatile. If I decide to do a few rides further afield, I have some extra gears.
3) I do not like the sound of the large gap in ratios between the chain rings, making it awkward to select the next ratio (front swap, followed by several rear swaps).

Thanks for the valuable information people.
Just got to find the right bike now. It will be 2nd hand, so ebay it is. I am in no rush as I only want it for the spring, so lots of time to find the "right" one.

 

[I like Skol]

I am in no rush as I only want it for the spring, so lots of time to find the "right" one.

Would it be worth waiting until Feb/March when all those lovely new year 'get fit in 2012' bike purchases go up for sale as the credit card bills arrive and the buyers realise they can't be bothered to ride the damn things! There must be some great, almost unused bargains to be had at that time of year?

 

[Gixxerman]

Would it be worth waiting until Feb/March when all those lovely new year 'get fit in 2012' bike purchases go up for sale as the credit card bills arrive and the buyers realise they can't be bothered to ride the damn things! There must be some great, almost unused bargains to be had at that time of year?

Good plan. Thanks for the advice.