Triple chain set to double

[Stantheman]

I have been looking for months for a new bike to replace my Giant MTB, I feel I have reached the limit on it and it weighs close to 17kg. I briefly had a giant defy but after a disaster with the sizes and hassle sending it back I continued on the MTB. I now have my eye on a CX bike a recent poster has purchased but am worried moving from a triple to a double. Living in Wales hills are a common thing and I enjoy going up and down them, but am I likly to struggle moving to a double? The "new" bike will likly have 22 speed simano 105. Or am I worring over nothing?

 

[the snail]

I would use a gear ratio calculator like this
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
to work out what ratios you have at the mo, and how those on the new bike compare. The new bike should be a lot lighter and easier to push, so you probably won't need as low gearing for the hills though.

 

[Massimo]

Usually a CX has a 46/36 configuration while Giant triples adopt a 50/39/30 or a 48/38/28. If you use a lot the smallest cog, it's likely you can struggle a bit but the weight will help.
I would be more concerned about the different posture.

 

[slowmotion]

I think it depends a lot on how fit you are. I'm not. Never have been and never will be, so please don't confuse this with one of those tedious MTFU lectures that get spouted round here.
I had a road bike with 11-28 on the cassette and 50/39/28 on the front. I could just about get up the steepest hill that I set myself. They were not at all long, but they were a personal challenge nevertheless. I bought a compact a year ago, 13-29 at the back and 50-34 at the front. I can get up the shorter hills without too much of a problem, but I can't do the longer ones that I could just about wheeze up on the triple. The bike is lighter, more fun to ride, and I wouldn't go back to a triple.....but I grind to a halt on the worst hills. That's just my personal experience, not general advice.

 

[PaulSB]

My experience is this. When I was 50 I bought myself a new triple and rode it very happily for seven years. At 57 I bought a Dolan Dual compact double with 50/30 and 25/12 - it's a great bike which I enjoy riding but have found hills increasingly difficult. Last April I purchased a new bike and went back to a triple, the result being a big improvement in my overall riding and easier climbing.

The Dolan is a fabulous bike and this week I'm having a 32/12 cassette fitted to help climbing as this is becoming my winter bike. I have a friend who rides the same Dolan with a 34/12 and he rarely struggles on hills.

This summer I spent ten days in France touring with my triple and didn't find a single climb I couldn't manage relatively easily. Clearly it's personal choice and my LBS spent sometime explains all the ratios etc. to me when I moved to the double. Ultimately though a triple is right for me though I can see the argument an 11 speed double probably covers the same useable gears.

It may just be a confidence, psychological thing but I won't be going back to doubles.

 

[Stantheman]

Think I might start from scratch and look for something with a triple, I linked to a cinelli bootleg last week which I would love but a bit over my budget and seem in short supply.

 

[wait4me]

Ditto "Slowmotion" and "PaulSB" I have a Giant Escape 1.5 with a triple after about 2years back to cycling I bought an Spec. Allez which is a double. No problems in this part of Lincolnshire (the highest climbs are railway bridges) but taking the Allez to France this summer near to Le Mans the hills were crippling me (but I am sure with the Giant I would have been fine (if knackered). Regarding the weight benefit, this is of little benefit with my 85kg in the calculation. I love the Allez but wish it was a triple.

 

[Widge]

I'm with 'slowmotion' on this one. I'm pushing 60 and road biking over the last two or three years has been a passion. BUT....I am not 'fit' in the accepted sense. The years have taken their toll! I am, however 'fitter' than I ever expected to be thanks to cycling. I live on the fringes of Dartmoor. Everywhere is steep! I have a triple ch/ring and a max 30t rear sprocket which gets me up most inclines with a wheeze and a prayer. Thank god for trippelz I say? Now I see many road bikes being offered with lower gearing than used to be the accepted hard-core MTFU rule. A compact 50-34 with a 28 or 30 rear sprocket is no longer considered a cop out. Road bike manufacturers have realised that not all aspiring road riders are 25 yr old bronzed Adonis's these days. The choice is there. Go with what applies best and don't agonise too much about what you 'should' be riding.

 

[Stantheman]

Many thanks for all of the advice, I am 45 slim and quite fit ( I think) it may be in my best interests to stick to a triple, I know where I am then.

 

[PaulSB]

That would be exactly my view. If you're happy, confident and comfortable why change?

I must admit I've been lusting after a Di2 but it seems to only come with a double. I was chatting with a friend during our ride today about doubles. He's 3-4 years older but being retired gets to ride 5 days a week and is stronger than me. My remark was this, next new bike - about two years off - I'll look at doubles and IF I can borrow one for an extended trial I would consider it. Beyond that I'd stick with triples as I wouldn't want to risk a lot of cash on a bike that didn't tick all my boxes.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I will put my two peneth in, I ride a triple, 50/38/26 with a 10sp 12-27, though whilst i get everywhere around here on no lower gear as the 38x24, the close grouping of the cassette is great 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27, I am looking at changing it to a 12-23 or a 12-25, the 26th gives me better cadence control if needed whilst climbing yet gives me a really low 25.5" gear on the 27th rear, even a rear 23th would only be 30", with single stepping gearing from 12-19 and only 2th from 19-23. The problem I see with a compact set up, is I would be riding toward either end of the cassette, with the triple I ride mainly on the middle 38th front, and usually the 15-19th rear depending on what I am doing, in other words mainly a normal double, with a lower option.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I think it is bonkers that there are so few triples around.

I'm not exactly unfit but there are local hills that I just cannot even contemplate getting up with my 34 x 28 (soon to be 34x30) - I'm ok with short and pretty steep but long and steep is beyond me.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I think it is bonkers that there are so few triples around.

I'm not exactly unfit but there are local hills that I just cannot even contemplate getting up with my 34 x 38 (soon to be 34x30) - I'm ok with short and pretty steep but long and steep is beyond me.

Me too, however there seems to be too many people that think compact doubles are better, I don't think to many pros ride compacts, and neither should most of us, people on the whole just don't understand it, they think range is everything, they forget most riding isn't done on small gears or large, as I have said before for most of my riding I am on the 38th front middle, but the close grouped cassette on the front small is incredible for climbing, the same set up or a 28/39/50 or 52 on a 12-25 11sp is a dream set up. 28x25 giving 29.7" the 26x25 would be 27.6" and a middle ring going from 40-84" the 40 " being about the middle of the cassette on a 26th front, no excessive wear on the chain because of extreme selections no need to be, its a retro step in my opinion.

 

[Stantheman]

I do ride some long uphill sections, even seek them out to train on and judging by the replys I think it would be hard work and I might even run out of steam. I might but a cheap secondhand bike with a double as a tester..

 

[Nigelnaturist]

this might help this is a pretty typical 12-30 set up on a 50/34 12-30

I would be spinning either around the 34x14 or 50x21-24
This is my current set up

on this I spin on the 38x16 or there abouts, and much more usable set of ratios, the 26 makes it really good climbing, and you could go better by fitting a 12-23

This gives the same range as the compact 50x34 and 12-30 with much better ratios.

all figures in gear inches.