Triple vs compact

[jimboalee]

What do you call a man with cooking vessels on the side of his head?

Panniers.

 

[Banjo]

What do you call a man with cooking vessels on the side of his head?

Panniers.

Dont give up your day job

 

[jimboalee]

What do you call a man who puts panniers on his RACE BIKE?

Pan ears.....

 

[TheDoctor]

.

 

[cyberknight]

OK who p***ed of Jim?

I think it comes down to that some folk will want a triple , a compact or as he calls it a proper race double.

If you can do the route you want at the pace you want on the bike you want who cares?

 

[Shaun]

I think that with any "advice" question, you have to give an answer based on your knowledge and experience and leave it at that.

Let the person asking sift through the various bits of advice and decide for themselves what to try.

Make the advice simple and digestible for beginners, and if they ask for a more in-depth information then provide it; don't throw complex long-winded explanations at people who are just starting out or just getting back in to cycling.

Jim, I've spoken to you privately about overdoing the "advice" - please don't troll. Just offer your advice - simply - then wait for a request for more. If there isn't one, then don't post twaddle all over threads for the sake of seeing your theories in print.

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[jimboalee]

Choosing bicycle gearing is a bit too complicated to give advice over an internet forum.

Someone who knows what they are doing, an experienced racer and is a qualified fitness instructor needs to see the person who's asking, see the bike, get a brief of the countryside the person is intending to ride, and above all, get a good idea of the person's capabilities.

This, I'm afraid is beyond a ten page thread on CycleChat.

If the OP knows a LBS where the owner is an ex racer and coaches young cyclists, he should go and chat there.

 

[Randochap]

I like triples. As I've explained before, I like the closer spacing available on wide-range gearing.

 

[Garz]

Jim I forgot to add a saddle bag and two full bottles in cages for the race bike weight.. still ok on a standard double up a 20% ?

 

[tdr1nka]

Jim please try and note the difference between, 'Beginners' and 'Know How'.
You opinions of riders and their personal choices aside.

At the end of the day no amount of percentages, output, wattage and technical talk can help some one simply get started.
I couldn't tell you what gearing half of my bikes have had and neither did that bother me or spoil cycling for me.

If it is, by your own admission, too complicated to explain on CC then please don't.

Keep your posts out of 'Beginners'.

 

[Garz]

I feel a bit sorry for ol' jimbo, he entertains me and rarely gets my back up but that's because I have thick forum skin!

Let's get back on topic..

 

[jimboalee]

Have another read of Staffordshire Mamil's first post.

He tells us his age. He says he's 'getting back into road cycling'.
He tells us precisely the teeth numbers on the bikes he had and the bike he wishes to purchase.

I, for one, don't take Staffordshire Mamil to be a dunce.

Am I to assume that OPs in 'Beginners' haven't got a brain?


Now read my first reply. I talk to the guy like he's got some intelligence and is capable of understanding what its like riding up a hill, ( because he's 'getting back into road cycling' ).

Then I make a suggestion about a small inner chainring for the Peak District.

Does anyone have a problem with this?

 

[asterix]

Not at all. The OP walked straight into this one and has only himself to blame. I trust he will know better in future before asking for our opinion even more controversial matters .

 

[007fair]

It has been mentioned on here that choice of low gear is dependant on the rider’s ability.

Yes of course it is when the rider is sat on the saddle using the muscles in his legs to produce the power.

When the rider’s backside leaves the saddle........bla bla....

Now for us people in England, there aren’t many hills that are 7.5% for 10km, so why would anyone need a Compact chainset on a race bike?
Tourers and Hybrids, A TRIPLE. Race bike, a 53/39.

Jim you are absolutely right here My recent experience on a 40 mile run with 1 guy on a double and the other on a single speed (me on a triple and way behind on the hills) got me thinking about the speed in which I was taking the hills. The slower you go up the more time you are on it and the more momentum you lose I was using the inner ring just because it was there but this means I am on the hill alot longer .. which is energy sapping

So my run yesterday I decided to attack the hills get out of the saddle when required and NEVER use the inner ring. So my lowest gear was 39x27 It worked a treat .. a hilly ride but i did it faster than normal, I was able to keep the same pace on the return run and also had more energy left at the end This will be my rule from now on for these types of runs!

I am still glad to have the triple for light touring or really long runs when after a tiring day in the saddle the last thing you want to do is attack a hill out of a saddle

So my advice Get a triple but don't use the inner ring! (unless you are touring)

 

[pubrunner]

Now for us people in England, there aren’t many hills that are 7.5% for 10km, so why would anyone need a Compact chainset on a race bike?

If you were to come to where I live in the foothills of the Berwyns, I could show you why many cyclists would appreciate a Compact chainset.

There are very few flat areas around here, after cycling for a few hours & feeling a bit of fatigue, I really appreciate a Compact. So would you, if you were to cycle from Llangynog to Bala (for example), along the B4391; the longest part of continuous climb, is 330m over just 6.26km. (1082ft of climb, in just 3.89 miles).

Compacts are ideal - for where I live.