Touring - Compact Crank?

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bandregg
08-18-05, 08:56 AM
I'm starting to price out my dream commuter / long range tourer. I'm selling my car so that my wife and I will be down to one, so this is kind of like a really cool trade in. I plan on mixing road components up front with MTB components in the rear; that seems both logical and popular, go figure. So, while planning this, I thought, instead of a triple crank up front, I wonder if anyone has played with using a compact crank set?

Thoughts?

Too few gears, even though it could cover the same range?
No one has just done it yet?
Not durable enough?

Let's talk it out.

bradw
08-18-05, 09:54 AM
What's the lowest chainring you can put on a compact? I *think* I've seen something like a 48/32 combo. If you can haul your loaded bike up the terrain you wish to cover using a 32 up front and up to a 34 cog in back, then a compact would be great.

But if you need lower gears there are road and mtb triples that can get you granny rings with 22 to 28 teeth. So a compact isn't going to offer you the same range.

Unless there are compact doubles with much smaller chainrings.
NoReg
08-18-05, 12:34 PM
What about this with Rohloff 14 speed: http://www.rivercitybicycles.com/images/javaboy01_lg.jpg