jslopez

So I've pretty much set on getting a compact crank and with advantages that come with it I'm surprised that not a lot more of us regular riders use it.

I currently ride a 53-39 11 23 combo and am a pretty decent rec rider (for someone riding for 10 months that is). I'm an avid climber who does tire rather quickly with only having a 23 but would like to keep as much top end as I can.

SO anyway the solution seems obvious now:
- 50-34 / 11 23 combo is like having a 53-39 12/26
- tighter gear ratios
- lighter
- for those who want much lower gear rations you just need to put in a 12-27 in the back...

So going back to my original question, do people not consider compacts because
a) it has the same stigma as a triple?
b) little to no knowledge of benefits
c) traditionalists
d) know of some technical disadvantage that makes it not worth it?

curious as to people's stand on this.

Grasschopper

I guess I would counter your initial comment of the 50/34 11-23 combo is like a 53/39 12-26 combo with why not just buy the 12-26 cassette? It would be cheaper. Now as someone trying to climb out of a triple, I did just order a compact crank and a 12-27 cassette. My thinking is that since I have learned to properly use my triple I do a crap load of shifting and by going to the compact doublt I wont be doing as much chain ring shifting. Hopefully this will pan out but if it doesn't I will just switch back. Looking at the gear ratios I think it works though. Compact double should equal same number of usable gears with less shifting at the front with just a bit less weight.

TNoodles

I can't speak for others but I have a 50/34 13/29 compact and I love it. I climb lots of hills. I lose a little off the top end, but I really don't notice it since I don't race. I've tried triples, but it just feels like so much stuff. I just ride what I like and ride a lot. I think all of us need to use what feels right for our ability level and terrain. What's right is whatever gets you off the couch and onto the road.

SpongeDad

On advantage of changing the cassette and not the crank is that you should be able to avoid adjusting the FD position on the seat tube.

I believe that FSA makes a 52/36 semi compact that you could pair with a 12/25 cassette to get a really nice spread while maintaining your top end.

Some people can get pretty orthodox about this sort of thing. I'm riding a triple, which I like a lot.

sydney

Consider how many built bikes come that way.Altho the choices are becoming greater.Also why change and throw money away if a standard double or triple works? I actually use all three, and prefer the triple if I had to choose just one.

Retro Grouch 

I can think of a couple of possible issues:

The first is the relatively wide gap between the 50 and the 34. When you change chainrings you usually have to make an additional rear shift to find the sweet spot again.

The second has to do with when you make the front shift. Plot out the gear ratios that the compact will give you and consider what gear ratios you use the most. Some riders have found that using a compact frequently puts them on the "cusp" between using the big ring and the small ring so they have to do more shifting on the front.

cydewaze

I'd consider a compact if I were doing a build from scratch, or if I were int the market for a crank/BB already, but I don't think I'll be swapping my existing, non-broken parts out just go try one.

That said, I may swap my training bike's crank/BB out for a compact/ISIS since I want to lose the old square taper. It'll let me use an old 12-23 cassette I've had lying around since the dawn of time.

55/Rad

B is closest. Although they've been around a while, they've only caught on in the last year or 2. Give it time.

55/Rad

SpongeDad

Good point. I've never really thought about this before. My triple has a 42t middle ring. I do a large part of my riding in that ring based on the moderate hills (6% grade or less) I have around me. It's nice not to have to flip between the chainrings all the time.

superdex

I've found that I'm on that cusp with a regular (53/39) double (12-25 in the back). I wonder if going compact would alleviate that? I'll go poke around Sheldon Brown's site, but is there anywhere (else) I could plot gear ratios?

EDIT: After checking out https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/ it seems that I can take advantage of compacts. Whee! 1 FSA Gossamer Mega-Exo Compact please!

roadracer13

Here is my situation...

I have 2 bikes... one has Regular (53/39) the other is Compact Gear (50/34). I use a PowerTap wheel with 11-23 gearing, so I jump between the two bikes, with the wheel, and have a good idea what is going on.

I ride a lot of little, but steep, rolling hills... no flats.

When I am climbing the larger of those hills, in 29 - 23 it is pretty hard to do, but I can do it. Before the Compact gearing, I was wishing for one more gear... perhaps a 26 or 27 would have been great to keep up my cadence.

Same hills with Compact gear, I use 34 - 22. Of the 40 hills I do in a ride I have only used the Granny Gear (34 - 23) on one of those hills.

There is a noticeable difference in the way the cranks spin. The regular is a Campy Chorus, the compact, Carbon Record. I am not sure if the sprocket size makes, weight of cranks, or the bottom bracket makes a difference, but the compact spins better.

HUGE downhill at the start of the ride...

53 - 11 with 110 Cadence... 42 mph
50 - 11 with 110 Cadence... 41.3 mph

That hill lasts for just over 11 seconds... not much speed lost there. I spend a great deal more times on the hills!

I am new to cycling, so I keep getting stronger each day, but I seem to use the middle gears much more with Compact that standard. This is much better for me because it allows me much more adjustability. I have many more options with the Compact to allow me to stay within my Power and Heart rate training ranges.

In the end, my conclusion is:

Regular Gears... Good
Compact Gear... Better.

I hope that helps. If you have any specific questions send me a message.

alraicercsu

I just finished Ride the Rockies using my compact and I would say it is really nice. You can go over a lot of hills with out having to shift in the front at all. On the Grand Mesa is were it shined I was able to "cruise" up to the top without having to slow down to a crawl which would have been the case for me with a double or my modified triple.

jslopez

Lots of great responses.

I agree if you're comfortable with what you have or if you don't want to spend extra is a good motive not to change.

My main point for this post is 1) figure out the downsides of compact (outside tha above mentioned) cause there doesn't seem to be a significant one 2) sort of educate people that this is more than a viable option.

PS anyone want to buy my chorus 172.5 alum cranks ?

-=(8)=-

I would agree with this but to me this is a positive. I usually just leave mine on the 19 or 21
in the back and jump back and forth from the large to the small in front. Makes me
not fixate on that the ratios could be spread out a little wider