Galico

I am building a new bike. I have used a triple because I climb alot and am 52. I want the new Dura Ace Triple ten but it may not be available until september now. My dealer has talked to me about going to a FSA Compact 50/34 and a 12-27 cassette. I know most of you would tell me be a stud and just get the standard double no compact no triple, but on double centuries I can sit on long ascents and keep my heart rate lower for longer endurance. What do you think. Triple VS Compact

Brett 12

Ultegra 10 triple is the answer. Why wait for DA triple (you need 180mm crank arms?) Ultegra 10 is the sweetest triple made. 52/39/30 gearing has obvious advantages (much better than 52/42/30) . A nice thing about a 39T middle ring is you could easily swap in a 28T granny and not have a big jump to it....then you could use a tight road cassette like 12-25 and get 18 progressions from 30 gear inches to 114 gear inches.

Compact is not that best idea if you want lower gearing, but a triple is.

I have a Compact, but I use it with a 11-23. To me using a 12-27 makes it weaker than a double and not as good as triple. Compact with 12-27 is just a bad comprimse.

BTW, Compact with 11-23 is superior to regular double and 12-27 in my opinion. Compact with 11-21 is superior to regular double and 12-25. It is a great double, but starts showing it's weaknesses if you put a bigger cassette on it.

Lectron

I wrote this on an earlier thread:
"
Maybe I shouldn’t have written this, but the thing is. I don’t really get the compact.
Every time I’m out I tend to miss the 42 ring. (giving me 49-103), but first climb makes
me forget that and appreciate my 38 (or 39. depends).
A 34 would bring the gears so close you would have to shift 2 at the time.
So what about a wider range on the cass.? Well, that would bring the big chainring gears
to far apart.

There’s only a few climbs in the area that demands lighter than 38-27 (10mph cad.90, 8.9mph cad.80)
A 34 – 27 gives me 9mph cad.90.

That’s not the greatest of improvement, given what else then climbing up that hill would I use that 34 for ?
"
So. Need something smaller than 38. Go Triple.

sydney

It depends on the low gear inches you need and how close you want the cog spacing to be. Get a gear inch chart. You can't get as low with a compact as you can with a triple,but you are the one that knows how many gear inches you need,not us.

Brett 12

You are missing the whole point of the compact. You are supposed to use a tighter cassette with compact than with regular double.

If you like a 12-25 with a 53/39 you should be using a 11-21 with compact.


Sydney is right. Only you know what gearing you need. But if you really want lower gearing the triple really is the way to go. I'm a big fan of the compact, but if I ever needed a 34-27 low gear ( there have been times I wish I had a 34-27) I would just get a triple instead.

Lectron

No, I’m not missing the point at all !
Using a tighter cassette (11-23) would bring the speeds so close
using the 34, I would in reality be back on a 14 speed bike.
Do you get my point. ?
There would also be A LOT of front shifting.
Compact is a compromise. You don't get it all.

sydney

Well, if the compact is so sucky and lame why even consider it?

Lectron

Hey Sydney, my made man. That's what I say

sydney

A brainfart on my part as I mistook you for the original poster, but the point stands. I have doubles,triples and compacts. They all have their place. If I want low gears and close cog spacing the triple is where it's at. Others think a 11x34 cassette is the rats behind.

55/Rad

I regulary ride a 53/39 with a 12/25. I recently changed one bike to a compact 50/34 with an 11/23. Honestly, after learning where the gears are, I've noticed absolutely no difference at all. The range is virtually the same as a 12/27, so there is a little more climbing gear - it's nice to have but not used much. The tighter cluster is nice and smooth but, as mentioned, more often requires a shift of 2 gears than with the standard double.

The good thing with the compact is that I can put a 12/27 on occasionally for the big hill rides. But how often is that? Haven't needed it yet and I love climbing.

I'd lean towards the triple.

55/Rad

Brett 12

No.......No........No.....

In fact a Compact with 11-21 is like have 11 speed cluster (16 progressions/non redundant gears ) compared to a double with a 10 speed cluster (14 non redundant gears). Although some would say 14 is enough.....compact is also lighter and more aerodynamic (although diffrerence is small ....every bit counts)

Not a 7 speed cluster like you said (aka 14 speed).....Like I said It's more like an 11 speed cluster.

Lectron, here is a gear calculator..https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/ plug in 11-21 and 50/34 for chainrings.

gabiker

I am using a compact crank and barely ever miss the 53/12, but I have a 11/28 cassette ordered so I will wind up with lower and higher gears than I had. Don't know how it is going to work out, but I'll let you know.

Brett 12

I was hoping you'd get the 11-21 or 12-21 with your compact double instead becasue you don't even use 12-27 with your 53/39 normally.

11-21 10s: 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21

12-21: 12,13,14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 (straight block). To me this cassette would sacrifice some top end, but you'd have awesome gear selection right in the middle of the range.

Actually that 11-21 cassette makes me want to get 10s shifters again. LoL!

Applehead57

Lotta babble.

Get the biggest range you can. You'll have more confidence to attack hills.
You won't get tired on the first hill, it's all the ones after that wear you down.
It's an ego trip to run standard double with 11x23, only the really strong can make those gears work.
For the rest of us, a triple keeps up riding until the day we have that kind of strength.

sydney

When I'm full of BS and Wheaties I runs a 56 x 11/21.

Brett 12

Hold on people. I think triples are great. I want an ultegra 10 with 52/39/28 rings so I can ride around in mtns without wearing myself out.

There are people here that normally use 53/39 doubles and 12/25 gears (for whatever reason). If you want to switch to compact and desire that tight range of a 53/39 and 12/25 you should really be using a 11-21 with a 50/34. That's all I'm saying.

Brett 12

Nobody said run a standard double with 11/23. Wow!!

Galico

Brett 12: My bike shop is dangerously next door to my business and I have been mauling it over and walked out thinking. Ultegra Triple 10 and I can have my new bike next week. I just read your reply and you may have tipped the scale and bought my new wheel set with the differance. Thanks . What do you think about spending and extra hundred for 60 gr. by using a dura ace cassette? I could go with Dura Ace Brakes?
The bike is a New Look 555, easton ec90 handlebars and seat post. Easton Ascent II Wheel set. It will be pretty.
This has been very helpful, thanks to all responders.

SDS

You climb a lot and you are 52. That argues in favor of a triple (don't care if it is 53-39-28 or 52-38-28), 11-21T for flat rides, and whatever the heck you need to get up the hill, preferably spinning almost the whole way, something like 11-27 or 12-27. Only reason to stand up, is to put the young whippersnappers who don't know that red meat doesn't always beat gray matter, in their place.

I have some friends in your age group, who like me have come to the conclusion that because the drivetrain will tolerate the chainrings, and it works so much better, that first chance you get, the 30T goes in the parts box, and the 28T goes on the bike. It's actually a better change when you need it, than canning the 42T for the 39T in the middle. Turns out these choices shift quite well without ramps and pins and gates, too. STI is quite adaptable, even if Shimano doesn't want you to think so....

Avalanche325

The purpose of having multiple chainrings in NOT to have a big succession of sequential gears. It is for having multiple "speed ranges". That way you are shifting the rear a lot and RARELY shifting the front. Trying to use all of the gears in sequence is not what it was designed for.

I like the triple idea. Three speed ranges and a tight cassette. A compact gives up your high gears. If you don't use them, fine. If you pedal when you descend (I do), then 52-11 is nice to have.

gabiker

The only time a compact gives up the high gear is if your using a 53/11, but if your using a 53/12 and go to a 50/11 you gaining on the high and also gaining on the low especially if you use a 11/28.

Brett 12

That's how I look at it.....

BTW, are you usiing the IRD 11/28 or the sheldon Brown "High and Wide".

alanbikehouston

Just looking at the "numbers", a 50/34 in front with 12/27 in back looks great. The 108 inch gear is out of my range though. The 33 inch climbing gear would get me up any hill around my town. Actually, for my aging knees, a 46/34 in the front would be even better. But, who designs road bikes with "old folks" in mind?

Which crank and bottom bracket did you use to get the 50/34 setup?

gabiker

Actually neither at the moment. I ordered the IRD, but it hasn't come in yet and I am presently using a 12/27. I do miss the high gear mainly coming down hill so I was going to try to put together a 11/27 until I found those. We have a lot of hilly rides and quite a few mountains and being 52 I want to save as much of my legs as possible. I have the FSA Pro Elite Carbon compact and love it.

gabiker

You can put that combination on a compact. See my last reply for crank and I use Octalink, however you will have to find last years for that because FSA is no longer making cranks for Octalink.