bbattle

Same here. On flat roads, I'm in the middle of my cassette with the 50t chainring. 50-17 at 90rpm is 20mph 50-19 @ 90rpm is 18.5 rpm.

I've still got 3-4 more gears before I'd need to use the small ring and the 50-27 allows me to handle most small hills around here.


There is LESS gear overlap with a compact than with a standard.

Spacing between the gears is the same with either crankset.


But, to show the world who has the biggest cojones, get yourself a 56-46 with 11-21 cassette. The 41 demands it.

rbart4506

+1

WTH is with the comments that a compact will slow you down the flats??

I live in somewhat flat Southern Ontario, but live in a valley town and face a 300ft climb when leaving town. I have a compact and run an 11x25 on the back and couldn't be happier. Leaving town I'll be in the 34, utilizing the middle of the cassette and only shift into the 23 or 25 for the steeper sections. Once out of the valley I'm in the 50 and again am sitting in the middle of the cassette. I'll shift to the 23 for any small rollers I encounter.

The best part is when I go south to Georgia or west to California I simply remove the 11x25 and install an 11x28 and go looking for real hills

I had a standard before and sure it was fine for up top, but leaving town was always a grind and when traveling dealing with real climbing posed difficult.

Like my first coach said to me, you first learn to spin like a pro and then you push the pro gears.

wblatt

how do i check it?

gsa103

This site works: https://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/
Just find the road and define a short route up it. That will give you distance and elevation gain.

wblatt

ok. here it is...https://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=105039

rbart4506

I'm getting 6% or so for the entire climb...

wblatt

yeah, seems to be quite a disconnect between veloroutes and my iphone, lol.

wblatt

help me out here...

since i'm leaning toward a specialized roubaix, how come all of the '14 roubaix's are compact? on their website every single one of them is 50/34.

what am i not understanding? is that just how roubaix's are designed?

Beaker

Get the compact, I suspect you may be overthinking this. If you want to switch to a standard down the road it's not a big deal to switch it out. Even if you buys. New crank you could always sell your compact and recoup some cost.

Danielle

This is a really good description of exactly how I felt with a compact. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Danielle

As I stated earlier:

Dunbar

Because people don't buy Roubaix's to race on, they buy a Tarmac (I say that as a Roubaix owner.) Non-racers just don't need a standard crank. If you buy a 2014 Roubaix with the new 11sp Ultegra crank you can swap the rings out for 53/39 without buying a whole new crank.

rbart4506

OMG! You guys kill me

Lots of guys race on compacts. Searching for gears, huh, I truly don't get that one...

Beaker said it best, get the compact and go from there. If you find it an issue then get a standard and sell the compact, it's really not a big deal.

Like I said above the nice thing about the compact is you can run a closer ratio cassette in the back to give you tighter gear ratios and less jumps between gears. You won't need that 27 or 28 to deal with the smaller climbs you have and if you do travel then you have the 27 or 28 for the real climbing days.

So many people are out there pushing the 53x11 to look pro when they are not pro. Spin the gears you require and don't fall victim to all the bull...

Ray9

This would be my advice as well. I've been using a compact crank since 2008 and I love it because the gear changes are very gradual. If you want to turn the big gears and show off go ahead but I just get on the back wheel of one of you studs and let you do the work. I have short legs so I can really turn fast with no problem. I was the same way as a runner. It seemed the taller guys were taking one step to my two but I ended up crossing the line first.

Grambo

I agree with BH and Merlinextralight. I run a traditional 50/34 setup with a 11 x 26 cassette and never feel confused with gear choices. I spend the majority of time in the big chain ring but the area I ride is hilly (with a smattering of relatively short steep climbs) so I regularly drop down to my small chain ring. When doing so I simply downshift on the chain rings and upshift two gears on the cassette. I run Sram Red and have no problems shifting (drop to smaller chain ring upshift two on cassette) simultaneously and the shift is quick and seamless. Works for me.

TMonk

easy solution:

run a 39t and use it for everything under ~23 or so mph. in the process you get to ditch your big-ring, big-ego hero syndrome and actually start using the other half of your cassette.

achoo

Bingo. It's all about the "I am TOO strong enough to push a standard" ego.

If you can't get up to over 40 mph on level or even near-level ground (think sprint on a slight downgrade), you don't need a 53-11.

And no, you don't need a 53-11 on descents either - at over 40 mph you're better served getting into a really aero tuck and not pedaling.

RollCNY

https://www.gear-calculator.com/#

I like this gear calculator, in that it clearly shows that if you couple a compact (50/34) with a 12-23 cassette, and you consider cross chaining to include the biggest two cassette gears with the biggest ring, and smallest two with small, that this gearing is perfectly linear and does not require constantly shifting back and forth rings. When you reach the 50-19, your next shift is to the 34-14, which is a multiple shift, but then linear from there, all remaining on the small front ring.

People that talk about jumping all over with a compact usually have it paired with an 11-28 or 11-32. Guess what? If you pair an 11-32 with a standard crank, you will end up jumping all over.

Note: I think the calculator defaults to standard crank, but drop down menus have all the options.

gregf83 

That works well if you don't spend much time over 23mph. If you are in a group ride or race however, it's just as easy to make the argument to leave it in the big ring as you won't need to use the small ring.

I ride mostly in flat areas and spend most of the time in the 50 with a 12-23 cassette. On hills longer than a couple of mins I'll generally drop into the 34. The long hills (40+min) are in the 5-7% range and the 34-23 works for me. A compact allows me to have tighter spacing on the cassette which I prefer.

It's reasonably windy in my area and I will often do intervals on a flat loop. With a standard I have to switch between the big and small ring a couple times per lap. With a compact I can get by without shifting.

MikeyBoyAz

The reality is that 53x11 spinning out around 120 cadence is not within my dreams as of yet... If you have to ask I am guessing it's not in the OP's either... a compact with 11-25 is very similar to a standard with 12-28... and when reality sets in you can ride a compact with a 12-25 and not miss much, and get a great tight set of shifts.

roadiejorge 

This.

MingusDew

Now I want to buy a compact off Ebay just to give one a whirl .. I guess sometimes you have to make these decisions through trial and error, and finding what works best for YOU

R1lee

So what do you run now? I have a standard and semi, i do love the Semi.

Danielle

53-39 and I have a couple different rear wheels.
11-23
12-25
12-28
When I ride with the a group in my club the 53 paired with the 11-23 is pretty perfect.

Danielle

Compact makes no sense if you're younger and stronger.