Originally Posted by
joejack951
I'm far from pro-compact actually but I do think that people should gear their bikes for their intended usage and pedaling style. Personally, my feeling is that if a standard double isn't working for you then you'd be better off with a triple. Compact doubles are, in my opinion, a poor compromise all around. Whatever can be done with a compact can be done better with a triple. High gear, low gear, gear spread, and gear spacing are all better with a triple than a compact. The only reason I'll ever recommend a compact to someone is if their current bike has a standard double and their shifters are not triple compatible (which is where you
are).
except for when you have a compact double at least as wide - if not wider - than a triple. You also minimize duplicate or very similar gear ratios with the double. I have 20 gear combos now, and my friend with a triple has 24 - but our high gear is the same. His low may be lower but who cares. I am a flatlander. We probably have identical "useful" gears, but my crank weighs less and my chain is not as long.
It will be interesting to see how the new Apex group holds up against a triple. At least it will be to me, for some reason I like to follow some marketing campaigns to see what passes and whY fails the marketplace test.