Originally Posted by
clink83
Is an FC-R700 really an "ultegra level" crank?
Originally Posted by
Longmont_Tom
Back a few years, most road bikes came with 53/42. Then 53/39 came along and I think it was mainly for those riding more mountainous areas. I have been riding a triple and, like you, find I often ride all day in the 42 ring if on flatter terrain (love my 28 small ring for really big climbs). My friends with compact doubles are finding (when riding on flatter terrain) they are often switching between rings and the ends of the cassette (big - lttle cogs) trying to find the right gear. I suggest you stay with the 42 and pair it with a 52 or 53 for those tailwind/downhill situations. I don't think 50/34 makes sense for your riding.
Thanks. The more I think about it, the more a 50/39 probably makes sense.
I think you're right about the 34t being too low to be useable in most riding, and I don't think I need a 53t (or even a 52t) big since I'm rarely on the small half of my cassette while riding in my 52t now. A 53/39 might work, but the jump between the small and big seems unnecessarily big when I don't need the extreme ends of either gear and sounds like I'd just be cross-chaining a lot.
Originally Posted by
merlinextraligh
What's wrong with the current crank? If you don't like having a triple, you can always take the inner chainring off, adjust the front derailleur, and you have a double.
Nothing is wrong with the current crank. I have a little money to spend on upgrades, and getting a new higher-end double crank seems like it would be lighter than my current entry-level spec triple crank and possibly give me better shifting and gear ratios.
Taking the small ring off doesn't accomplish anything other than removing a tiny amount of weight and getting rid of 10 gears. It also seems like the centerline of my drivetrain would be pushed to the outside too much with this setup, whereas a double keeps things more centered on the rear cassette. The cross chaining on a triple 10-speed is pretty crazy if you're trying to ride 52-25 or 30-12, for instance... but on a double it's probably more reasonable to ride the bigger cogs while in the big chainring, right?