I'm looking at swapping out the chainrings on my skinny tire, 1989 Centurion Sport DLX, and running a 50-34T compact double. I have all the stuff at hand, and would use an Alevio long cage derailleur that wraps 42T.
So far with the original derailleur and a 14-28t free wheel I have tried:
52-40T (original 130 bcd crank) Spent all the time in the 40T, wanted lower gearing
48-38T Big ring got more use, Felt like there was too much overlap in gearing and I could use a bit more "granny"
Right now I have the 48-36T front with a 14-28 I live on the "Coastal Plain", and it pretty flat, but we have wind to contend with. Presently the gearing gives me a pretty good dual range, big ring to push with, small ring to cruise with. I'm definitely getting close to spinning out on the minor down hills, and I'm not going to say there's too much "granny"
So 50-34T is the next combination to try. But am I crossing over into diminishing returns? The are 2 other wrinkles. I have another bike I would like to but the 48-36T rings on. This other bike will be more of an all rounder for "cruising" and the Centurion will be more exclusively an exercise machine for local 12-30 mile rides. With that in mind, a 14-24T free wheel might be good for keeping cadence and heart rate where I want them.
But..... then have I come full circle?
