How many of you race with a compact crank?
02-09-07, 02:59 PM
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How many of you race with a compact crank?
I've still going back and forth on whether or not to get a compact crankset on my race bike. I will eventually on my rain/commuter bike, but wonder if it won't give me a little bit of an edge on some of the steeper/longer climbs and such on some courses.
As this is my first season racing, I speak from inexperience. For those of you WITH experience though, how common are compacts?
Why do you prefer one over the other?
As this is my first season racing, I speak from inexperience. For those of you WITH experience though, how common are compacts?
Why do you prefer one over the other?
02-09-07, 03:05 PM
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I do, 50/36 and a 23/11 cassette. 90% of the races here are hilly and this gives me essentially the same top and bottom a 53/39 and 25/12 cassette but with a slight advantage on both ends. I found over the weekend that I could leave it in the 50 and only have to use the cassette as my gear choices. I'm also someone who make their best power in in higher rpm's so this made sense. I'm on my second season and so far I'm happy with the outcome.
02-09-07, 03:06 PM
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I've raced one triathlon on a compact crank. Never have done a road race though. But, my guess is that the thinking amongst the other racers is "nothing says total newb like a triple." So you're better off than that.
Compact works for me because I don't like triples, and it's easier to make significant changes in the gearing with the cassette than with the crank once you're using a compact. If you need higher gears, swap your biggest cog for an 11 thus ending up with a 11-23 or 11-21. Want the lower gears back? Just go back to the 12-23, 12-25, or 12-27 that you started with.
Compact works for me because I don't like triples, and it's easier to make significant changes in the gearing with the cassette than with the crank once you're using a compact. If you need higher gears, swap your biggest cog for an 11 thus ending up with a 11-23 or 11-21. Want the lower gears back? Just go back to the 12-23, 12-25, or 12-27 that you started with.
02-09-07, 03:30 PM
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I like hilly (northern Calif) road races and 50/34 compact with 12-25 cassette works OK for me.
02-09-07, 03:44 PM
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The 50T big ring with an 11-23 in back is great for the races around here, i.e. flatter crits, but the compact comes in really handy when it gets hilly.
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02-09-07, 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by rapidcarbon
El Diablo, get 11-25 (just came out for 2007) then you get more advantage on the hills
Don't need the 25 aside from the long climbs at Ft Davis, even then I only have it as a bail out. Unlike Shimano, with Campy I can build any number of cassette ratio's.
02-09-07, 03:55 PM
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Why not...........
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02-09-07, 05:15 PM
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I do. 50-34x11-23
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02-09-07, 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by ryanspeer
For those of you WITH experience though, how common are compacts?
Why do you prefer one over the other?
Why do you prefer one over the other?
Before last year I raced on a triple. I like the compact crank over triple.
Since my racing category is Masters 55+, YMMV.
02-09-07, 05:55 PM
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I did...a 34 little ring was pretty useless for everything but the biggest climbs. If I were to do it again I'd go 36.
Right now I'm running the normal 53/39 DA rig, and I like it better. I get more use out of the little ring. In fact, the only time I really used the 34 was during the GA Cup in Dahlonega. As it is, I can be on a training ride doing 20-25mph in a paceline and be working on my cadence in my 39. With a 12-26 in the rear for climbing races and an 11-23 for the flats, I don't feel limited...
Right now I'm running the normal 53/39 DA rig, and I like it better. I get more use out of the little ring. In fact, the only time I really used the 34 was during the GA Cup in Dahlonega. As it is, I can be on a training ride doing 20-25mph in a paceline and be working on my cadence in my 39. With a 12-26 in the rear for climbing races and an 11-23 for the flats, I don't feel limited...
02-09-07, 06:53 PM
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RacingBear
Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus
I did...a 34 little ring was pretty useless for everything but the biggest climbs. If I were to do it again I'd go 36.
Right now I'm running the normal 53/39 DA rig, and I like it better. I get more use out of the little ring. In fact, the only time I really used the 34 was during the GA Cup in Dahlonega. As it is, I can be on a training ride doing 20-25mph in a paceline and be working on my cadence in my 39. With a 12-26 in the rear for climbing races and an 11-23 for the flats, I don't feel limited...
Right now I'm running the normal 53/39 DA rig, and I like it better. I get more use out of the little ring. In fact, the only time I really used the 34 was during the GA Cup in Dahlonega. As it is, I can be on a training ride doing 20-25mph in a paceline and be working on my cadence in my 39. With a 12-26 in the rear for climbing races and an 11-23 for the flats, I don't feel limited...
I ran 50/34 on my bike. Worked good for crits, and circuit races with short climbs. For training, and hilly RR I switched to 12/27. Worked well too. One issue I did have was that sometimes it was hard to find combination for certain HR zone, cadence that didn't involve cross chaining. Actually it was very common, now that I think about it.
