56/42 Double gearing
 

Does anyone use a double 56/42 with a 11/23 cassette? It's an Ultegra crank, so perhaps I can just change out a chainring, but keep the cassette if it's geared too high. Thoughts?

Why would you do that? Really...it's rare to see pros TT on anything bigger than a 54.

You really need a 56-11 gear? Are you serious?

Good lord. I presume everything is downhill where you live?

No, I'm just the dude trying to justify making an old litespeed tri bike into the road bike. It currently has the 56/11. I'm still learning about the gearing ratios, so that's the reason for the question. Will a new crank have to be switched, or can I just get a 53 and 39 chainring?

You can just get new chainrings. I have an Ultegra crank that came with 52/39 and I took off the stock chainrings and replaced them with FSA rings that were 55/44. I run an 11-23 in back. But this was for a bike with 650 wheels. I would never use a 55/44 with 700 wheels.

Thanks, this old Tachyon has 650's as well.

Ah well, that's very different then. That comes closer to 53/11, not that most people even need that.

I would keep the giant chainrings just for the bling factor and throw a 12-25 or 12-27 on there.