My bike came w/a standard 53/39. I've been riding it for about 3 mos and while I've been doing ok, I'm still considering going to to a compact.

I have not ran into anything yet, that's caused me to get off and walk, but some climbs have given me quite a fight.

I'm not sure whether to tuff it out w/the standard as hopefully it will just make me a stronger rider, or go for the compact. I know I can also change my 11-25 cassette, but I think the compact will make the bigger impact if I decide to change.

Who rides what and do you see yourself changing?

Before anyone one else says it, HTFU and stay with the standard!

Standard, not changing.

I was a firm believer in a standard crankset until I started developing knee problems and I still believe that pushing big gears was a big contributor to me needing knee surgeries. I am now riding a compact and I couldn't be happier.

I've got a 50/36 compact because it's pretty hilly around Knoxville. I can't find many roads that are flat for more than a quarter of a mile.

Also, I don't feel like the compact holds me back on flats or descents. If I lived somewhere flat and had a compact, I think I could manage... but I may prefer a standard.

Sounds like all you need is a 12-27 (or 12-28).

Haha.. that's what I keep telling myself! I came over from a cross bike 46/36 and I'm doing much better than I thought though.

Edit: I do live on the west side of Denver, near the foothills, so there are some decent climbs here and there.

You are in Denver, don't listen to the flatlanders HTFU comment. Some of them cannot even breath the first day they come to town. I just did a mega climbing month and really very little difference that I can discern between my 53 X 39 - 13-26 8 speed campy and my 11-26 50/34 SRAM on flat speeds. I see a lot of guys struggling on their 39 X 25 when they could be spinning away on 34 X 26. When I modernized the ebay seller gave me a 50/34 and I just kept it. I am glad I did. In this way I get a close ratio gearing if I need to and still have some gearing on climbing. If you are worried that the 34 will weaken you, go into a harder cog. I think that is a lot of BS though compact weakening you. Worry about it when you are CAT 3 or something. I also ride an 11-23 with the compact sometimes. The other day just for grins, I chased a couple going 19 mph by spinning away on a 34 X 21 -- I reached 23 mph doing that. Now if I can spin that fast on 50 X 16 ...

Nothing wrong with riding a compact. If you want one go for it... you can always revert back at a later time if you feel you need to.

My tandem came with a 110mm bcd (compact) triple with 30-42-54 chainrings. I have no reason to change my cranks on that bike.

My only other shifty bike has a compact crank which sports 36-50 during road season and 34-46 during cross season. If I had a dedicated road bike, I would use whatever crankset came on the bike, as long as it fit me.

I try to buy compact cranks when I need new ones because 110mm bcd chainrings are available in a wider range of sizes than 130mm bcd (standard).

Well, it's not Denver, but I certainly wouldn't call central PA flat!

But I do have an 11-28t rear end.

You might be able to change the chain rings to a 50/34 even on a standard crank. This might cost you less than upgrading to a compact. Then, you could also change out the rear cassette to something like a 12/27 or 12/28.

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/chainrings.asp

Update:

I just checked the website and it doesn't look like you can get to a 34 chain ring on a standard (130mm) crank. However, if you go with a compact (110MM) you can put a 53 or larger chain ring on it. So, the compact has the advantage.

Compact rocks. Just do it. If you find you're spinning 120RPM in the smallest cog most of the time then switch back. Don't sweat it. GL

Spin to win!

Thanks for the info. I've been looking on CL and ebay for a few weeks. I've seen the chainrings for sale, but I think might as well get the whole set, so I can sell the standard.

Is 12-28, the biggest you can go on Shimano 53/39? I believe so, from the threads I've skimmed. Then, I think I've seen some people run a Sram cassette?
https://www.bikeforums.net/long-distance-competition-ultracycling-randonneuring-endurance-cycling/669790-sram-apex-11-32-10-speed-cassette-shimano-shifters-rear-derailleur-fear-no-hill.html

I will say, I've never really used on 53x11 other than to test it out. There just hasn't been that kind of terrain here where I can just fly on that gearing. What is the top speed of that gearing before you spin out? 45-50 mph?

I have been on the 39x25 quite a few times.

It is certainly cheaper to go to a larger rear cog, but the compact will give you closer ratios at the low end (smaller jumps between cogs), and a 50/11 is a higher gear than 53/12, so you don't give up much on that end. As for me, about half way up High Grade Road or Left Hand Canyon I am glad I changed over to a compact!

52x36 compact

best compromise i've found for up and downhill gearing.

i can do most races in an 11-23, so theres no big jumps but thr 36x23 is plenty small enough for most climbs.

Sram makes their Apex cassette that goes to 32 or 34 but I am not sure if a Shimano DR will handle it. Maybe someone here an chim in on that. If you are climbing the rockies, Sram Apex might be a good idea or a triple. I have a triple and I plan on going to a compact because I can ride in the 50 about 98% of the time so I will only need to use the small chain ring when I climb a really nasty hill. I have Campy and they make a 12/29 and a 12/27 and I will go with one of these two cassettes.

There are after market companies that make cassettes that will go larger than 12/28 on Shimano, if your cassette can handle. The link below states that they have gotten 11-30 cassettes to work with Shimano short cage drs (click on the FAQ).

https://www.interlocracing.com

Click on short cuts and cassettes. I tried copying the link into this post but the link failed.

I'd go with an 11-28 and keep your current crank. Cheapest, easiest answer.

If you play with Sheldon Brown's gear chart, you'll see that 39/28 is just about as low as 34/25.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

And if that isn't low enough for you, then you can go to the comapct, and the 11-28.

I think my next crank will be compact. It just makes sense to have a wider range of gears at your disposal. Sometimes on a standard it almost doesn't seem worth the effort to shift to the small ring since the difference can feel fairly minimal. I think if I have a compact I'll HTFU and keep it in the big ring even more, but I'll have the small ring there for serious climbs where it's really needed.

IMO, the compact could actually make you a stronger rider since the 50t big ring is usable over a wider range of typical terrain than the 53t. Anyone worried about loosing top end by going to a compact probably isn't really thinking it over. A 50x11 is good for ~43 MPH at 120RPM. If you're regularly hitting that speed outside of a descent (where you'd be better off tucking anyway), then by all means, stick with a standard.

Basically you have overlap between the two chainrings. The 53 tooth gives you gears from 56 to 116 inches and the 39 tooth gives you 41 to 85. Depending on your cassette you might get only 3 or maybe 4 gears that are lower using your small chainring. So you can drop the 39 as low as possible (you could theoretically drop it to just under 30) without losing any useful gears...

As for becoming a stronger rider, that is really a question of discipline. If you want to become stronger and want to climb in a big gear then just don't shift down... Having lower gears doesn't make you weak.

I have a triple 44/32/22 and an 12-25 cassette (23 to 96 inch gears, to put that in traditional road bike terms, my biggest gear would be equivalent to 53/15, and my lowest equivalent to 30/34). I usually never drop below the equivalent of 53/23 (44/19 in my case) unless there is a headwind or I am climbing a big hill, so I'm really only using my big chainring. Montreal is pretty flat, and there's only one big hill. I tried climbing that without shifting down and it didn't happen, but not for lack of trying... I don't ever need to use the small chainring, but it's there. In any case I'm happier with this set up than the original 52/42/30, where I never needed the big 52 chainring. Maybe it's psychological but I like having a granny gear I never use (makes me feel strong), much more than having a big ring I never use (made me feel weak).

What did you ride before, if anything? That, and this gear calculator, should help you figure out what has worked in the past.

If this is your first road bike, I'd suggest the compact. More versatile, as described above.

FWIW, I ride a 50/34 compact and 12-27 cassette, and usually climb a lot. Works for me...

I don't like my compact because I have to prep the front derailleur for the change by counter-shifting the rear by a larger amount, usually three gears, to get the next gear inch combo. I know I know - I could just prep by letting cadence rise or fall, but I like to keep it smooth.

You can do the cross over simultaneously. With STI it's not really an issue.

I replaced my standard with a compact, and don't see myself going back.

Having said that, using the 39 chainring is convenient. You can comfortably spin up to almost 25 mph without having to go to the big ring. OTOH, slowing down on uphills with the compact involves less shifting from the big ring to the small. If I lived in CO, it'd be all compact, all the time!

The cheapest option would be to get a new rear cassette for sure as others have pointed out. As for myself I ride a compact double (50/34) and 11-25 rear. I live in Northeast TN and I'm always climbing and the compact works very well for my area. I rarely feel I need anything lower than 50-11 but I have been thinking or getting a 12-27 or 12-28 for those epic climbs some rides. Before I got my new bike with a compact double I was worried 50-11 wasn't going to cut it but I was pleasantly surprised when it did. I wouldn't go back to a standard or even a triple now (unless I moved to flat lands but that's not happening). OP I would get a new rear first then if u feel u still need something more get the compact and then u have 2 rear cogs to switch out as the ride dictates.