How do I choose between standard and compact cranks?

Just bought bike with standard cranks

Now considering changing

What are plusses and minuses?
How do i decide?

What would have to be changed on the bike besides the cranks (can i use same change, etc.)

When i was researching for which type of cranks to use, a lot of answers pointed to what type of terrain you normally ride in. If it is super hilly or mountainous, it would be ideal to get a compact. If you ride on flat terrains often, then a standard crank should do.

I do a lot of commuting and normal rides but no races so i went with the compact. I haven't spun out yet with a 11-25 cassette in case you are wondering but then again, i'm not that fast. I normally get up to the 28-34kph range before i reach a traffic light (it's pretty common where i come from).

Hope this helps before anyone tells you to use the SEARCH BUTTON!!!! =)

Compact just means you will have a lower gear up front. Its a great compromise over a triple (better shifting, less weight, and the one that matters, people won't snicker at you). Your chain should be fine, it'll just need to be resized, and you MAY need new derailleurs if the ones you have can't handle the tooth difference (16t) of a compact. I personally have a compact on both of my bikes, along with a wide range cassette on the back. I don't care about bragging rights, I like being able to comfortably make it over hills!

If you find yourself wishing you had some easier gears on climbs too often and can't get strong enough to stop that feeling, then consider a compact. You would likely need only the crankset. Install and lower the front derailleur a couple mm, and maybe shorten the chain a couple lengths (if it goes slack when you put it in the small/small combo).

^^this^^


and, possibly consider a new cassette with a 28 or 32 tooth cog is you live where it's really hilly.

Going from a 52-39 to 50-34 will give you 1.5 to 2 gears at the bottom at the expense of a gear at the top. Little less gearing overlap. Shouldn't need to replace any other parts; just adjust like urbanknight said.

www.sheldonbrown.com/gears

or the fancy one: https://home.earthlink.net/~mike.sherman/shift.html

If you just bought the bike, you might want to wait a while to see if you really want the compact. I have a compact, and when I first got my bike I couldn't climb handicapped ramps. I kept at it and now I can climb everything around here, albeit slowly.

Use an 11-25 on the rear and the 11 tooth will buy back some top end.
To the OP, PLEASE do some searching here on the forum. This subject has been discussed to death since I joined in 2004.

I love how everyone is talking about having an 11t cog for top end. I don't know about anyone else but I don't race and typically don't cruise along flats at 30+ mph...I spin out of my 50-13 combo (I run a compact with a 13-29 cassette) at between 33 and 36 mph some place. I've never had an issue keeping up with any group ride because I ran out of gears.

IMO most riders knees would be well served by a compact crank unless they only ride on flatter terrain. My Merckx has a 53/39 and I can ride it just fine but I run the compact on my main bike and prefer it as there is a lot of climbing around these parts. If I was going to go ride someplace flatter I may take the Merckx more often.

I'd use a 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-26 on the rear unless I was running Campagnolo 11 speed in which case I'd consider 12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-25 to get a little more speed out of my small ring and reduce double shifting.

50x13 is plenty for a high gear, good for cruising at 30 MPH down hill or with a tail wind and sprinting to 36-42 MPH.

I've run a 50x13 high gear since 1996 including a decade living in Boulder, CO where I was riding both in the Rocky Mountains and on the adjacent plains. A little more gear would have been nice when commuting to work with a 40-50 MPH tail wind out of the West during Chinook season although I wouldn't trade my 18 cog for it.

Wow, a compact vs regular crankset thread! We never have this discussion!

It's well known that using a compact crank turns you into a girl. Just thinking about using a compact drops your testosterone level by 200 points. If you were a manly man you'd be strong enough to ride any hill on a regular crank. All you have to do is HTFU. It's simple.

Speaking of manly, women have a keen eye for cyclist's gearing. They can count your chainring teeth as you ride by, and it directly affects how attracted they are to you. Most women won't date a guy who uses a compact no matter how much money he makes. Running a 55/44 and a 11-21 cassette will get you more action than you can handle.

This is deep!

If your'e not a TDF quality rider get the compact...otherwise like me you are an idiot...

Standard double provides good motivation when you're feeling weak going up a steeper hill if you want to avoid falling over.

the search button is the most useless piece of crap on this forum...I use it all the time and it never helps...its picks up every thread if the word being searched is anywhere in the discussion and is usually irrelevant...it's easier to just post a new thread...plus its not like anybody on this forum has anything better to do if theyre on BF and not out riding their bike...

Google has a pretty good cache of BF. You don't get to specify what forum you want to search though :-(

search for UMD's "how to use the search function" thread.

I've had the same problem, and have been using google to search "bikeforums" and "topic I'm wondering about."

Also, fwiw, I just swapped out my compact for a standard and am glad I did. Agree with the commenters above who said that how you feel on the hills you are riding is a good metric. Also, you should be able to tell how the standard feels for you now....if it's too tough to climb, perhaps a good idea to switch.

* compact. for people who like to get lapped.
* compact. for sprinting in slow motion.
* compact. for guys with a cervelo R5, californians & hairy, skinny legs.
* compact. you might be paraplegic & need to pedal with your arms.
* compact. you're so big you need a mirror to see 'it'.
* compact. you're into being overtaken by old ladies on beach cruisers.

* compact. for people who like to climb.

I have a standard double and really let myself get out of shape over the winter (I mean really, 30+ lbs). It was BRUTAL when I started riding again. It isn't super hilly around here, but the hills there are don't give me too much trouble. There is one hill on a route I really like doing, there is a 8% grade but it is only for probably a hundred feet or less. Even at 39/25 I feel like I could probably handle it (albiet slowly) for a fair distance.

So I guess I'd say unless you're in the mountains you'll probably be fine with the standard.

I love the looks of this Sugino Alpina but am wondering if at 48/34, it may have a somewhat slow top end. Thinking of adding it to my '92 Davidson, which has the original Sh. 105 53/42 crank. Hills can be a little tough with that 42t.

It is a nice looking crankset and I would definitely use it. Unless you are very strong and racing a 48-11 is still plenty of gear.
The 48 will let you keep on the big chainring that much longer on the flattish terrain and will also reduce the jump down to the 34.

So maybe an 11-27, 28 on a cassette to go with the Sugino? Yeah I'm not racing. LOL

I think compact-or-standard is one of the least important choices when it comes to bike setup. So yes, it is discussed too much (as some posters have pointed out).

First of all, it doesn't affect fit or position, whereas things like frame size, stem length, crank length, saddle type, etc. all do.

Second, the gearing you can get with compact, can also be gotten by switching cassettes (approximately). Most people have extra cassettes lying around--if you don't like your current gearing, play around with those.

So in my opinion, purchasing a new crankset to replace a perfectly-fine old crankset ONLY to switch from standard to compact is simply not worth the money.

That said, when you buy a new bike and are offered the choice between standard and compact, you should make an informed choice. I personally like compact, because with a small cassette (11-21) it provides a set of gears that fits my riding style and the terrain where I live.

Or even a 12-27.