Re: Compact cranks -- Wellington Veterans Cycling Club

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Date Posted: 18:59:53 01/05/07 Fri
Author: Robin Bodley
Subject: Re: Compact cranks
In reply to: Robin House 's message, "Compact cranks" on 01:25:59 11/14/06 Tue

In answer to the question, no, but I have an opinion. There are two issues here, 1 low gears, and 2 how you get them. If you are not a national champion, are noncompetitive and want to ride up hills and enjoy it or want to ride long distances you need low gears. I use a triple crank with a 30 small ring and a 12 to 23 cluster. I have tried a bike with 39 small ring and ultegra 12 to 27 cluster and found it satisfactory. A compact 36 ring with 27 cog would be the same as my 30/23 low gear. Bike shops selling quality bikes often do not like selling quality triples, I think this is silly.
>Does anyone have any direct experience of compact
>cranks? I'm told that they are good for old fellas on
>hills but am reluctant to shell out for something I
>don't know much about apart from what I've read. All
>opinions gratefully received.

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Replies:

[> Re: Compact cranks -- Ian Sims, 18:07:56 01/07/07 Sun

>Does anyone have any direct experience of compact
>cranks? I'm told that they are good for old fellas on
>hills but am reluctant to shell out for something I
>don't know much about apart from what I've read. All
>opinions gratefully received.

Robin, I don't have any specific experience of compact cranksets. However, rather than commenting on getting a lower gear by using a 36 or 34 chainring I would like to make an observation on the higher gears.

On my timetrial bike I have a 53 tooth chainring, and mostly use the 15-17 cogs at about 100 rpm. That is between 93 and 82 inch gear. I would get similar gears on a 50 tooth chainring with 14-17 cogs. The point being that for most of us mortals road bikes are generally over-geared. I reckon I could happily ride with a 48 tooth outer chainring (11 tooth smallest cog), which should give ample capacity for a 34 tooth inner ring.

Ian

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[> [> Re: Compact cranks -- Jeff, 01:20:05 01/10/07 Wed

Yep, I am with Ian. According to the review in the latest endurance mag, a 50/11 front combo is the same as a 53/12.
Taller actually if this is right.. http://www.wvcc.org.nz/trackgears.htm

If Cippo is using a 53-11, what are we doing with one? But a 50-11 I makes more sense when used with a lower 36 on the front. There are many people using them in Wellington these days, and not just old slow guys. Mark Renall and Jason Mcarty both use compact drive and they climb pretty well!
Cheers
jeff

>>Does anyone have any direct experience of compact
>>cranks? I'm told that they are good for old fellas on
>>hills but am reluctant to shell out for something I
>>don't know much about apart from what I've read. All
>>opinions gratefully received.
>
>Robin, I don't have any specific experience of compact
>cranksets. However, rather than commenting on getting
>a lower gear by using a 36 or 34 chainring I would
>like to make an observation on the higher gears.
>
>On my timetrial bike I have a 53 tooth chainring, and
>mostly use the 15-17 cogs at about 100 rpm. That is
>between 93 and 82 inch gear. I would get similar gears
>on a 50 tooth chainring with 14-17 cogs. The point
>being that for most of us mortals road bikes are
>generally over-geared. I reckon I could happily ride
>with a 48 tooth outer chainring (11 tooth smallest
>cog), which should give ample capacity for a 34 tooth
>inner ring.
>
>Ian

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>In answer to the question, no, but I have an opinion. >There are two issues here, 1 low gears, and 2 how you >get them. If you are not a national champion, are >noncompetitive and want to ride up hills and enjoy it >or want to ride long distances you need low gears. I >use a triple crank with a 30 small ring and a 12 to 23 >cluster. I have tried a bike with 39 small ring and >ultegra 12 to 27 cluster and found it satisfactory. A >compact 36 ring with 27 cog would be the same as my >30/23 low gear. Bike shops selling quality bikes often >do not like selling quality triples, I think this is >silly. >>Does anyone have any direct experience of compact >>cranks? I'm told that they are good for old fellas on >>hills but am reluctant to shell out for something I >>don't know much about apart from what I've read. All >>opinions gratefully received.

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