- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Cross country mountain bikes
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
forum
Compact chainset recommendations
Hello,
I bought a Forme Rapide as a winter training bike with a compact chainset. Overall I am well pleased with the bike, but I'm have a lot of problems getting used to the chainset.
On my summer bike, I have a triple 105 setup (30, 39, 50), although I hardly ever used the 'granny' ring. I normally got along fine with using the 39 on the lumpy stuff and the 50 for flats and descents. There lies my problem however. On my compact setup, I find that my cadence rate has had to increase substantially when using the 34 to keep up with the group. On cycle runs up to 70 miles, that feels just too hard to sustain. Using the 50 just isn't feasible all day either.
Should I trade up to double chainset, or will I eventually get used to the compact chainset, if I put in enough miles? Cadence and fatigue issues aside, it's just plain embarrassing getting dropped, when I was able to stay at the front most of the time on my triple set-up!
I appreciate any and all advice from anybody who has dealt with the same issues previously.
Thanks!
Mooman
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
Latest Forum Topics
Latest Comments
- Mr Blackbird 5 min 8 sec ago
I often cycle in a silver metallic cocktail dress and sparkly tights, wearing a tiara in my hair. Just for safety reasons you understand
- Rendel Harris 38 min 32 sec ago
Yep, that's why 70% of World Tour teams are using Shimano, those people are really noted for not wanting the best kit, they'll take any old crap.
- mdavidford 1 hour 2 min ago
That only holds if the 4% always pass within 1.5m, though. Given that at least some people will pass wider only some of the time, you've overstated...
- Bmblbzzz 1 hour 23 min ago
"A brutalist interpretation of a road" So true. Grey markings on grey paving slabs surrounded by other grey paving slabs...
- Simon E 1 hour 7 min ago
Driver in a Citroen travelling at 70mph crashes into the front of a house in Canterbury Road, Faversham at 5.30am on Sunday....
- arichman 1 hour 56 min ago
Somewhat confusingly, Velocio includes both a fit and a size chart, and says to use the fit chart (which uses height and weight) as the guide for...
- wtjs 3 hours 17 min ago
I can't find anbody else with this problem, so I'm putting it here. I went to visit a friend near Chester, using the excellent Merseyrail cycle...
- Rendel Harris 5 hours 30 min ago
As I said below, being from the same neck of the woods I know that the primary demographic of the core support of WDAG is folks living in the roads...
Add new comment
6 comments
You might find it difficult to get hold of a 39t chainring with the same bolt circle diameter (BCD) as your compact cranks. They are usually 110mm I believe. As mentioned above you can get a 36 though and this is what I have - a 50-36. I also prefer it because I have to double-shift less, and can sometimes just shift the front. You could even go to a 48 on the outside too.
Finally I'm sure you're aware of this but I have killed many hours at http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
Hello,
I should have mentioned that I am on an 8 speed cassette (12-21). I had hoped this would work ok when on the 34 chain ring (used more often that the 50), but I am worried about crossing too much.
Based on your feedback, here is what I have resolved to do:
1: Get back out on the bike for the next week or so and follow up with some sessions on the turbo to see if that makes things any better
2: If number 1 fails, go for a 39 chain ring and experiment with both the 12-21 and a spare 12-25.
3: Keep pedaling!
Many thanks to you all for the really useful info!
Mooman
As I see it, there are three good options.
1) Different cassette with a bigger spread. 11-27/28, if one is available. (I have a SRAM cassette with that spread, but I don't know about Shimano's ranges or if the SRAM cassette would be compatible.)
2) Different small chainring. Find a size you like.
3) Change nothing, but get stronger. There should be nothing preventing you, in practice, from continuing with this setup. You might need to crosschain a little, but a hard winter of training like this might really pay dividends come the spring. Winter is a good time to work on this sort of stuff. Talk to your group, tell them what's going on, and make sure you know the route. I'm sure they'd be willing to stop every once in a while if you get dropped.
I prefer option 3, but I'm a bit of a glutton for punishment. (CX is my main discipline; I don't remember what it's like to do a ride without suffering. :P)
or you could change the 34T ring for a 36, or 37, or 38 etc etc
(spacycles sells TA ones in every conceivable number of teeth)
50/34 with a 12-27 on the rear or an 11-28 (10spd)
I ride the hills in Valleys of Wales on my compact and it always has a low enough gear, likewise it seems sufficient to hit the high 40's mph without spinning out.
If your running 9spd then you could change to a longer cage mech and run a MTB 9spd rear cassette - though I'd do some research first to find who else has done this and what works with road shifters etc.
hope this helps
On my 9 speed bike I use 34/50 on the front, I used a 11-32 on the rear with a MTB derailleur , I use a 9 speed shimano XT derailleur in bottom normal configuration so the gear shift lever acts in reverse, but it doesn't take long to get used to it.
On my 10 speed I use compact 34/50 and 12/28 on the back, no problems.