Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
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43 comments
but is he using a compact chainset as well or just a regular 39t on the front?
got a 48/34 apex on one bike and a truvativ elita triple (basically same chainset) on another, I'll admit the double looks cleaner but I prefer the triple for the range and the fact that 80% of the gears I use are on the 39T ring. Idefinitely do more double shifting on the compact
These are the reasons I've stuck with my triple to date.
SRAM are using the 'triples are dead' angle for marketing but if a dedicated road wide range cassette gets people riding then I don't mind. There's room for both options.
So is only half-filling a water bottle or having a pee before you start the climb. Don't believe the hype - the reduction in weight (200g?) by losing the third chainring is insignificant, even on big hills. For a 70kg rider on 10kg bike it's 0.2% of total weight.
The talk of lower Q-factor is marketing speak too, as the the modified pedals on Cavendish's Giro bike demonstrate.
SRAM say that Contador was using a 50/34 compact chainset on his 'climbing road bike'.
I have Sram Force/Apex on the Salsa Vaya, really like it!
When I upgrade the Serotta, will go with the same system.
Tom
I'm seriously considering changing my Ultegra mech for a med cage XT so I can get a 32 tooth sprocket. My problem being only the peak district hills, but then I am hauling 106kg (hopefully at the moment but even if I hit my target I'll still be 95kg). I can actually get up hills on 34/25 the trouble being my back spasms after too long grinding and so I really need lower gears to restore a spin which I can easily keep up.
I'm sure some one will be along soon to tell me I have not right to be cycling if I can't ride though the peaks on a 42/21 low gear.
You shouldn't be cycling at all if you can't ride through the peaks on a 42/21. Before you sort out your bike, you must first chainge yourself
I never realised we had Gear Ratio Nazis hanging around!
You're 'fit', yay for you. Don't start telling people they shouldn't be riding if they're not to your 'high standard'.
Whatever gear you need to push to get you out on a bike is just fine.
@velo_alex
The Nazis could award you the Irony Cross.
I'm taking this as irony.
I really like this story. If elite athletes need this gearing on extreme climbs, then it is a reasonable choice for riders like me on lesser hills.
Well, since it's worded almost exaclty as the bit in the first post I see no other way but to take this as sarcasm/funny.
I hope you dont mean that...it would be a shame if you did.
1961-
For me I've found that I love the compact with the 34/25 being the easiest gear, I use a 12-25 so still get close ratios which I like. If the 34/25 gear isn't enough, you might want to try a 27 cassette, the difference is 1.36 to 1.26, so you'll be moving one tenth of a revolution more for the same distance. (I think my rational is right there but excuse me if not!)
basically that might help and is easy to do as most rear mechs should accept the 27 no probs.
Otherwise it might not be a bad idea to consider a bike with a triple.
I do exactly this, except I managed to find a lovely Dura-ace long cage mech. Its great. I expect the 'mashers' will all be needing knee replacement surgery in the future!
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