Need Education on Compact Double verses Triple

[anakiwa]

I recently purchased a Specialized Ruby with a Compact double cassette 54/34.

Are you sure it's a 54/34? 50/34 is the more common compact size.

In general if you switch from a triple to a compact and keep the same gearing in the back, you lose the uppermost and lowermost gears. This may or may not be a problem (depending on terrain, fitness, riding goals etc). The problem can usually be solved by changing the cassette on the back (though if you want gears as easy as you had with the triple, you will probably need to change to a mountainbike derailler/cassette in the rear).

Good luck!

[Cyclesome]

Thanks! In my first post, I did indeed mistakenly have 54/34 instead of 50/34.
I have edited this mistake. I appeciate all the input thus far. I am taking Ruby out tomorrow to tackle some hills.

[bikerHen]

I am not a climber by any means. I too have a Ruby Expert with a compact double. It has been a real confidence building experience. Suprisingly I have been getting better at climbing with the double. I'm not talking about climbing mountains, just really, really big hills.

Today I came up the back road to our house. It's a climb I NEVER thought I could do. Not only did I make it up the entire hill, I didn't stop, even when I got to the top. I totally floored my husband as I pulled into our driveway as he was backing the car out to come and get me. I didn't set any land speed records. Coming up the hill my speed was hovering around 5.something mph. But I did it!

Although the down side to this, as DH pointed out, now that I did it once, he won't have to come get me at the bottom of the hill any more!

So embrace the compact double. It may turn out to be your best friend. bikerHen

[onimity]

I have a compact double on my road bike (50/34, 12-25) and really easy gearing on my MTB (42/34/24, 11-32) and find that climbing is very different on both. My road bike is 18 lbs, fully loaded, whereas my MTB is much heavier since it is not only a heavier bike but also often loaded down with work stuff, etc. But I can take that bike up hills I'd never manage on my road bike.

For me, I prefer the road bike for non-steep, sustained hills (below, say, 8%) and for short, steep climbs. The former just melt away on the road bike and the latter are more painful than on the MTB but they are over really quickly.

The hills that I still really have a hard time with on the road bike are *really* steep hills (i.e., the 18% grade on one of my commute options) and steep, sustained climbs. I have to walk up the former and stop occasionally on the latter, whereas on the MTB I can shift down, spin along a little then shift back up when I am refreshed. On the road bike I have to grind on up the hill, and maintaining a workable cadence really pushes the limits of my fitness; I have to stop every few miles to get my heart rate down. I definitely feel that the compact double is great for climbing, but I am having to increase my fitness to get up some of the hills that seemed a lot easier on the MTB.

For what it's worth, I personally feel that the weight issue is a little overstated. I notice little difference in the ease of a climb, for example, when I have 10+lbs more or less on my back. Tire size, pressure, bike stiffness shocks/no shocks, riding position...these all make a difference and for me at least it is difficult to separate them.

I do a decent amount of climbing and have been really happy with a compact double, hopefully you'll have the same experience. And congrats on the new bike!!!

Anne