compact double v triple? (my new bike!)

[Veronica]

You all do what you want.

Me - I'll stick with the gearing I have on my bikes. Heck, it got me through three double centuries so it must work all right for me. And in my world, it is all about me.

V.

[spazzdog]

You go Ms. V.!!

I think it comes down to personal preference/comfort... or in my case, stubborness (I probably fall into SK's #2 category, except I only fall over when I'm off my bike)

spazz-of-the-broken-left-buttock

[jobob]

You all do what you want.

Me - I'll stick with the gearing I have on my bikes. Heck, it got me through three double centuries so it must work all right for me. And in my world, it is all about me.

V.

Ditto for me as well. It's all about V (err, me).

Enjoy whatever you end up getting, RHG. It'll be a lovely bike no matter what.

[GLC1968]

Coming in a little late here, but the original poster sounds a lot like me only 2 years ago and I wanted to share my experience. I have had 3 bikes...all with triples. I live in a hilly area where I rarely get a nice long flat section, but where super long hills are not the norm either. For my first 2 years of ridng (I'm a recreational rider), I used my granny gear quite frequently and I was in good shape. Now, I'm even stronger, and 100% of my riding near my home does NOT require my granny gear and as such, it sits idle.

BUT, when I head just a few miles west, my terrain more closely resembles what you girls in No Cal ride....hills that take hours to climb, grades in the double digits, etc. You better believe that I'm happy to have my triple then! My road bike is 19 lbs for short club rides and it flies up hills. When I load up for long (60 miles +) rides in unsupported areas, it's closer to 30 lbs...and that granny gear is a damn blessing.

My husband recently went through a double/compact double/triple debate as he bought a new (used) bike that came with a double on it. He switched to a compact, and didn't like it. Then he switched to a triple and now rides like I do...using the 'double' part around here and only using that granny gear when we head west.

Yes, if you are racing and every ounce matters, who wants to be carrying around that extra gear "just in case"? But for those of us who can save more weight by losing it off our bodies than by having a lighter crank set, a triple is quite often the best choice.

[RussianHillGal]

But for those of us who can save more weight by losing it off our bodies than by having a lighter crank set, a triple is quite often the best choice.

I love it! That's definitely me!

Veronica, DOUBLE centuries, wow, I can only dream!! Thanks for the gearing specs, now I know what to ask for on Saturday!

[jobob]

Wow, spokewench, you're really strong. I'm very impressed.

[spokewench]

Wow, spokewench, you're really strong. I'm very impressed.

No, really just stubborn! I didn't mean to brag but was challenged by Sadie's post. Don't get me wrong, I do have to stand at the top of Diablo, I just don't wobble! I think it is stubborness and good balance! If all you've ever ridden with is a double on a road bike, you make do!

[Veronica]

Thanks for the gearing specs, now I know what to ask for on Saturday!

I don't know if you'll be able to get something that small with STI. I use friction shifters.


I have bad knees and am not a little person. With just under 21% body fat I weigh 152. But with that gearing, I have yet to meet a climb I can't do while seated. To be able to finish a double century I need to keep my HR down, which for me, means not standing on a long climb. I actually tend to stand on the flats for the butt break and the stretch.

Have fun shopping!

V.

[RoadRaven]

Have fun shopping, RHG

Here are my specs too if you are interested.

On my road bike I have a compact... 50/34 in front and 27-12 (10 speeds) in back. I climb with relative ease on this bike.

On my TT bike I have an 'ordinary' double... 5053/39 on front and 26-12 (10 speeds) on back. This bike is a bit more of a grunt to climb on - but I usually ride flat courses on it.

Have fun shoppong - what ever you decide on we expect DETAILS!!!

[Veronica]

Have fun shopping, RHG

Here are my specs too if you are interested.

On my road bike I have a compact... 50/34 in front and 27-12 (10 speeds) in back. I climb with relative ease on this bike.

I'm curious... how long are the rides you are doing on this? How long are the hills and how steep? I know you said you are 600 feet above sea level. But is it a mile to sea level, five or twenty?

I ask because if all your rides look like this... a double is perfectly fine. This is all short steep rollers and you can grunt your way over. But if you are doing terrain like the other profile I posted, back on page 1 I think... you're super strong and shouldn't be giving advice to new riders.

V.

[SadieKate]

But if you are doing terrain like the other profile I posted, back on page 1 I think . . .

And doing it in the middle of a 100 mile ride as the original poster stated.

[aicabsolut]

I'm curious... how long are the rides you are doing on this? How long are the hills and how steep? I know you said you are 600 feet above sea level. But is it a mile to sea level, five or twenty?

I ask because if all your rides look like this... a double is perfectly fine. This is all short steep rollers and you can grunt your way over. But if you are doing terrain like the other profile I posted, back on page 1 I think... you're super strong and shouldn't be giving advice to new riders.

V.

That graph could totally be done with a compact double. I do stuff like that all the time with a 50/36 12-27. That graph isn't nearly as bad as the earlier one in that a lot of the hard hills are only around 200ft gains. I don't get out to that terrain as often as I'd like to do 65+ mile rides, but I can hang on for 50 just fine. With a 50/34, there'd be no problem at all. My cadence doesn't go below 60rpm on a hill.

[RoadRaven]

I'm curious... how long are the rides you are doing on this? How long are the hills and how steep? I know you said you are 600 feet above sea level. But is it a mile to sea level, five or twenty?

I ask because if all your rides look like this... a double is perfectly fine. This is all short steep rollers and you can grunt your way over. But if you are doing terrain like the other profile I posted, back on page 1 I think... you're super strong and shouldn't be giving advice to new riders.

V.

My rides are not centuries, that is true... though I have completed hilly centuries on my double. My training rides do mostly tend to be 20-50km long, my road racing about 30km, my time trial races 20-25km.

Sea level to my house is about 6km, with two 5-700metre climbs of about 10-11% gradient.

I guess I am not trying to give advice, but rather my opinion. I know if I had knee trouble I would probably shift to a triple if it had better gearing than my EMC (50/34 front and 27-12 on back)... and i tend to agree with Regina re whether a triple will be a real adavntage over what a well set-up double can give. I sometimes wonder if a triple is a mental adavntage to conquering hills, and I will be the first to admit any mental adavntage is never to be under-estimated.

I am also the first to admit that I have no desire to do regular centuries - metric or imperial, let alone doubles that climb mountains. I cannot advise or give my opinion on the best way to get to the finish line. I remain continually in awe of the women here who not only complete such rides, but then choose to do them again!

However, I do also look at what the cyclists in the races I love to watch use, and although I will never be elite, I figure that if they can climb, or TT, or do crits on whatever the gearing is they have - then in all likelihood I can too - only much much more slowly

I apologise if my opinion caused offence, however, I do think a new rider should go into a bike shop or into a race with a variety of ideas to think about and choose from. That was all I was trying to provide. A different viewpoint.

[SadieKate]

I don't know if you'll be able to get something that small with STI. I use friction shifters.
V.

Sure you can. It is a function of the curve of the front derailleur matching the size of the rings and then the tooth differential between the large and small. With Campy I can have a 24 tooth differential (26 inner and 50 outer on the Litespeed, 26 to 48 on the Kelly, 28-52 on the Mercian). I think Shimano is about the same but the spec's would say.

[Veronica]

I've never researched what can be down with STI or Campy. Hate to give advice on something I know very little about. You're the gear guru SK. I was hoping you'd say if it could be done.

V.