By George, I think she's (almost) got it! Compact Vs. Triple

[mimitabby]

Ghost shifting? what's that?

I have an old clunker bike with a double, and a triple on my custom bike. My triple is a top of the line Campy gear set.

The disadvantage to the triple is there are SO MANY gears! do we really need that many gears?? honestly? So, as a result, the learning curve is longer, i've had the bike a year and I'm still figuring out the optimal gears. The one thing I'm real good at is my granny gear. if i had to settle for something smaller there, I'd be miserable. My bike shifts so wonderfully, I don't see that there is a problem with the three chain rings, it shifts a lot better than my other bike... but i might be comparing apples and oranges here.

But then i get on my clunky bike (it might be a 10 speed, come to think of it) and it grinds and smacks and I still don't use all those gears either.
I hope this information is helpful to someone. I'd buy another triple in a flash. but I'm fervently hoping that someone figures out a better way to do it. (and no, I don't think a fixie is the answer!)

[Ciao]

Yep, I have "sweet spots" in my triple too - but they're more to do with my body's strengths/weaknesses on different terrains and preferred cadence. I'm typically on the upper end .. hop to a mid gear when transitioning .. and hop to the bottom 2-3 grannies when climbing. So, I'm always using the outer edges of my gears. Strangely all with a similar cadence... It's as if my body prefers 1 level of output - and the gears control it with the changing terrain.

[Norse]

I have triples on my hybrid and mtn bikes, and Shimano's compact on my road bike. The compact replaced the stock double the bike came with. Love, love, love the compact. The triples? I never use all those gears (as someone said, do we really need that many?) and there is frequent chain suck and I tend to stay in the biggest and middle gears and rarely have use for the small one.

I got the compact after doing a horrid road climb on my double. I am not getting any younger and this ride made me hate the double. After much research and talking with others, I decided to go with the compact rather than a triple for typical reasons - less weight, less parts and gears to have mechanical trouble with and it gives you that 1-3 extra gears not found on the double. I have found that these few extra gears are all I need and I am glad I did not put a triple on.

[Ciao]

Thanks, NorseGoddess, for the counter viewpoint. Can I ask - were you strong on hills to begin with? Doesn't sound like you need the grannies when climbing. (Wish I was that strong... but know it will come with time.)

[tulip]

Okay, since we've all given you our chainring secrets, can we come and visit you in Tuscany? All of us?

[mimitabby]

no kidding!

so what's chain suck and ghost shifting?

[parity]

no kidding!

so what's chain suck and ghost shifting?

Chain suck:

http://www.fagan.co.za/Bikes/Csuck/

"The chain fails to disengage from the bottom teeth of a front chain-ring ; instead the teeth snag the chain and carry it up and around the rear circumference of the ring, winding it back onto itself, and jamming it between the chain-rings and chain-stay. "

As for ghost shifting, I guess thats when you bike shifts on its own. Usually because the rear derailleur is not properly adjusted or due to cable stretch.

[KnottedYet]

The View From The Other Side.

Lots of folks are mentioning the "shame" (or lack there of) of using their granny gears on the triple. There's a definite reverse of that in my section of the riding universe. (which I guess is the utility cycling portion of the universe)

We have hills here in Seattle. When me 'n' my peeps see someone zipping along with just a double, we assume that they probably stick with flat or flattish rides. Cuz someone who leaves the safe and easy routes or who actually uses the bike as transportation rather than as a toy (and hauls stuff on it) is going to need and use a triple around here.

Toy vs. Transportation. Double vs. Triple. Sticking to Seattle's flat and gratuitously fast routes, or riding directly to your destination come he!! or high-land.

Yup, discrimination and self-righteousness live on in us all. (including slowpokes like me.)

(and yes, my bikes with the compact and the standard doubles are my "toys". No doubt about it. My triples are my real bikes.)