Help - Triple vs. Compact & loads of hills

[Triskeliongirl]

I just ran the numbers. A 50/11 is a higher gear (119.5)than a 52/12 (113.9)!! You can run the numbers easily yourself here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/
I assumed you are running 700c x 23 tires.

52 50
11 124.2 119.5

12 113.9 109.5

[RolliePollie]

I just ran the numbers. A 50/11 is a higher gear (119.5)than a 52/12 (113.9)!! You can run the numbers easily yourself here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/
I assumed you are running 700c x 23 tires.

52 50
11 124.2 119.5

12 113.9 109.5

Great link! Thanks!

[violette]

I would change to a triple. I bought a Roubaix comp and had to change the cassette. Hills or even rolling hills were almost impossible and I was getting discouraged. I had a triple before and I could do big hills with no problems.

[Pedal Wench]

Talk to your shop. When I bought my first road bike, they were willing to swap out whatever I needed. (I think it came as a triple, they put on a compact for me to try, then we went back to the triple.) To make the sale, they might be willing to do whatever you want -- they probably swap components all the time. Can't hurt to ask. Worse case, just take the triple and whatever else you need off your current bike and put it on the new one.

[NadiaMac]

I used a compact on the death ride, with a sram 12-28 cassette on the back. And saw plenty of compact cranks on the DR, many equipped with a similarly large cog in the rear!

This got me to within one gear inch of my granny gear on the triple with my old bike and I needed every gear inch towards the end of my death ride. That said, I lost the gear increments in the rear, as the cassette goes from 25 to 28. So if you like having incrementally close gear options (25, 26, 27, 28 in the rear), I'd say stick with your triple.

Regarding use of Mt bike bogs in the rear- this only works if the bike has shimano components. Campy and sram will not accomodate the larger cogs. It's pretty expensive to convert to a triple and many frames will not permit the conversion. If you want a triple, it's probably a better idea to buy a bike that comes with a triple.
good luck! the felt sounds sweet!

[yellow]

RP...I used to live and ride where you live and ride.

I would not give up a triple if I still lived and rode there. I now have a compact double (Campy) for which I built my own custom 12-29 cassette and there are still some days here (where the climbs are different, long and mostly moderate as opposed to short and very steep, which you have a lot of) where I say, out loud, that I just want two more gear inches. No way would I want to ride my current gearing up Slug Gulch or Snows Road.

Why can't you put the triple from your current bike on to the Felt?

[Susan126]

It's hard to say what you would be best with. I went from a triple to a compact three weeks ago when I bought my new Specialized Ruby Expert. I was wary when I ordered the compact because I didn't know how I would handle the hills. And believe me I live in the land of hills and mountains! But so far I have had no problems climbing. In fact I find that I am climbing faster and better.

My new Ruby is an 11-28 and the big rings are 50X34t

My old trek 2200 I believe has 30/42/52t
and rear 12-26

Not too much of a difference, at least I can't tell. She flies on the flats and descents. And climbs like a monkey!

I hope you find something that you like and are comfortable riding. Good luck! And please let us know what you go with. I agree with Mr. Silver and yellow, can you possibly get a triple for the felt?

triskeliongirl, you are really good at figuring out all the math on the gears! My hubby is too but he never explains things to me too clearly. I'm going to try and figure out my new bike's gears as compared to my old bike. Wish me luck!

[Pedal Wench]

I now have a compact double (Campy) for which I built my own custom 12-29

Do you know what you used to do this? I want a 12 on my Campy 13-29, but not sure what ring to give up to get there. How do you like it?

[RolliePollie]

RP...I used to live and ride where you live and ride.

I would not give up a triple if I still lived and rode there. I now have a compact double (Campy) for which I built my own custom 12-29 cassette and there are still some days here (where the climbs are different, long and mostly moderate as opposed to short and very steep, which you have a lot of) where I say, out loud, that I just want two more gear inches. No way would I want to ride my current gearing up Slug Gulch or Snows Road.

Why can't you put the triple from your current bike on to the Felt?

Yellow - I haven't tried Slug Gulch or Snows Road yet...I don't think I'd make it! I'm sure you remember Miller Hill...the hill on Cable Rd/Mace Rd...well, that about does me in. I can't imagine riding that hill without my granny gear. I typically go around the long way through downtown Camino to avoid riding it!

So I found out I can probably get Felt to put a triple on the FW15 or FW25. That makes me feel better. Next week, I'm going to go test ride a couple of Felts in Sacramento. I'm hopeful that I'll love them, but we'll see. This thread has awesome info...I'm so glad I asked the question!