Compact vs Triple

[Misandal]

TBird, my two cents: I started out with a triple and rode it for three years, then bought a bike that had a compact double and rode it for a year. When I traded it for my new Madone this spring (which came with a compact double), I asked my mechanic to put a triple on it. It didn't cost me any more and it's full Ultegra.

The compact had low enough gearing for the climbing that I do, but I missed all the in-between gears that you get with a triple. I felt like I was always in a gear that was either too easy or too hard, I could never find that happy in-between. I'm back on a triple and I'm much happier with it.

[madscot13]

I spend most of my time in my 39. With my wide cassette I don't really shift so much. (Maybe I should be?) I always wonder what being in a 34-36 would do to me.

[TBird]

This is so helpful everyone, thanks. I love the idea of customizing once I've spent some time in the saddle, but lots of swapping out of the gates feels a bit overwhelming. Seems like I'll know more about what I want after a couple hundred road miles.

Misandal, I was surprised (and psyched!) to hear that your LBS swapped out a compact for a triple for free. Do you know if they had a triple in stock, or did they really do the labor of disassembling and reassembling? I'm not sure my shop would be so accommodating. But it never hurts to ask...

[Misandal]

No, they didn't have it in stock - they ordered the bike for me and then had to do the swapping once it arrived. I didn't inquire what the price of the bike would be had I taken it with the compact, but I paid what typical retail price on that bike was and I got it with a triple, so my perception of the deal is that it didn't cost me any more to get it the way I wanted it.

[Aggie_Ama]

When I bought my bike in December 2006 (Cannondale Synapse 3 which at the time was the lowest end gruppo on the carbon) it was offered with a triple or compact double. I believe the Synapse 2 (Full Ultegra mine is 105/Ultegra rear) was also offered double or triple. Only the highest end Dura Ace was only double.

So it may be simply ordering the crank to switch since the bike is offered that way? Even if they are not in stock to be shipped that way I would think the LBS would have no problem doing it if it meant they sold that caliber of bike. I would think (and I don't know) the bike shop could just stock the double as a replacement/upgrade for someone?

[OakLeaf]

It really depends on the LBS. My bike (same as Amanda's) came with a 170 mm crank and I had to buy the 165 to swap out (although IIRC they did the installation no charge). It got me a spare set of chainrings anyway (which are right now getting installed at another LBS).

[ilima]

It really depends on the LBS. My bike (same as Amanda's) came with a 170 mm crank and I had to buy the 165 to swap out (although IIRC they did the installation no charge). It got me a spare set of chainrings anyway (which are right now getting installed at another LBS).

They didn't opt to credit you for the 170s? My bike came with a Cane Creek headset and I wanted a King ($$). The shop owner credited me full retail for the CC and then charged me for the King, which I thought was a fair deal. The CC headset was never installed.

[RolliePollie]

I have a triple and I pretty much use every gear combo on every ride...but I ride loads of hills. I think it depends on the terrain where you'll be riding. I would not give up my triple but it's only because I'd never make it up some of my hills if I didn't have my granny gear!

[RoadRaven]

My 2c
I have only ever ridden a triple off-road on my entry-level mountain bike.

I have a 10 speed compact crank set on what is now my training bike (roadie). 50-34 on the front, 27-12 on the back. I raced on my EMC2 FemetapePro for about a year before getting a better race bike and turning this one into a pure road-training bike. I climbed several hills with gradients of 15-18%, I am no hill climber and did not have to get off and walk, though at times I was only going at 4 -5kph.

It does everything I require - my smallest gear gets me up hills, my biggest gear allows me , on the flat, to crank it up to about 35kph for short bursts (or about 48kph for ages with a tail wind).

The only issue I had with the compact was when I first got it (and sometimes still have), was changing in the middle of the block - sometimes I couldn't quite find the 'right' gear to be in and would spend some time changing around trying to find the 'right' place to be. That was no good during racing.

But apart from that it does everything I need.