decision...to get a triple or compact double

[txred9876]

I am ready to make the switch to a road bike and due to lack of funds I have to go with a cheaper one and upgrade components later if I need to. After riding the Trek 2.1 wsd bike in my first tri I have been looking hard. I did find out I can do layaway at several bike shops around town.

One of the lower end bike shops has a great sale going on right now and I went in to try out a few bikes yesterday. The one that fit the best has a Compact crankset, 50/39 and I am not really sure if I am ready to get rid of the "granny gear" yet.

I found a 2008 GTR Series Four within my price range. I tried several different Fuji sizes/types and nothing fit as well.....They are holding the GT for me until COB today. SO today is the day to either make a decision on this bike or find someting else.

Tina

[tulip]

One of my bikes has a triple and the other has a compact double. I've ridden both in the mountains without any trouble (other than the usual v e r y slow uphills that I do).

If you get the compact double and you feel that there just aren't enough gears for you, you could change the out the cassette for more options. The whole point about compact doubles is that you get the same or similar gear range as a triple.

[batsheva]

I am not a technical expert at all - the numbers of the gears and stuff is quite mystifying to me.. but I started out on a roadbike triple and have just changed to a new bike with a compact. The compact pretty much covers the same range of gear ratios as the triple on my bike - but covers that range in 20 gears (it;s a 10 speed compact double) rather than 27 gears on my 9 speed triple.

Obviously seeing as the same total range is covered, it follows that there is less room for being in slightly the wrong gear as there was of course more 'overlap' and the gears were 'closer together' when I had 27 gears covering the same range, so it is taking some getting used to to make sure I am in exactly the right gear - the compact double is less forgiving like that.

That being said, I think I would personally go for the bike with the best 'fit' - the GT obviously stood out from the others in that regard - you can always change your rear cassette (cogs) pretty cheaply to effectively give you more of a granny gear if you find you need that - you can;t really do much about a not-so-good bike fit..

Ask the guys in the LBS what the rear cassette numbers are - try and met one that is 11-28 or 12-28 - the bigger the last number, the more 'granny' a gear you can select. A 12-25 with a compact double MIGHT be a little lacking at the granny end-- but the rear cassettes ARE cheap to swap out if the standard is something like 12-25 and you find you need a 11-28 or 12-28.

Like I said, I am not a technical expert, but it sounds like the GTR is waiting for you to go get her :-)

[OakLeaf]

Also, with a compact you should be able to go down to a 34 in the small chainring.

This issue has been covered quite a bit here - do a search. In my opinion it comes down to whether you're comfortable pedaling in a wide range of cadences, or whether you prefer closer ratio gearing.

You may be able to get a very wide gear range with a compact, but you'll have large gaps between gears, that at a given speed might force you to pedal at (to pick random numbers) either 82 rpm or 95 with nothing in between. If you're okay with that, then a compact is fine. If you're really only comfortable pedaling in a range of 7-10 rpm, and you need a wider range of gears, then I'd recommend a triple.

[alpinerabbit]

I ride a 50/34 12-27 combo and I conquer major passes in the swiss alps. No problem. go for it.

[Veronica]

I ride a 50/34 12-27 combo and I conquer major passes in the swiss alps. No problem. go for it.

That doesn't mean it's right for her. People really are individuals. You're young and very fit.

I ride a compact double 46/33, with an 11 - 34 in the back. While I have the strength to stay in the 46 on a 5% grade, if I do, my knees start screaming at me after about a mile. I'm slightly older and very fit. I think my knees are few decades older than the rest of me.

Veronica

[Cataboo]

I have a triple & a compact double bike - and a lot of times I just like the compact double more because there's less gears to worry about and I really do a better job of spinning & getting into the right gear on the bike.

There's very seldom times when I'm wishing I had more gears, but I do have a spare set of wheels with a bigger cassette on the back for when I know I'm really going somewhere hilly (as in, I haven't really used it yet)

[alpinerabbit]

That doesn't mean it's right for her. People really are individuals. You're young and very fit.

I ride a compact double 46/33, with an 11 - 34 in the back. While I have the strength to stay in the 46 on a 5% grade, if I do, my knees start screaming at me after about a mile. I'm slightly older and very fit. I think my knees are few decades older than the rest of me.

I hear you - But...

...there really is no big difference to a triple, IM(ns)HO, which I have also ridden. And I wasn't fit when I started cycling... and I wouldn't even try to climb in the big ring... ever....
(hope I don't offend anyone if I say she does live in Texas, and I live in the Alps ... )

[Jiffer]

Triples tend to have more shifting trouble than a double or compact double.

[Grog]

Triples tend to have more shifting trouble than a double or compact double.

I don't think that's universally true, but it seems to be so in the lower range of the spectrum. I've got an Ultegra triple and I've had no issues worth mentioning over the last 4 years. But I think it would be different with Tiagra, and as other posters mentioned I would definitely avoid Sora... Sad but true.

[ttaylor508]

My Ultegra triple shifts beautifully and I have probably 4,000+ miles on it with very little adjustments. DH was so impressed with how well mine shifted that he just put a Dura Ace crankset on his bike and can't believe the difference in shifting. So, unless you have a lower end triple components, I wouldn't worry about trouble shifting.

[Aggie_Ama]

Sora isn't great but I rode 6,000 miles on mine before switching to 105. That is awful isn't necessarily true. With proper maintenance mine served me VERY well but I wanted a carbon frame. I am finding the same is true of my 105 gruppo, with maintenance it runs like a dream. The only thing I have a problem with is the 105 front deraileaur is a bit finicky but I take it to my shop and the usually trim it in for free if nothing else is needed. This is only once every 2-3 months not weekly. I regularly lube my chain with a good quality lube and my bike runs well.

If you are going to the hill country or even Dripping springs you might want the triple but for MOST of Austin I find with a little TITS (time in the saddle) you will probably be okay with the compact. I am a weak climber but I rarely use my granny gear whihc if you go compact I think you only lose that. I do ride a triple with a 12-28 back cassette but am thinking of switching to compact because I just don't use the smallest gear and I want to upgrade my bike to complete Ultegra one day.

[SadieKate]

I don't think that's universally true, but it seems to be so in the lower range of the spectrum. I've got an Ultegra triple and I've had no issues worth mentioning over the last 4 years. But I think it would be different with Tiagra, and as other posters mentioned I would definitely avoid Sora... Sad but true.

+1

If triples truly had more problems, why would mtb come with triples? A sport that involves infinitely more shifting, and more precision, than road biking would weed triples out pretty fast if that were the case.

[Cataboo]

Mountain bike derailleurs have a lot stronger springs than road bikes... I've also seen a lot of mountain bikes with a bash guard for the big chain ring, so they're not really triples. I don't go into my big chain ring usually mountain biking, just stay in the middle or the granny.

For avoiding sora - I'm more saying avoid 8 speed with a double, I've never tried sora or tiagra. I can't see not wanting to upgrade that soon.

I haven't noticed any difference in the shifting abilities of my bikes that are ultegra or full 105, also haven't had any difficulties with the front derailleur needing trimmed regularly on the 105. I have one bike that's a 105 level triple & 2 bikes that are ultegra doubles.

[papaver]

I'm happy with my campagnola compact veloce. It's smooth and it works the best for me. The steepest hill i've ever done was 19% and I didn't run out of gears...