Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
110 mm, 5 bolt pattern? Don't they use the same bolts? If 50/34 isn't too big a jump then 52/38 shouldn't be either?
I think it suggested a 52 because a 14 tooth difference is typical for a road setup.

The 50/34 compact has a 16 T difference, which is about the max a FD can handle. I found the difference too big because I'd have to switch a bunch of cogs when I switched chainrings, so went to a 36. If I lived somewhere where I really needed the 34 and didn't need top-end speed, I'd probably have switched to a 48 with a 48/34 setup.

Another nice think about a compact setup is that if you switch out your cassette to get the same range of gears as you had with a regular (e.g., 53/39) you'll use a small, more tightly spaced and lighter cassette. And smaller chainrings weigh less, too.