Compact Double or Triple?

[ny biker]

I'm having a new bike built and will have a choice of installing either a compact double or a triple. I live in a very hilly place and have been using a Dura Ace triple 9 speed with a 12-27 on the back. I also take my bike on multi-day rides over varying terrains. The triple is good quality and it's worked fine. I also have an old Ultegra 7 speed that I converted to a compact double. It's ok but since it's a 7 speed it has big jumps between gears, so it's not a good comparison to the triple.

With the options out there today with the compact doubles (i.e., SRAM Apex or running a Shimano 10 speed mountain rear derailleurs with a 10 speed cassette) I'm considering perhaps a compact double with the ability to get the gears for the big hills. However, with the compact I'm still concerned about big jumps between gears and constantly having to shift the front derailleur. Many times with the triple, I can stay in the middle ring for much of the ride and have small jumps between gears. I do have a few knee issues and am getting older!

So, sorry for the long-winded post, but which would you recommend and why?

After re-reading this, I'm thinking that if you're happy with the triple, just get another triple. That was my plan originally, and the only reason I switched was because they had a really good price on a higher-quality bike that came with a compact double. Getting a triple with a 10-speed cassette might actually get you some easier gears than you have now, to help your knees on the hills.

You can also compare gear combinations using Sheldon's gear calculator. Enter the gears on your current bikes and then enter whatever you're considering for the new bike, to get a feel for how different they might be and how much difference there is between each gear.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

[sundial]

I have both a compact double and a triple.

Depending on the terrain, I like having the triple for climbing really steep grades and roller coaster hills and the double for flattish roads. My favorite bike is touring bike with mountain bike gearing on it.

[buffybike]

I have a triple on my road bike and have never used a compact double. The guys at my LBS tried to talk me into a compact double with a mountain bike cassette in the rear when I upgraded to Shimano 105, but since I'm moving to CO soon, I figured I would need a triple on those hills. Plus, my knees are shot and I've got to baby them.

Now that my riding has much improved from a year ago, I'm kinda wishing I'd gone with a double for 3 reasons: (1) it's lighter, (2) I'm topping out in the big chain ring on the flats and descents, (3) I've only used the smallest chainring a couple of times. In a perfect world, I'd keep my current setup for longer, hilly rides and have a compact for shorter and/or less hilly ones. If the right deal came along....

[indysteel]

I have a triple on my road bike and have never used a compact double. The guys at my LBS tried to talk me into a compact double with a mountain bike cassette in the rear when I upgraded to Shimano 105, but since I'm moving to CO soon, I figured I would need a triple on those hills. Plus, my knees are shot and I've got to baby them.

Now that my riding has much improved from a year ago, I'm kinda wishing I'd gone with a double for 3 reasons: (1) it's lighter, (2) I'm topping out in the big chain ring on the flats and descents, (3) I've only used the smallest chainring a couple of times. In a perfect world, I'd keep my current setup for longer, hilly rides and have a compact for shorter and/or less hilly ones. If the right deal came along....

Out of curiosity, what set up do you have with your triple? Depending on the cassette you're now using, you would likely have had smaller gears if you'd gone with a compact and mountain cassette.

I can't stress this enough in discussing compacts versus triple: a compact with the right cassette can replicate or even exceed the granny gears that you have with your typical triple set up.

[mauisher]

Indysteel, What Shimano set-up would you recommend for a compact that would meet or exceed a common triple. Looking for Ultegra quality. Thanks

[oz rider]

I can't stress this enough in discussing compacts versus triple: a compact with the right cassette can replicate or even exceed the granny gears that you have with your typical triple set up.

+1. I've ridden traditional and compact doubles with similar cassettes and a triple. The new tourer got a compact double and a dinner plate - weight, simplicity, Q factor, hassle factor. It's kind to a dodgy knee and can go up pretty well anything.

[indysteel]

Indysteel, What Shimano set-up would you recommend for a compact that would meet or exceed a common triple. Looking for Ultegra quality. Thanks

I'm pretty sure that Shimano offers a 12-27 cassette. That comes pretty close to the granny gears that you'd find with your typical triple set up (52-42-30 crank and a 12-25 cassette). You could also pair a mountain cassette with the compact and get even smaller gears. You'd have bigger jumps with that set up, which wouldn't be to my liking.

I say all of that without actually checking Shimano's website to verify their offerings. I'll do that when I have a chance and get back to you.

[nikkoblu2]

I can't stress this enough in discussing compacts versus triple: a compact with the right cassette can replicate or even exceed the granny gears that you have with your typical triple set up.

Very interesting point, Indy. I bought my first road bike a month ago coming off a great Trek 7.3 hybrid with a triple. I'm still getting used to some of the features of the road bike, including the compact double with a 12-26 cassette.

It's clear I can't spin quite the way I could going up hills,but before I switch anything out I'll wait till I can try the whole setup with clipless shoes/pedals (next Spring).

Your quote give me add'l confidence that even if I'm still not satisfied with the climbing power going clipless - it will be an easy fix. (Not to mention I had some great advice from other great ladies on this forum when I started another thread on this subject).

[lo123]

I'm pretty sure that Shimano offers a 12-27 cassette. That comes pretty close to the granny gears that you'd find with your typical triple set up (52-42-30 crank and a 12-25 cassette). You could also pair a mountain cassette with the compact and get even smaller gears. You'd have bigger jumps with that set up, which wouldn't be to my liking.

I say all of that without actually checking Shimano's website to verify their offerings. I'll do that when I have a chance and get back to you.

Shimano makes an 11-28, I'm running that with compact crankset on my road bike. It's not quite as easy as my triple with 11-34 on the back (MTB RD and casette), but it's much better for my bad hips/back than the 11-25 that was on it originally.

I also have a 12-27, but I prefer the 28 to be kind to my joints.

The 11-28 can be a little finicky with a short cage rear derailleur (what I have), long cage would be better. The gaps can be a pain at times because it feels like you're missing the gear you need. But I'm willing to deal with that trade off.