Gearing question

[Biker Jo]

Thanks, everyone, for the responses.

Indysteel, I've been riding for years. I had a Trek road bike with a triple for nine years, but two and a half years ago, I got a Cannondale with the compact crank. It's fine for most of the riding I do (I live in Chicago, where it's flat as a pancake), but on the occasions when I've ridden in Wisconsin, I wished I had lower gears. The more I've been thinking about it, though, the more I think I'm just going to stay with my current configuration.

[featuretile]

I also had a similar setup to you (compact double with 12-25). I bought a 12-32 IRD 10 speed rear cassette and a medium cage 105 rear derailleur for about $160 + $25 install. With the 32 teeth, I did need to change from a small cage derailleur. I don't know if you would get enough lower gears out of one with 28 teeth to make it worth it. Now my bike has similar gearing to a triple (they have one lower gear). It greatly helped because it is very hilly where I live. I don't find the jumps between gears to be too big.

[indysteel]

Thanks, everyone, for the responses.

Indysteel, I've been riding for years. I had a Trek road bike with a triple for nine years, but two and a half years ago, I got a Cannondale with the compact crank. It's fine for most of the riding I do (I live in Chicago, where it's flat as a pancake), but on the occasions when I've ridden in Wisconsin, I wished I had lower gears. The more I've been thinking about it, though, the more I think I'm just going to stay with my current configuration.

I went from a 53-42-30 triple with a 12-25 cassette to a 54-30 compact with a 13-26 cassette. Both ten speed. I'm an okay/good climber, but the hills of southern Indiana can get the best of me. So far, I've survived with the compact. Do I wish I had a smaller gear or two some times? Sure, but given that I ride on the flats most of the time, it's an okay compromise.

I, personally, wouldn't like mountain gearing with a compact set up, because I don't really like big jumps between gears, which is primarily why I liked having a triple in the first place. With wind being my bigger limiter than hills, I like to make small gearing adjustments to find "that perfect gear."

But that's just me. I agree with the ladies who indicated that you may have more choices than your LBS is suggesting. With some digging, you should be able to determine the widest cassette that your current r/d can handle from Shimano (or SRAM's) website. Given that cassettes are wear items, as Oakleaf has indicated, you could just replace it when the time comes with a 12-27. I know that may not seem like a big change, but one extra small gear is sometimes all you need.

[OakLeaf]

A 54/30 compact? What brand? I've never heard of such a large difference.

[indysteel]

Oops. I woke up at 3:30 this morning and was half asleep by mid-afternoon. I meant a 50-34.