Originally Posted by
Catriona
What gearing do you have on your current triple in the front and back?
basically, if you spend a lot of time using your little chain ring up front to get up mountains - you may have a hard time with a compact double unless it's got a mountain bike cassette in the back.
I don't necessarily agree with this, athough I do agree that a comparison between a compact and a triple depends on the specifics of each. I have a 50-34 compact with a 13-27 cassette (which is not "mountain gearing"). Previously I rode a bike with a 30-tooth "granny gear" and a 12-25 cassette. With the compact, I lost only my smallest of small gears. So, from that standpoint, there really isn't a marked difference between the two setups.
Take a look at Sheldon Brown's gear calculator. This is the best way to compare a triple and compact setup. You can mitigate the difference between the two by choosing the right cassette. Where I notice the difference between my triple and my compact is on the flats. It's slightly harder to find that "sweet spot" because there are just fewer gears. When I set up my compact, I made sure to use a cassette that offered the gear ratio that I use the most on the flats, since I live in a relatively flat area. I also have to shift a bit more in the front. I used to use my middle ring for all but the hardest of climbs and the fastest sprints and descents. But it was an easy adjustment for the most part.
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