Peak District - Compact/double or triple?

ukdavvy

Hi

Sorry for a potentially tedious post

Im a MTB'r who's about to 'go roadie'

I will be riding with a club in the Peak and to the East of Stoke/Leek
If anyone has local knowledge Id be particularly grateful.

Im not unfit (just generic 'big' ex rugby player LOL) but Im a bit worried about Winnat's etc

Im looking at a good deal on a bike with a 53/39 coupled with a 12-25 cassette

What do you think?

And what exactly is the point of a double over a tripleanyway ??
Is it one for weight weenies?

Cheers

David

duckiciao

Us roadies have a double as opposed to a triple because we have a need to prove how macho we are by grunting our way up hills, rather than putting it in the granny ring and having a pleasant ride to the top

ukdavvy

Thanks!

What I forgot to add is that I suppose I could swap the inner for a 34 tooth ring

Any comments on this setup please?
Would it be too wide a spread for my local area (and/or front mech)?

Cheers - thanks for your patience

David

e999sam

I ride in the peak district all the time and hardly ever use 39 x 25 I,m 6ft 2 and 13 1/2 stone so I'm no climber. I think you should be pefectly ok on the setup as it is.

John C.

If you need to ask the question then get a triple, I've lost count of the hard roadies on doubles and compacts I've sean pushing up that last 25% hill on the 100 mile mark, Yes they laugh at my triple with a 26 inner, yes I know I'm a wimp, but at least I ride to the top !

ash68

agree with John C. Bought my new road bike 3 years ago (a giant tcr 2). I was going to go for a double chainset, but the guy in the bike shop explained that if I bought the bike with a triple, fair enough I might never need it, but the granny gear was always there if I did. Thankfully I listened to his advice, there has been many a time I've been gratefull for a bail out gear. Hily rides are alot easier if you can spin up the hills, instead of grunting and groaning and weaving all over the road. Think my knees are pleased of a triple as well

Rich Hcp

Yep.

If in doubt get a triple.

I got a triple and very rarely use the Granny wheel. But it's there if I need it.

It's better than pushing!

ukdavvy

Cheers guys

All replies welcome as I havent even been out on a roadie on the flat, let alone in the Peak and Id rather get it right first time than mess around changing the gearing after I purchase

OK so there's a deafening silence from the compact brigade
There must be lots of you around too

Mustnt there ?

David

gnvqsos

I know the climbs round Ewden Bank you describe.At 1 in 4 for a long distance you would be advised to use a triple;it will weigh little more and may help on rides where fatigue kicks in.Do not worry about the attitude of others-you the one in charge

acorn_user

Most mtb guys like to spin. I'd get a triple at all costs. With a double, you have to gun yourself to the top, which is pretty different. When I lived in Sheffield, I really appreciated the triple on my hybrid.

http://www.wilsoncycles.co.uk/

I seem to recall that GB cycles are having some kind of sale in Dronfield. Their framebuilder is pretty good too.

David

dclitherow

I live in South west sheffield and use a traditional double round the peaks and to commute to Chesterfield. Its not the sodding alps. Round town I get about on a single speed. Get used to abit of pain. I've only used a compact in the Alps.

Richie G

Don't really see the problem with using a triple. I was holidaying in the Peaks a couple of months ago and the small ring got plenty of use! I like to spin in the saddle and i'm not ashamed to admit it!

If in doubt get a triple.

I got a triple and very rarely use the Granny wheel. But it's there if I need it.

It's better than pushing!

I couldn't agree more!

Mossrider

I ride in the Huddersfield area and have regular forays in to the Peak District. I started off with a 39/25 option and was fine - even managing Winnats (which hurt) and a number of Sportifs. However, on my main bike (which is used for sportifs and summer) I switched to a 50/36 for a holiday in the South of France (still on 39/25 in winter). I decided not to go back for a couple of reasons. On those occasional really sharp climbs (Ewden / Winnats) it does make life easier (I used it for Ventoux and I could never have managed that time on a standard gearing). My cadence has improved. Its definitely better on sportifs and improves the times. For the occasional time trial I've bought a 11/23 cassette which gives me an improved gearing for that (and is much easier to switch). Personnally I'd find a 50/34 a little too low, but each to his own.

eh

The point of a double is that quite simply most road bikes are sold as race bikes (wannabie?) and the simple fact is that if you used a granny ring in any race you'd be the last back to the showers by a huge margin.

One thing to note with a Shimano triple is that the q-factor is larger than the double, which some people have issues with.

To be honest I'd stay away from triples I find mine a pain and someday will get around to replacing it. I'd recommend:

If just riding for fun a compact.
If you are going to be racing a standard 53/39 double.
Only time I'd get a triple is if touring with heavy bags.

keith57

I used a compact in the Alps this summer - it was fine for things like Ventoux, Gallibier and Alpe H'Huez, 50/34 on the front, 12/27 on the back. At home I ride mostly around the hills of Snowdonia and it works really well here too. I don't miss the higher gears at all!

gary_fisher3

Winnat's !!!!

If you're fit enough 39/25 will get you up virtually anywhere. I say virtually because Winnatts is probably one of the exceptions. It is possible using that gearing, i've done it. However, it wasn't pleasurable.

For that sort of terrain I would go for a full triple or a compact with a 27 tooth cassette. You'll be glad of the lower gears later in the ride when your legs aren't as fresh.



.

sbullett

Hi David

I have a triple (SCR2) with a 52-42-30 front and 12-25 cassette. I ride around Huddersfield and haven't found a hill to beat me yet (even Holme Moss into a 40mph headwind :!: ), but I'll happily admit to using the granny gear on the steepest. I'm not a classic climber shape though, 6' tall and ~16 stone

The obvious point is to look at the size of the lowest gear a particular set-up gives you. My granny gear (30-25) is 32". A 34-27 on a compact would be 33", effectively the same. Most hills I manage comfortably on a 40" gear.

I'm tempted by a compact next time to avoid having to change on the front rings quite so often, saving a few grammes given my body weigh doesn't really make a lot of sense to me :?

There was this (http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12546056) topic doing the rounds a few weeks ago which got heavily into the subject of gear inches and the double / compact / triple discussions - might be worth your while reading.

Whatever you decide, enjoy the roadie and have fun.....the climbs are worth it for the descents

Gussio

John C. wrote:

I've lost count of the hard roadies on doubles and compacts I've sean pushing up that last 25% hill on the 100 mile mark

On my compact chainset I've passed friends on such hills riding triples

Mossrider

sbullett wrote:

.....the climbs are worth it for the descents

What do you mean? The climbs are the best part!

Seriously, you will get by on whatever you buy so don't be too panicked. Compact advantages are
- weight (marginal, but over a long distance...)
- Less messing around with gear changes, two rings instead of three.
- Easier to set up and less likely to need fettling
- Roadie image

The sacrifice you make is less breadth of gearing - you need to ask yourself how often will you really need the granny? How fit are you or do you intend to be?

Yes, Winnats will hurt a bit more but how often will you go up there? The truth is that it'll hurt whatever gear you are in. Very few hills in the area really need a granny - trust me I live just outside Holmfirth and the hills are even bigger there! When I bought my first racer I took it for a test ride up a local steep and found that the comparative lightness of the bike more than compensated for the gearing.

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fossyant

Winnats - 42 x 21 done it loads - blooming awful, but fantastic at the same time - zig zag it between the traffic....

sbullett

Mossrider wrote:

sbullett wrote:

.....the climbs are worth it for the descents

What do you mean? The climbs are the best part!

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Scarily, I'm coming round to that point of view, never got it with walking up hills, but on a bike.....

Old Tuggo

I would go for a triple as this enables you to stay on the middle ring for the majority of the rides. One has to use the front changer much more with a compact.
By the way I do not know how anybody can get up Winnats on 42 x 21 - they must be an exceptionally strong climber.

e999sam

Old Tuggo wrote:

By the way I do not know how anybody can get up Winnats on 42 x 21 - they must be an exceptionally strong climber.

As a teenager I got up Winnats on 65inch fixed and that was with a saddle bag and 27x1 1/4" wheels. I was only 10 stone back then.

dennisn

John C. wrote:

If you need to ask the question then get a triple, I've lost count of the hard roadies on doubles and compacts I've sean pushing up that last 25% hill on the 100 mile mark, Yes they laugh at my triple with a 26 inner, yes I know I'm a wimp, but at least I ride to the top !

25 percent hill????? You are the man.

Dennis Noward