Ultegra groupset

GFowler22
GFowler22 Posts: 78
edited February 2008 in Road beginners
Hi,

I'm a not a beginner when it comes to cycling, but definitely when it comes to road! I need some help with deciding whether to buy compact chainset or a standard double. I have no idea whether I need one or the other, I know the compact chainset has less teeth, so presumably you have to use a compact cassette?

Please help I'm confused.com!

Gavin

Comments

  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    A compact chainset typically has rings of 50/34t, whereas a standard road double has 53/39. You don't need a special cassette with it, it works with any set of sprockets.

    Unless you race at a high level it is the sensible choice for a chainset, very few riders miss the higher top gear of a standard and the lower bottom gears will get you up the climbs that would have you walking with a 53/39 combo.
  • GFowler22
    GFowler22 Posts: 78
    Thanks for the information, I think I will go for a compact chainset, do you have any advice on cassette ratio? Or does this depend on the riding I will be doing?
  • Furry
    Furry Posts: 12
    I'd go for a 12-27 10 speed cassete to get the widest ratio, especially if you live in a hilly area. The gears are spaced narrowly enough for general road use.

    Cheers.
  • Adamskii
    Adamskii Posts: 267
    Off topic, Furry - Slovenia, cool. I recently visited Bled, nice place.
    It's all good.
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    GFowler22 wrote:
    do you have any advice on cassette ratio? Or does this depend on the riding I will be doing?

    You answered your own question. :D

    If you live in a hilly area and/or aren't fit, you could use a 12-27
    If you're fitter and/or live in a mainly flat area you could use 12-25, maybe 12-23 or even 12-21

    - the bigger the low cog, the bigger the hills you'll get up
    - the wider the range of the cassette, the bigger the gaps between the cogs

    - take your choice !

    But a cassette is relatively cheap and very easy to change
    - so if you mainly live on the flat but wanted to go and do a week in the Alps, you could run as 12-23 or 12-25 and just fit a 12-27 for the mountains
    - if you were racing, you might have a whole set of wheels or cassettes and just pick the right one depending how flat/hilly/mountainous the course is...

Categories