FSA K-Force Carbon Compact 50.38 question

dru

Hi people,

Can anyone explain this crankset to me please.

I know that a normal crankset is 53/39 and that a compact is around the 50/34 mark, but I see that there is this FSA 50.38 crankset.

Can I ask what the point of it is - or rather what benefits would it have over a normal or a regular compact setup?

Cheers,

Dru.

sandbag

It depends what cassette is combined with it and what terrain you do. I am finding out, a 34 with a 12 sprocket is useless for spinning downhill(needs 120RPM+). I need tighter such as 11-27 or 11-25. A 34 is good for very steep uphill though. The trouble is, you can be constantly changing rings back and forth. A 38 would let you stay on the small ring more to cover more situations, yet still cope in the mountains, as long as you match it with the right cassette. So less double shifting. A 38 would still fit on a standard chainset. Would have to match it with a big cassette to cope with evil hills though.

Also, compact has wider gearing with a big cassette, so using a 38 would give closer gearing over the 34, but being still able to spin. A good compromise between the two.

dru

Cheers, so its not an oddball size then

redddraggon

sandbag wrote:

I am finding out, a 34 with a 12 sprocket is useless for spinning downhill(needs 120RPM+).

Of course it's useless, so why not use the big ring?

Wheelspinner

I set up a standard compact 50/34 crankset on one bike, paired with a 11-21 cassette.

I can manage the local hills fine with this as they are fairly mild, and I love the fact that I have the choice of so many closely spaced ratios, BUT... the chain lines are weird and noisy in some cases and I do a lot of shifting....

TBH, I prefer the regular 53/39 with a 12-25 cassette. Much easier to live with.... I can't push the top gears anyway

sheffsimon

Wheelspinner wrote:

I set up a standard compact 50/34 crankset on one bike, paired with a 11-21 cassette.

I can manage the local hills fine with this as they are fairly mild, and I love the fact that I have the choice of so many closely spaced ratios, BUT... the chain lines are weird and noisy in some cases and I do a lot of shifting....

TBH, I prefer the regular 53/39 with a 12-25 cassette. Much easier to live with.... I can't push the top gears anyway

Proper gears.

sandbag

redddraggon wrote:

sandbag wrote:

I am finding out, a 34 with a 12 sprocket is useless for spinning downhill(needs 120RPM+).

Of course it's useless, so why not use the big ring?

Because, by just having an 11 instead of a 12 i can continue to spin high. If i suddenly jump onto the 50, then i have to change the gears at the back as well(double shift) to get the right gear. It loses my rhythm, momentum of the previous cadence and so speed. I can have my cake and eat it for all situations if i use an 11.

If you on a flat going fast at high cadence and then approach a gradual downhill, you just up a gear or two, it alot smoother to keep the pace up, to fly downhill.

When you have constant hilly, up, down and flat together. Reducing the need to change chainrings is a good thing.

If i am on flat and/or downhill alot then i would stay on the big ring alot.