Sportives: double or compact?

Scrumple

Currently got a 50/34 compact, and a 12/27

I need the low gears on the bigger hills as I build my fitness, but feel underpowered in the higher end.

Ultimately I'm looking to do more UK sportives, and hilly rides. Possibly France etc... or hilly cycle breaks abroad.

About to spec a new carbon bike and considering a SRAM 52/36, or a normal double. But - as the compact works for me now will it be wishful thinking to change for the future as I get fitter? Torn between status quo or going higher to force me on....

(I know some use doubles, but realistically, I use the full range now... no idea where I will be in a year of riding)

fizz

Personally...

I've done one sportive on a Double and two others a on a compact.

The sportive on the double was hard work, despite swapping the inner for a 38T. The Sportive on the compact was slightly less hard work.

I'd dislike the spread of gears on the compact with a 12-27 rear cassette, but... I am not strong enough to cope with the double on the steep climbs on the Tour of Wessex, Tour of Dartmoor / Exmoor beast sportives I have done so it'll be compact again for me this year.

Personally at the end of a long day in the saddle on a hilly sportive, your legs will thank you for sticking with the compact IMHO.

You can always change for a std double later on,. I like having both, means I can train ride in my local area on the double where I can manage the climbs on it. But I can switch out the double for the compact when I am doing the sportives.

Scrumple

Do you run 2 bikes? Or two cranks and chains?!

fizz

Scrumple wrote:

Do you run 2 bikes? Or two cranks and chains?!

No one bike.

I have the following

52/39 105 Hollowtech II Chainset & a 50/34 105 Hollowtech II Chainset, One chain and one 12/27 casette & one bike.

I use the Double 90% of the time and swap to the compact a few weeks before a sportive and check everything over and then off I go.

I realise according to the rule book its not supposed to work and i should be swapping cassette, chain etc, but it does work fine.

Scrumple

just thought the chain length would need to change!

Buckled_Rims

For a Sportive I'd go for a compact over a double. The double to me is best suited for flattish Sportives and racing. ie, those who like to go fast.

This year, I'll be doing 2 Sportives (Boo Hoo I don't have time for any more) on my cyclocross bike with a 46/36 12-25. I really don't like fast descents so anything like a standard double is wasted on me.

Long gone are the days when I could push a 50 front 11 rear

fizz

Scrumple wrote:

just thought the chain length would need to change!

I took one link out when I fitted the compact and I tried the double again and I didnt need to go back in. Its probably a little tight, but then I just make sure I dont use the Big ring on the front with the big ring on the back.

Its been into the bike shop for a check over and they never mentioned anythign about the chain length being wrong.

mroli

Scrumple - perhaps you ought to wait and have a look at the new SRAM groupset (apex?), will get you out of the need for a triple, will be fairly cheap and it it is aimed at 105 will be decent stuff. Fudges have said that it will be RRP at 499, but seeing as they do the Rival at 430, I reckon it will be pretty affordable - and they will probably do it for a fair bit cheaper.

hopper1

I did a sportive on a double... Bought a compact after that!
I thought a double would help me on during the Winter, pushing bigger gears... Nearly fcuking killed me!
Why not try a 11-23 cassette?

Crimmey

I had a double and found I rarely needed the big ring using an 11-28 cassette. The spread of gears was annoying as hell. The compact is much more useable with an 11-25 cassette even though I rarely use the 34-25 combo, its reassuring that its just there, just in case. To get above 40mph+ I do have to spin quicker than 130 revs/min so I understand where the top end is lacking but its even rarer I go above 40mph and I can spin my legs quite quick if need be.
The 52/36 seems a great compromise with a 12-25 cassette. The Apex suggested would have a 'hair ripping out' spread of gearing. 11-23 or 11-25 cassette sounds a good idea with the compact. If it works keep with what you have.

andy162

As Hopper said, riding a compact with an 11/23 would give you a useful spread of ratio's without the jumps inbetween.

If you are used to a compact I'd be tempted to stick with it. I run a standard with a 25 on the back, my mate a compact with a 23. There's nothing in it between us as regards climbing ability. We'll both ride together but his cadence is higher. I prefer riding those sort of ratios....have done for 20 odd years.

If I was starting out & building fitness...compact all the way.

Scrumple

I always listen to an E Yorks man, being I was born and raised in that fair part of Yorkshire...

Cheers
Compact done...

just need wheels now!

bikergirl17

a compact with a 11-23 cassette has 38.8 gear inches as the easiest gear -- and a double (53/39) with a 12-27 has 38 gear inches --> so you are actually better off with the double in this case.

you need a 11-26 cassette with compact gearing to get a benefit (34.4 gear inches).

did both Dartmoor and Exmoor sportives and, with sufficient hill climbing practice, those climbs are doable on a double (12-27; admittedly i can't get up 20% on a 12-23, which is 44.6 gear inches -- or about the 19 cog on a compact!).

Scrumple

11/26 and a 50/34 I think... (11/26 bought already)
Wont risk the 52/36 sram middle thing they sell now.

Cheers for the help. Better the devil you know.

vorsprung

Scrumple wrote:

Currently got a 50/34 compact, and a 12/27

I need the low gears on the bigger hills as I build my fitness, but feel underpowered in the higher end.

With a 50x12 gear you can do 32 mph at 100 rpm

Seeing as most people can spin for a long time at 100 rpm but cannot sustain 32 mph this leads me to suspect that you are not undergeared at the top end.

I find that with a compact the spread of gears isn't that good. They are great at the top or bottom but the middle is somewhat lacking. I much prefer a triple.

I suggest you get a 30-42-52 to replace your 34-50 and a 12-25 cassette to replace the 12-27

sampras38

I do all my sportives and Alps riding with a compact and 12/27.

dennisn

Scrumple wrote:

Currently got a 50/34 compact, and a 12/27

..........., but feel underpowered in the higher end.

You're saying that you regularly use and spin out a 50-12??????

copper585

got a triple on mine, its my emergency gear, had to resort to it a few times on the cheshire cat! its always nice to know that you can resort to it when your legs cant take much more!

de_sisti

I've got the best of both worlds on my "sportive" bike, 50/34/26 and 12-28.

bigpikle

use a gear calculator to work out what extra each option gives you.

I have a bike with a standard double 53/39 & 12/25 and compared to my other bike with a 34/50 & 12/27 I get 2 extra low gears. That is only useful on the toughest climbs for me, but when I need them I really need them.

My only sportive to date I did on the compact but could easily have done on the standard but it wasnt a particularly hilly route. I did some serious hills last week in the SW and probably wouldnt have made it without my compact. Its horses for courses really.

Scrumple

A triple?

What???

This is a shoot out between a 52/36 or a compact 50/34 now.

Triples are not even an option, thanks.

vorsprung

Scumple, you said

I need the low gears on the bigger hills as I build my fitness, but feel underpowered in the higher end.

So I replied that
1) 50x12 is actually a high gear
2) So perhaps the problem you have isn't the 50 tooth ring on a compact but the spread of gears in the middle
3) So add more gears with a triple so you can have a high high gear, a low low gear and a good number in between

If a triple is "not even an option" then simply learn how to pedal at a high cadence on your 50x12 gear

dave noble

Triple simply provides both your needs - a decent top gear and a good bottom gear too.
So that would obviously be wrong then.
It is a no-brainer - a triple gives you a bigger range of ratios at better chain lines. People are always arguing that this isn't true, but look at a gear table and it is indisputable.

Scrumple

its true, BUT I DONT WANT ONE

so truth is irrelevant!!


i am only trying to decide, at this point of the thread, whether to stick with a 50/34 or try a 52/36...
Edging to stick with what I know and do the compact. I'm running an 11 26.

rokkala

You shouldn't feel undergeared with a 50/11, just need to practice pedalling a bit faster!

dennisn

Rokkala wrote:

You shouldn't feel undergeared with a 50/11, just need to practice pedalling a bit faster!

+1... 50-11 is a biggie. H*ll, 50-12 is not something you would use on any kind of a regular basis.

Anonymous

Scrumple wrote:

its true, BUT I DONT WANT ONE

so truth is irrelevant!!
quote]

Why?....is there a problem with a triple?....it provides everything you want?...

A compact does not have a 52 x 11/12 top gear.....a triple is basically a standard chainset with an option of a smaller gear for those times when you really need it...and on things like the FWC etc this has proved my ultimate saviour?....whilst others were destroying there cleats.....and I remeber climbing Ventoux on the day of a huge randonee and I was twiddling away on my triple....2 people passed me on the whole ascent?...

Fair enough not everyone needs such a low gear...and lots can get away with a compact and the best can do a standard chainset....but your wanting a huge spead of gearing on a Compact and as far as i know it don't exist yet...the triple gives you what you want.....so why are you not considering it?

Scrumple

MY THREAD - my question, and why the heck can't I refuse to contemplate one.

Accept it and shut up on the subject. Its quite rude to suggest I'm not ok to make my own deciisions. Move on.

Anonymous

Scrumple wrote:

MY THREAD - my question, and why the heck can't I refuse to contemplate one.

Accept it and shut up on the subject. Its quite rude to suggest I'm not ok to make my own deciisions. Move on.

Rude?..... :shock:

Ok, just trying to be logical, but there isnt a compact chainset developed yet which gives the gear spread you seek....there isn't an answer to your question....so you will have to move on.

baldspot

easy there Scrumple - you can't dictate what people post on a Public forum!

andyp

Triples are for wimps. And tourists. :twisted: