Bigger ring than a 50t for a compact?

dirkdiggler69

Due to increased fitness over the winter i'm finding i'm running out of gears a little on the flat and downhills.
The cassette i have on is an 11-23 so no where to go with that so i was wondering is it possible to get a bigger ring than a 50t for an fsa compact?
Or is it possible to fit a standard 39-53 chainset on a compact bike and if so wil i need a new chain etc?
Cheer's Derek.

Ben6899

You're spinning out 50-11? Crikey.

dru

You are really running out of gears on 50x11 :?:

Switching to 59/39 will only give you one extra gear (53x11) as, if I understand it correctly (50x11) is a bigger gear than (53x12)

amaferanga

You can fit a bigger big ring - just make sure whatever you get has a 110 bcd. You could fit a 39 inner as well if you want.

Spa have a good selection of Stronglight and other rings.

But 50/11 is a pretty big gear - I've raced with 50/12 and never felt I was running out of gears.

Learn to spin....

tri-sexual

Dru wrote:

You are really running out of gears on 50x11 :?:

Switching to 59/39 will only give you one extra gear (53x11) as, if I understand it correctly (50x11) is a bigger gear than (53x12)

its true, 50 x 11 IS a bigger gear than a 53 x 12.
if a 50 x 11 is still not a big enough gear for you then you can fit a bigger chainset, loads available and can be fitted with no problems. a new longer chain will work better and shift better, adjustments to the mechs will be required
you must be a very very strong rider to spin out using 50 x 11 on the flat :shock:

Lillywhite

tri-sexual wrote:

you must be a very very strong rider to spin out using 50 x 11 on the flat :shock:

Probably won't get over 50rpm! :shock:

AndyOgy

I'm seriously worried that somebody who is spinning out on a 50x11 is posting in the Road Beginners section.

tri-sexual

Lillywhite wrote:

tri-sexual wrote:

you must be a very very strong rider to spin out using 50 x 11 on the flat :shock:

Probably won't get over 50rpm! :shock:

even 50rpm on the flat using 50 x 11 is still very impressive

Pokerface

50x11 at 50rpm is only 18mph. That's impressive?

dirkdiggler69

i've been riding bikes for over 20 years but have had a break of around five years.
during which time the compact chainset has appeared.
as i'd had a good break i thought that would be the way to go but due to me teaching spinning classes 4 times a week i guess my fitness was'nt as bad as i anticipated.

this was never mean't to be a showing off type of thread at all, i go out with guys who are all very experienced and when we get to a decent downhill they always pull a gap on me even though i'm spining like crazy to keep up i live in the pennines so this is a distinct disadvantage this is a genuine question so please can we keep to sensible answers.
cheer's.

Mister W

Pedal faster.....

Or yes, you can get a bigger chainring but don't forget that the capacity of your front mech is likely to be 16t, which means you'll probably have to fit a bigger inner chainring as well.

dirkdiggler69

so would it be better to ditch the compact chainset altogether and buy a new standard chainset?

CarbonCopy

Dirk where abouts in the pennines you from? I`m in the pennines also.

Coach H

If you run Campag U/T and Look Keo's, I can sell you a Veloce 53/39 172.5 with Keo Classics for £60

Drive side brand new un-used, non-drive side and pedals <500miles and looking nearly new.

The catch; non-drive pedal completely stuck but good for many miles yet.

Good way to try a standard on the cheap.

markos1963

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

so would it be better to ditch the compact chainset altogether and buy a new standard chainset?

No need to change the chainset you can buy Stronglight chainrings in 110BCD in the sizes you want and just swap over.
Like the others though why would you want any bigger than 50/11, the guys you ride with who are running standards probably have a 12 as their smallest rear cof anyway as most bike are supplied like this.

Berk Bonebonce

Coach H wrote:

The catch; non-drive pedal completely stuck but good for many miles yet..

You haven't been trying to unscrew it anti-clockwise have you? No pedal is completely stuck.

RDB66

Berk Bonebonce wrote:

Coach H wrote:

The catch; non-drive pedal completely stuck but good for many miles yet..

You haven't been trying to unscrew it anti-clockwise have you? No pedal is completely stuck.

Thats what im thinking !!

sin2000

Most riders start spinning out at about 110rpm - though many can spin faster. In 50/11 this implies a speed of 41.2mph. Pretty fast! At the same cadence, a 53/11 would give you a small increase in speed - to 43.7mph. Not much, but it might be enough to make the difference.

If you're spinning out at much lower speeds than this, then I suggest you need to learn to spin. Best of all, get a standrard chainset (53/39) AND learn to spin!

unixnerd

I've run out of revs with a 52x12 going downhill with a tailwind about 45mph or thereabouts. Think I was doing 110rpm or something which for me is quite something.

But the reason I'm soon to upgrade to 52x11 is that I find spinning over 90rpm very tiring and not much fun. There are a lot of times when I could go faster with a higher top gear because I'm the wrong side of 40 for such high revving malarky and I can put down more power at lower revs that you youngsters! :-)

My average cadence is probably 70-75, I'd like it to be higher but it's taken me a while just to get it that high.

dennisn

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

i go out with guys who are all very experienced and when we get to a decent downhill they always pull a gap on me even though i'm spining like crazy to keep up i live in the pennines so this is a distinct disadvantage this is a genuine question so please can we keep to sensible answers.
cheer's.

I think you'll get a sensible answer when you come to your senses about whether you can spin out a 50-11 on anything other than a downhill and maybe a bit of the runnout
after a fast downhill. I think what everyone is trying to say, but don't, is that they don't believe you. Neither do I. :roll: :roll:

bexley5200

UG

turnerjohn

if your interested I have a set of TA Zepha (think thats the model) chainrings in 110mm ones 52 tooth the other 38 tooth...black with silver teeth and the BRAND NEW...even have the packaging they can in...they cost a small fortune but I think I could be perswaded to part with them if the price is right ;-) ...get in contact if you want them !

danowat

Maybe ask Nick where he got his from?, I doubt you'd spin that one out!!!

Garz

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

i live in the pennines so this is a distinct disadvantage this is a genuine question so please can we keep to sensible answers.

Since when has living in the pennines been a disadvantage?

There's an abundance of varying terrain on tap here and is in fact quite hilly if you go looking for it. I think I would be more upset if I lived around the fens with only the winds for variety..

MaxwellBygraves

Who are you, Bert Grabsch?

peejay78

totally love nik's chainring. it should be on a stayer bike.

anyway, if you think you're spinning out perhaps you're used to pushing too big a gear - a classic beginner's error caused often by the exciting frenzy of cycling fast and the joy of being on a bike.

in which case, i'd suggest you work on your cadence.

Coach H

RDB66 wrote:

Berk Bonebonce wrote:

Coach H wrote:

The catch; non-drive pedal completely stuck but good for many miles yet..

You haven't been trying to unscrew it anti-clockwise have you? No pedal is completely stuck.

Thats what im thinking !!

[thread highjack on] It may not be completely stuck but 3 industrial tooling quality 8mm sockets have been broken when using a 4 foot breaker bar with two of us hanging off it, whilst also shock loading it. I am sure if it is heated hot enough it would eventually yeald but would knacker the finish and the threads would still be stretched and need re-tapping assuming there is enough viable material. I would love to be wrong about it being stuck, £60 gives you the chance to try!! [thread highjack off]

Wheelie Bin

Just picking up on your terminology, as it seems to be the source of your confusion. You don't have a 'compact' bike... there's no such thing.

Your chainset (50/34) is a 'compact chainset', but that does'nt mean you can't swap it for a 53/39. Try it - it's not the end of the world if you swap back again.

Get your local bike shop to do it free if you buy the chainset from them. They might add a link or two to the chain, but you shouldn't need new gears either front or rear.

simon_e

dennisn wrote:

I think you'll get a sensible answer when you come to your senses about whether you can spin out a 50-11 on anything other than a downhill and maybe a bit of the runnout
after a fast downhill.

+1.

Are your mates not polite enough to wait for you at the bottom of the hill?

Seriously, you may have realised from the above replies that if you're spinning out 50x11 then 52 or 53T on the front isn't going to be the solution. Nine times out of 10 it's the rider that needs an upgrade, not the bike.