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keen mountain biker buying first road bike.compact vs triple

mountainroadmountainroad Posts: 49
edited April 2011 in Road beginners
i found the road bike i want, after getting over the disloyalty i feel toward my MTB, i have promised to still hit the rough stuff.

i have one dilemma

same frame 2 specs, cheaper spec a mix of 105, something i don't know and ultegra
better spec all ultegra and better rims

due to popularity
one is only available as a compact the other as a triple

compact 50/34 cassette 11/28
triple 52/39/30 cassette 12/25

my heart says better spec which is the triple
but have questions

is the 52 ring hard going on the flat?
is the compact ok for climbing `used to triple on my MTB

will it make that much difference to me?

help please!

Posts

  • MrBibbleMrBibble Posts: 79
    This time last yeari was in the same boat, went for the compact and not looked back!! Go for it !!
  • danowatdanowat Posts: 2,877
    Depending on where you live, and you fitness, will decide between triple and compact.

    I have a compact on 2 of my bikes, and a double (53T) on my TT bike, I've never had a problem running out of gears, although its fairly flat where I am.
  • mountainroadmountainroad Posts: 49
    thanks for the advice

    i think your right the triple has the sexier spec, however the compact saves me £300!!
  • mountainroadmountainroad Posts: 49
    re flatness
    i guess if your in norfolk its fairly flat
    i live in hertfordshire which aint that hilly

    the desire for a road bike did start in the peak district a month ago
    after a full day off road i had a long steep on road climb back to the car getting overtaken by the racers.

    i would like to take it to the hills and beat em next time!!
  • mountainroadmountainroad Posts: 49
    re flatness
    i guess if your in norfolk its fairly flat
    i live in hertfordshire which aint that hilly

    the desire for a road bike did start in the peak district a month ago
    after a full day off road i had a long steep on road climb back to the car getting overtaken by the racers.

    i would like to take it to the hills and beat em next time!!
  • DHTTDHTT Posts: 345
    Triple will give you a better range of gears, also with rear cassette, 52t is only 2t bigger than the compact's 50 so just change up a gear on rear. If it were me I'd go for the higher spec even if it did come with triple.
    http://duncanheywood.blogspot.com/
  • MattC59MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    I went for a triple, I've only used the granny ring a couple of times, but on those couple of occasions, I'm glad I had it. It's always there in reserve if I do need to winch myself up a hill.

    It's pretty much the same on my mtb, I rarely use the granny, but it's there if I really need it.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • mountainroadmountainroad Posts: 49
    great advice thanks all
  • Big Hairy WallapersBig Hairy Wallapers Posts: 182
    I understand your predicament,
    I've road for a year in flat..ish Norfolk and never used the granny ring.
    On Saturday I had a day riding in the peaks and was very glad I had the triple, I used the granny ring lots.
    I can't really see any disadvantages of a triple.
    It's all irrelevant really because by next year it will be relegated to your winter bike as you'll be planning on selling a kidney to satisfy your lusting for carbon lovelyness!!!
  • pawlopawlo Posts: 22
    Well I have 2 tripple bikes, I do live in WYorkshire tho at the foot of the moors so pretty much anywhere I ride I end up tackling a climb ( and not a small one ) I do find the intermediate ( middle ) chainring handy tho as you can keep it on this and just work through the cassette for areas where its a bit up & down then flat.
  • mountainroadmountainroad Posts: 49
    thanks again
    I'm originally from Wyorks myself, and will take the bike when visiting family and friends

    re-kindling my youthful after school rides on the tops around howarth.

    I think I'm going TRIPLE its got better bits!
  • saintdraculasaintdracula Posts: 232
    COMPACT; no

    DOUBLE
  • springtide9springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    Must admit, I'm a keen MTBer but have recently bought a road bike.

    The bike was sold with a compact 50/34 and 11-23. I found that 34/23 wasn't really enough on some hills (but probably more hills here) to spin, so swapped out the rear for a 11-26.

    34/26 seems enough and now only on very small occasions do I really need to get out of the saddle. I ignored the advice of someone here who suggested 12-26 would be a better compromise as you keep the ratios close in the mid section

    i.e. you get a 16 meaning you don't get the jump from 15-17.

    11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26
    12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26

    You would loose the 50/11 - but in real terms this is only really used for very small sections of the ride and I would swap my 11 for the 16 (but not enough to buy yet another cassette!)

    The triple is the no compromise solution, but a compact also isn't so bad. I personally find that you don't actually miss those extra ratios, but at the same time wouldn't dream of going for a two cog front setup on an MTB. Going for a triple on a road bike in my opinion would be like adding a fourth larger front chain ring for the times you spin out on downhills on an MTB.

    But if you were going to use the bike for touring with a load of luggage, I could see the benefit of a triple. But I also wouldn't avoid a bike because it had a triple (or vice versa)

    As above, this is my opinion and everybody is different. Weight wise, I think the difference is negligible unless you are racing or very competitive.

    Good luck and enjoy
    Simon
  • rakerake Posts: 3,204
    i would rather a 16 cog the a slightly lower gear. 11 t not nesecary. i hate the jump from 15 to 17 on my 8 speed.
  • springtide9springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    rake wrote:
    i would rather a 16 cog the a slightly lower gear. 11 t not nesecary. i hate the jump from 15 to 17 on my 8 speed.

    :) Some people don't listen! Dooh!
    Simon
  • rakerake Posts: 3,204
    i read your post, im just reinforcing the benefit of close ratios.
  • ireland57ireland57 Posts: 84
    I got the triple Ultegra to save my damaged knees, changing from a double 52/39.

    It shifts well, usually quickly (I occasionally don't shift it properly) and direct.

    I have gears for everything. And my knees are getting better and stronger.
  • springtide9springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    rake wrote:
    i read your post, im just reinforcing the benefit of close ratios.
    lol... I was reinforcing your advice that was reinforcing advice about having close ratios - especially in the mid section :) We are very much on the same page :)
    Simon
  • SlackSlack Posts: 326
    Compact, as it's designed to cover a borad range of gears, simikar to a triple.

    Ask the shop to swap out the triple for a compact. Unless you are touring with a heavy load, a compact is perfectly adequate to get you up the majority of climbs, provided correct pairing with a cassette.
    Plymouthsteve for councillor!!
  • JohnClelandJohnCleland Posts: 172
    Just to ensure the OP is confused by all of the above,

    I will through SRAM Apex into the mix :shock:
  • mountainroadmountainroad Posts: 49
    I went for the triple

    an incentive to head for some big hills
    it was no heavier, in fact it was 500g lighter as the compact was the spec down
    heavier bits and rims

    the bike shop where i bought it i trust i've used them for MTB'ing for years, described the choice as being relatively trend based, eg UK likes compacts, Europeans like triples!!
    its a german bike CUBE agree GTC race, so i went euro

    i'm happy i'll see how it goes....
    thanks again for the info and detail
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