Would i benefit from a triple?

martylaa

I have a Ribble Gran Fondo, it has Shimano 105 double groupset, its quite hilly where i am and i am just getting back into proper biking on the roads, one of the climbs round our way blew my legs out, which took me a couple of miles to recover, my question is should i invest in a triple and change up? If so would i only need to buy a new triple chainset, hopefully i would'nt have to change anything else up?
Or should i just carry on and gain my fitness back to make those climbs more appealing???

ollyridesfirst

Do you have a normal double or a compact? If it's a normal 39/53 then you could think of getting a compact 34/50 chainset.

What size cassette do you have on it? Could also bump this up....if your biggest cog is a 25, you could go up to a 28 which would give you a lot more gear to get up the hills with!

martylaa

Yes its a 53/39 T, and the biggest rear cog is a 25T as well.

Ok i'm going to look into the compact's and triple's, bit new to this so pardon me for the daft question, but would the compact mean i lose out on the bigger gears for when i need a bit of speed, and would they cover me enough for the hills, not wanting to race but i do like to be comfortable when on a bike....
Also if i went for the 28T cog how would that work would i have to change out my rear cassette for a different cassette?

Mr Will

With a compact you would lose some off the top end, but it should still be good for 30+ miles per hour before you run out of gears, and how often will you want to be pedalling at a higher speed than that?

martylaa

Mr Will wrote:

With a compact you would lose some off the top end, but it should still be good for 30+ miles per hour before you run out of gears, and how often will you want to be pedalling at a higher speed than that?

On a flat never haha, saying that i was doing 34mph downhill according to my cateye which was quick enough for me....
Ok going to look for a 105 compact, if i go down that route do i just need to buy the compact and change it over from my double? or would i need to change bb as well as others? ( i won't be doing it lbs will )

ollyridesfirst

A 50 tooth at the front and 11 tooth at the back is actually faster than 53/12 at the same cadence, so i doubt you'd lose much speed at all, and the 34 would really help on the hills.

If you were just interested in changing the cassette, you can pick up an 11-28 cassette (105) for about £35 and they are a doddle to change (with the right tool).

In summary - the lower the number here (inches) the better for the hills:

39/25 = 42.1
39/28 = 37.6
34/25 = 36.7
34/28 = 32.8

I think a 34/28 would be useless and you'd spin too much up hills. The 39/25 is your current set-up and there's very little between the middle 2 set-ups. You'd spend half the money buying a new cassette rather than a new chainset and then you'd still have the 53 cog at the front for top end speed. The only thing you'd lose out on is the close gear ratios.

In my opinion, and if it was me....i'd give the 11-28 cassette a go...

John.T

Changing to a triple would be expensive. You would need to change the chainset, front and rear mechs, LH shifter (if you can find one singly) and chain.
Better to get a compact chainset and if you need it a cassette with a bigger bottom sprocket (12/27 or 11/28). You would have top gears of 50/12 or 50/11 which in-spite of what you see on here are plenty big enough for 30+ mph. I have passed riders using a 50+ ring and a 12 or 13 sprocket while I am still using my 34 ring. They just don't know how to pedal. :roll:

EarlyGo

I'd get an 11-28 rear cassette and check with your LBS whether you'd need any extra links in your chain. Surely that is the cheapest option?

Regards, EarlyGo

geoff_ss

I don't know about you but a triple is essential for me I don't often use my 22x25 but very occasionally it keeps me riding rather than resorted to the 24" gear. I know you're all laughing just as I would have been a few years ago but it'll probably happen to you eventually. It's the very long climbs I tend to run out of steam on - like the Ventoux.

I have a 44/32/22 chain set with a 13/25 cassette. A top gear of 44x13 gives me a 90" top gear which I can pedal at nearly 25 mph - after that I free wheel. It's higher than the top gear I used to use for audax riding.

mattward1979

Ok cutting through the longer, far more considered and scientific answers:

Yes. It will help you get up hills, and give you a very close ratio of gears.

BUT. It WILL make you lazy.

Im 17st (yeah put on 1/2 a stone since I started working after Uni :evil: ) but have never needed or wanted a third chain ring. A compact/double should be enough for pretty much all road situations!

EDIT:

I kinda feel obliged to caveat my answer solely on the esteemed gentleman's signature above. While im sure its in jest, obviously there are situations where lower gears are required, so go for what suits you.

For the vast majority of riders, I stick to my guns :P

Mr Will

Geoff_SS wrote:

I don't know about you but a triple is essential for me I don't often use my 22x25 but very occasionally it keeps me riding rather than resorted to the 24" gear. I know you're all laughing just as I would have been a few years ago but it'll probably happen to you eventually. It's the very long climbs I tend to run out of steam on - like the Ventoux.

I have a 44/32/22 chain set with a 13/25 cassette. A top gear of 44x13 gives me a 90" top gear which I can pedal at nearly 25 mph - after that I free wheel. It's higher than the top gear I used to use for audax riding.

I can actually see the point of a triple with a bottom ring that small in some circumstances, problem is that most have a 30 as the small ring, which just isn't worth the hassle when you can get the same ratio by switching from a 25 to a 28 on the back of a compact.

skyd0g

personally, I'd switch to a compact 50/34 - & lower the front mech accordingly. Sorted. This will still leave you with a relatively close ratio set of gears for the flats.

MountainMonster

I live out in the alps, and have never thought of getting a triple. I don't even have a compact, I just deal with it.

No pain, no gain, as they say.

MattC59

I've got a triple, and I've used the granny ring once in two years. A triple will give you that bail out gear for those occasions where you really need it. In my view, it's better to keep riding than to get off and walk 'cause you're out of steam and gears.

Having said that, your strength will improve very quickly and you'll soon find that the hills you were struggling up on your current gears get easier.

I'd persevere with the gearing that you've got, for a while anyway, and if you find that the hills are still too much, then think about swapping. You may find that you save money and get fitter in the process.

geoff_ss

MountainMonster wrote:

I live out in the alps, and have never thought of getting a triple. I don't even have a compact, I just deal with it.

No pain, no gain, as they say.

A lot of the big climbs in the Alps aren't actually all that steep - they're just relentlessly long. In the past we've returned from cycle camping trips in the big mountains and the hardest hill (ie steepest) we encountered was the hill up into our village after riding from the airport.

I don't use my granny ring very often but it allows me to have low gears as well as a lot of close gears in the range I use most often. With a compact you can get the range quite easily but have to sacrifice the little jumps that allow you pedal at your comfortable rate. I've always been a pedaller rather than a pusher anyway.

A triple weighs very little extra and modern gears work so well there seems no reason not to take advantage of that. In the end it's what suits the individual. Just don't be dictated to by fashion or scorn.

MountainMonster

Geoff_SS wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

I live out in the alps, and have never thought of getting a triple. I don't even have a compact, I just deal with it.

No pain, no gain, as they say.

A lot of the big climbs in the Alps aren't actually all that steep - they're just relentlessly long. In the past we've returned from cycle camping trips in the big mountains and the hardest hill (ie steepest) we encountered was the hill up into our village after riding from the airport.

I don't use my granny ring very often but it allows me to have low gears as well as a lot of close gears in the range I use most often. With a compact you can get the range quite easily but have to sacrifice the little jumps that allow you pedal at your comfortable rate. I've always been a pedaller rather than a pusher anyway.

A triple weighs very little extra and modern gears work so well there seems no reason not to take advantage of that. In the end it's what suits the individual. Just don't be dictated to by fashion or scorn.

Yeah I know what you mean, we have a few quite steep hills around 20%, but even with a double, it goes down quite well. All i'm saying is, people in the tour de france in the beginning rode with 1 gear, I think people are just starting to get too lazy, and take the easy route out. For me, I would have having a triple, but everyone is different!

Paul E

I have a triple and I am going to swap to a compact, I already have a 11-28 cassette anyway and I never use the 30 and the 28 as it's way too spinny and it would be quicker walking anyway.

Chris James

Paul E wrote:

I have a triple and I am going to swap to a compact, I already have a 11-28 cassette anyway and I never use the 30 and the 28 as it's way too spinny and it would be quicker walking anyway.

An alternative would be to swap your cassette for a 12-23. That way you have a similar gear range to a compact and it is separated with small gaps. It is cheaper than buying a new chainset too.

The problem with compacts is that the most usable gears (around 68/70 inches, which is good for 18mph at 85rpm) are located at bad chainlines - e.g. 50/19 or 34/13 whereas 65 inches is around the middle of the block for the middle chainring of a triple.

For the same reason compacts tend to involve a lot fo double shifting on rolling roads as you constantly find yourself at the junction between big/big and small/small gear combinations.

Thelittlesthobo

I got triple thinking i would need it. I must say that locally it is totally unwarrantied and yes it would be nice to have a compact instead.

I will however be riding in the lake district in the near future and i suppose untill i get used to it the triple will come in handy. I have no inclination to 'change' to a compact. Arent they just a different take on the same end result with regards to gears?

keef66

I'm fast approaching 54 and both my knees are shot. I love my 50/39/30 triple with a 12-25 cassette. I have the big chainring for downhill / tailwind, middle ring for flat / slight / short inclines, and the small ring for longer / steeper hills. In each case it then gives me a selection of close ratios with no alarming cross-chaining, and I can always find a comfortable cadence.

You youngsters carry on stomping up alps with your standard doubles and I'll continue my gently undulating pootling.

MountainMonster

keef66 wrote:

I'm fast approaching 54 and both my knees are shot. I love my 50/39/30 triple with a 12-25 cassette. I have the big chainring for downhill / tailwind, middle ring for flat / slight / short inclines, and the small ring for longer / steeper hills. In each case it then gives me a selection of close ratios with no alarming cross-chaining, and I can always find a comfortable cadence.

You youngsters carry on stomping up alps with your standard doubles and I'll continue my gently undulating pootling.

Sounds like a plan, at the end of the day it doesn't matter how you got there, just that your dieing from the pain and smiling away

thiscocks

All very well saying you dont need a triple on a road bike and that a compact or double will cater for all but with a proper touring bike you need a triple.

I have just built a touring bike and it is that much heavier than my racer that i am VERY glad of the 3rd chainring especially with a load of stuff in the bag.

Monty Dog

A question for the OP: Do you expect you're going to get fitter or stronger? If you do, then perhaps a change in cassette or to a compact will be sufficient?

martylaa

Yes I am looking to a cassette or compact now rather than a triple, do the same run today and instead of stopping after the initial climb, I just carried on, still knackered but gotta keep going.

Derky

Ime with you Keef :

chrishd883

In the end it doessn't matter if you have a triple, compact or standard double.

What is important is that you have the range of gearing that you need.
That depends upon two factors:.

1. Your age, fitness and strength.
2. The riding you want to do (the terrain, length and intensity)

Then, if are you "fussy" about cadence, triples become more useful, allowing you to keep a closer ratio cassette on the back.

For any set range of gears, the less gears you have the bigger the gaps have to be!
You just need to decide how important that is for you and then choose the crank / cassette combination that suits you.

Some riders wouldn't be seen dead with anything "less" than a pro rider!
Saw a lot of those on the Exmoor Beast a few years back.
Very expensive bikes to boot, still their walking speed was much less than poor old me on my "granny" ring!

For the record I run a mix of compact and triples
On a good day, and the right ride, a standard double will do -just not often enough!

bill57

As others have said, changing to a triple involves a lot of expense. If you're just returning to cycling, then your fitness is bound to improve, so you should accept the situation for what it is. By all means change to a cassette with a larger sprocket which will help till you find your legs.

If, after persevering for a while, you still find yourself needing lower gears, then you could consider the triple or compact route. But you shouldn't give in too quickly.

As some have pointed out, you may be disappointed with a compact chainset anyway.
I fitted one last year, after my riding friend insisisted they were the best thing ever. Used it for a day and took it off again once I realized how diabolical the chainlines were. So I've come to three conclusions, only one of which can be right.

1. The average compact user is super fit, staying mostly in the big ring.
2. The average compact user is pretty unfit, staying mostly in the small ring.
3. The average compact user is, in fact, average, and finds themselves swapping incessantly between big and small ring.

Call me cynical, but if, as many compact users will say, the average user doesn't need the same gears as a pro racer, then why do they advocate the use of 11 tooth sprockets? Because that pushes the really useful cogs slightly further to the centre of the cassette, perhaps?