Which is the easier ratio: 39:28 or 34:25

Finlaz22

I run a double but have quite a wide ranging cassette (11-28). I was wondering if anyone has any experience with both doubles and compacts, and whether the less teeth on the front is a larger gain than a higher number on the back.

Anyway, just something I was a'ponderin'

declan1

The compact would be 'easier'.

I would get the compact rather than the standard with large cassette as you have a wider range of gears, but you can have closer ratios on the cassette while keeping the nice easy gear.

Finlaz22

Have you tried both? The compact with a narrow range and double with wide range, or?

declan1

Yup, I've tried a compact with a 12-25 cassette (my dad's bike) and a standard double with 11-28 (my bike). When I'm in the easiest gear, my dad has to be on the third sprocket to have roughly the same cadence.

I much prefer his gearing however, due to the closer ratios

Stedman

34 x 25 is 37 inches and the 39 x 28 is 38 inches so there is almost absolutely nothing in it!

Finlaz22

Cheers for the comments. Interesting stuff...

imposter2.0

There's a little bit more to the 'compact v standard' debate than just one single gear ratio.

charlie_potatoes

This gear calculator should help..

http://www.gear-calculator.com/#KB=34,50&RZ=11,12,13,14,15,17,19,22,25,28&TF=85&UF=2099&SL=2

gpreeves

Assuming you're using the same wheel (thus a constant drive wheel diameter) working out which gear is easier is a simple calculation. Just divide the number of teeth on the front chainring by the number of rear sprocket teeth. The lower number is the easier gear.

Raffles

declan1 wrote:

Yup, I've tried a compact with a 12-25 cassette (my dad's bike) and a standard double with 11-28 (my bike). When I'm in the easiest gear, my dad has to be on the third sprocket to have roughly the same cadence.

I much prefer his gearing however, due to the closer ratios

declan do you not find the gaps between your lowest gears to be cavernous ?

I would have absolutely no use for an 11 rear cog and my 10 speed cassette is 12-25, 12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21,23,25

Im a resolute compact user 34/50 as I found the standard double to be hell when climbing. A lot of the riders in the club I belong to ride pretty much exclusively on their 39 front ring and seldomnly switch to the big one. I quite often see riders whilst on that 39 chain riding down the cassette in the biggest gears, something I was told not to do, like riding in the big chain using the lowest gears at the back.

declan1

Raffles wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Yup, I've tried a compact with a 12-25 cassette (my dad's bike) and a standard double with 11-28 (my bike). When I'm in the easiest gear, my dad has to be on the third sprocket to have roughly the same cadence.

I much prefer his gearing however, due to the closer ratios

declan do you not find the gaps between your lowest gears to be cavernous ?

I would have absolutely no use for an 11 rear cog and my 10 speed cassette is 12-25, 12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21,23,25

Im a resolute compact user 34/50 as I found the standard double to be hell when climbing. A lot of the riders in the club I belong to ride pretty much exclusively on their 39 front ring and seldomnly switch to the big one. I quite often see riders whilst on that 39 chain riding down the cassette in the biggest gears, something I was told not to do, like riding in the big chain using the lowest gears at the back.

Yup - mine's 7 speed as well so pretty big jumps! I have an 11-23 cassette which is closer ratio but you try climbing in the Highlands on that with a standard double!

Raffles

7 speed 11-28 .............................!................ :shock:

crikey, thems huge gaps between gears

declan1

Raffles wrote:

7 speed 11-28 .............................!................ :shock:

crikey, thems huge gaps between gears

Indeed :P