Compact vs Standard?

Biomech

I've spent weeks trying to track down a Defy 4 2014 M/L white and green.

Finally found what appears to be the only one on the planet, it's a standard on the website, the picture is a standard and the description is a standard.

But now it's shipped, I've been sent a receipt and it says it's a compact!

So my question is, is this something I should nip in the bud now, or wait for it to arrive and see how I go?

It will be my first roadbike and, from what I understand, a compact just has a shorter frame which can be easier to handle(?). I'm 6ft and 200lbs (14st) if that factors in.

I think it's a case of they didn't have one either and are just passing this off as the order as it's the last one. Which I'm happy to go with providing I'm not going to be suffering by using a compact.

Any thoughts?

TIA

47p2

I think you may find that 'compact' is referring to the chainset

Calpol

As above Compact/Standard refer to the chainrings. (where the pedals attach) AFAIK all defy models would be supplied with a compact which is a 50-34 combination. Only a small proportion of amateur riders need a standard double 53-39. A compact basically gives you access to gearing that will make hills easier.

NeXXus

It'll be fine.

drlodge

As above: Compact = 50/34 chainset whereas Standard = 53/39 chainset.

Jules Winnfield

I'm sure my first Raleigh road bike was a standard when I was in my teens. Now we have people claim that only a small number of amateur riders can use a standard. So the question is this! Are we really all going soft?

drlodge

My Raleigh Road Ace from 1986 had a Shimano 42/52 chainset, paired with a 13-21 cassette. I seem to recall I found all hills difficult, even Box Hill which isn't really steep at all.

HebdenBiker

The "Compact" will refer to the chainset, but Giant also market their road frames as "compact". All this really means is that they have a sloping top tube, which is hardly an innovation anymore.

Rest assured you have not been sent a somehow differently-shaped bike because it says "compact". All Giant road bikes are this shape.

secretsam

HebdenBiker wrote:

The "Compact" will refer to the chainset, but Giant also market their road frames as "compact". All this really means is that they have a sloping top tube, which is hardly an innovation anymore.

Rest assured you have not been sent a somehow differently-shaped bike because it says "compact". All Giant road bikes are this shape.

And many Trek, BH and Spesh bikes...and my Cinelli

secretsam

Jules Winnfield wrote:

I'm sure my first Raleigh road bike was a standard when I was in my teens. Now we have people claim that only a small number of amateur riders can use a standard. So the question is this! Are we really all going soft?

No. We value our knees more.

JayKosta

Jules Winnfield wrote:

...
Now we have people claim that only a small number of amateur riders can use a standard. So the question is this! Are we really all going soft?

============================
Anyone can USE 'standard' chainrings (and do some walking), but 'compact' can make hills easier.
The compact gearing enables people who live in a hilly areas to actually ride their bikes, instead of trying once and giving up!

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

intheknowcycling.com

Read this discussion of the difference in gearing between standard and compact to learn more about your options. http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/08/beyon ... ey-matter/

Strong/young legs, flat terrain and speed will favor a standard. If you are looking to your first road bike to help improve your conditioning and strength and you'll be riding a variety of terrain without a focus on speed you'll likely be better off with the compact. Enjoy your new bike.

ai_1

As above Compact almost certainly refers to the groupset.
The term compact is also used to refer to a style of frame that has a top tube which slopes downwards from the head tube to the seat tube as opposed to the more traditional horizontal top tube. Most modern roadbikes now have compact style frames including the Defy. I don't think this really has much to do with the geometry of the seat, bar and pedal positions but rather the structure of the bike. The compact style has become the norm for roadbikes because it allows slightly less material to be used (thus lower weight) and a longer seatpost (more adjustability and potentially more comfort). There isn't a compact and a standard frame version of the Defy 4. It's one or the other and I believe it's a compact frame.

A compact double groupset normally consists of 34 and 50 tooth chainrings as opposed to the 39 and 52 or 53 tooth rings on standard doubles. For the vast majority of non-competitive riders and probably some competitive riders too, a compact will be the most flexible and best choice. Essentially, if you don't know for a fact that a double suits you better, you should get a compact.

P.S. Wasted my time typing that! Walked away from the keyboard after writing it. Came back to discover I hadn't hit "submit" and that you'd all given the same info in the meantime!

ai_1

Jules Winnfield wrote:

I'm sure my first Raleigh road bike was a standard when I was in my teens. Now we have people claim that only a small number of amateur riders can use a standard. So the question is this! Are we really all going soft?

You could apply that logic to any change in equipment or style. It's a ridiculous argument to claim that because something wasn't available in the past it shouldn't be chosen in the present. It's also a massive oversimplification. Should we also stick with 5, 6 or 7 sprockets on our cassettes? Should I go much, much further back and stop using pneumatic tyres? After all, they weren't needed!
At what time in the history of cycling was everything as it should be and at what point did things become newfangled?

HebdenBiker

Ai_1 wrote:

At what time in the history of cycling was everything as it should be and at what point did things become newfangled?

When the Safety Bicycle rendered the Ordinary (Penny Farthing) obsolete

Biomech

Ah really? I could of sworn that when I looked at them the distance from the pedal to the wheel on a compact was shorter!

Although it would explain why I Google kept suggetsing "Compact vs Triple" - which then talked about more gears and hills etc.

So is the "compact" the physical size of the cogs / number of teeth or the number of cogs? I had the impression from "compact vs triple" that a compact was a 2:8 and the triple a 3:8 (my compact being specified as 16 on the gear shifter)

HebdenBiker

Biomech wrote:

Ah really? I could have sworn that when I looked at them the distance from the pedal to the wheel on a compact was shorter!

Although it would explain why I Google kept suggetsing "Compact vs Triple" - which then talked about more gears and hills etc.

So is the "compact" the physical size of the cogs / number of teeth or the number of cogs? I had the impression from "compact vs triple" that a compact was a 2:8 and the triple a 3:8 (my compact being specified as 16 on the gear shifter)

Compact in this context refers to the number of teeth on the chainrings. The bike you've ordered will be coming with two chainrings; a 50 tooth and a 34 tooth. I don't know where you've read "Standard" but it will almost certainly refer to a "Standard triple" chainset, which will have three chainrings (50/39/30 I think). Manufacturers simply don't build bikes at this price point with standard double chainsets (53/39).

To be clear, there are NOT two frame shape options (Standard/Compact, whatever). The frames are all the same.

sloppyschleckonds

You can have a compact frame and a compact chainset.

Both preferred by girls.

diamonddog

Or diminutive males of the species.

smoggysteve

Chances are it means the chainset as above have said. But saying that, the Giant Defy 4 IS a COMPACT frame design hence the sloping frame. It very well could mean this too.