Compact or mid compact with 11-28 or 12-25?
rafregt1
Posts: 52
Evening all
Just after your thoughts....
I am in the process of buying a new bike that comes under the "aero" category.
The bike that I am currently riding and will also continue to ride is the bike that I like to climb on which has a compact crankset with an 11-28 cassette.
My question is this.....
On my new "aero" bike I have gone for a mid compact crankset with a 12-25 cassette as I want to get the most out of what this bike is designed to do, ie speed?
Will this completely make the bike only useable for flat runs and a none starter for climbing or should I go with the same set up as my previous bike?
I suppose my thoughts are this...
Do I want to stop the bike from being used from its maximal potential by going for a climbing set up?
Any advice or thoughts from others that have knowledge or experience would be greatly appreciated.
With thanks.....
Just after your thoughts....
I am in the process of buying a new bike that comes under the "aero" category.
The bike that I am currently riding and will also continue to ride is the bike that I like to climb on which has a compact crankset with an 11-28 cassette.
My question is this.....
On my new "aero" bike I have gone for a mid compact crankset with a 12-25 cassette as I want to get the most out of what this bike is designed to do, ie speed?
Will this completely make the bike only useable for flat runs and a none starter for climbing or should I go with the same set up as my previous bike?
I suppose my thoughts are this...
Do I want to stop the bike from being used from its maximal potential by going for a climbing set up?
Any advice or thoughts from others that have knowledge or experience would be greatly appreciated.
With thanks.....
0
Posts
when I bought my new bike I did think along your lines but after heading out and doing the steepest local rides and there's plenty the only conclusion I could draw was the whole compact/semi is marketing BS as I'm not the strongest rider.
Desmond Tutu
I dont think the bike makes the difference to be honest.
Is a dogma a aero or climbing bike? Because Froome goes up hill quite well and Viviani wins sprints on it.
Roubaix was just won on a aero bike, beating specific bikes 'made' for cobbles.
I would agree with Imposter, its the gearing that changes the use of a bike, not the frame I am afraid.
Its called marketing.
Giant TCR 2012
OP - why not go with the mid compact chainset and swap out the cassette based on the ride you are doing?
You could use the 25 for flattish fast runs, and then have a 28, or even a 30 or 32 for any hilly routes.
A cassette only takes 5 minutes to change and gives you the most flexibility.
It might be that once you try a 28, you find it covers most things you need to do anyway.
Well there's nothing to stop you from buying more than one cassette? Size you chain for an 11-28 then you can put the 12-25 on when you're wanting to ride the flats.
As for the semi-compact, at the risk of starting another 100 page thread. Well is 36-28 a low enough gear for you to do the climbing you want to do? Only you can answer that question, nobody on here can, including me.
Edit: Seems exactly the same advice was posted at the same time!
Good timing Mark!
Find me on Strava
Gearing depends on fitness, so the only person who can answer that is the OP himself...
Indeed....as I stated later in the post - he needs to try different cassettes to see what works best for him.
To me you want gears that you will use, no point carrying gears you don't need and you can always put on a different cassette if you plan to ride a really tough course. My point is that semi compact, compact etc is irrelevant, you just need to work out the ratios you need and purchase accordingly.
How often will you spin out a 50-11? If the answer is regularly, get the 52... If the answer is (almost) never, may as well buy the compact because you almost certainly WILL use the 34x28 somewhen... and you'll probably be glad you've got it when you do.
I have found myself wishing for a few more gears on some of the long, steep climbs in the Peak District, so might well get myself a compact chainset for the Summer. Alternatively, if you have a long-cage derailleur, you actually get a wider range of gears with a 52-36 and a 32 tooth cassette that you get with a 50-34 and a 28 cog. Now we're (mostly on 11 speed) I don't think the gaps between are such a big deal.
Anyhoo - where are you going to ride this aero bike. I've ridden all over the place and times you need an extra 'top' gear - minimal.
Times I've looked down to see if I have a bottom gear left and haven't - plenty.
So I'd always go for a gear ratio lower than I was expecting to use.
If you find yourself spinning out on your top gear - it's probably you that needs to be trained to rev faster and not new gears bought.
It's not really about 'spinning out' on 50x11. I have a 50x11 and it's when you want a good cadence to suit your own preferences with sufficient resistance to really hammer it in sprints and, possibly get a good chainline.
I would say there are times when in a chaingang when we're smashing it and I want a heavy enough gear to keep rolling along and I want to turn my legs more slowly when in the draft to give them a break! 50x12 has definitely been insufficient at times.
That said, if you mostly ride solo, then 50x12 is probably fine.