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From compact to standart or a smaller cog in the cassette?

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alitogata

alitogata

Oct 20, 2012
285
0
0
I had a conversation with a friend of mine today, and he told me that he is thinking seriously to change his roadie's compact crankset ( with a 11/25 cassette) to a standard ( perhaps with a 12/27 cassette).

He is 25 years old, he lives in Crete ( this is important ) and he complains that 50/34 compact with 11/25 cassette doesn't give him enough speed in flats while the 34 inner ring is to low for the climbs.

I advised him to get a 50/36 compact crankest and keep his 11/25 cassette as he rides all over Crete, which is not what we would call the "ultimate flat place". But then he told me that he finds compacts 50x11 not enough fast for the flats as well!! :rolleyes::D

I told him that this is not possible as 50x11 is a speedier gear ratio, if someone pedals at about 100 rpm ( and even better if he can pedal faster) from a standard's 53x12 gear ratio with the same cadence, and though standard has the advantage to allow slower pedaling speeds, is not that good as it makes pedaling stiffer in total, for the place and the distances he wants to ride of course. ( I don't know if I wrote this properly.. Hope you got the idea). In other words I'm against the change to standard as I find the inner 39 ring too wide for Crete's terrains while the standarts 53x12 will not make him that faster if he isn't strong enough to have the same cadence that has with 50x11..

What is your opinion? Should he change from compact to standard? Or change just the inner ring of his compact to one with 36 teeth or perhaps find a even smaller cog for his cassette ( btw do 10 or 9 teeth cogs exist? ) to take out of his mind that he is not able to ride fast enough in flats? :)
 
fatsprintking

fatsprintking

Jul 15, 2010
420
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50x11 is 119.6 gear inches or 56.9 kph @100rpm
53x12 is 116.2 55.3 kph
53x11 is 126.8 60.3

39x 27 is 38 18kph
34x 25 is 35.8 17kph

There are plenty of things to spend your money on in life, but in this case it is hard to see what real advantage you are going to get!! 36 innner would mean that you are pretty much the same as 39 x 27 so if he is really not using his 25 on the compact this could be a good move.

Really though it seems like a change for the sake of change rather than getting any real benefit.

I am a big guy who is happy to push the big gears, but even racing I have never felt the need for 53 x 11, but each to their own.
 
H

Hawkwood

Feb 28, 2010
1,661
0
0
alitogata said:
I had a conversation with a friend of mine today, and he told me that he is thinking seriously to change his roadie's compact crankset ( with a 11/25 cassette) to a standard ( perhaps with a 12/27 cassette).

He is 25 years old, he lives in Crete ( this is important ) and he complains that 50/34 compact with 11/25 cassette doesn't give him enough speed in flats while the 34 inner ring is to low for the climbs.

I advised him to get a 50/36 compact crankest and keep his 11/25 cassette as he rides all over Crete, which is not what we would call the "ultimate flat place". But then he told me that he finds compacts 50x11 not enough fast for the flats as well!! :rolleyes::D

I told him that this is not possible as 50x11 is a speedier gear ratio, if someone pedals at about 100 rpm ( and even better if he can pedal faster) from a standard's 53x12 gear ratio with the same cadence, and though standard has the advantage to allow slower pedaling speeds, is not that good as it makes pedaling stiffer in total, for the place and the distances he wants to ride of course. ( I don't know if I wrote this properly.. Hope you got the idea). In other words I'm against the change to standard as I find the inner 39 ring too wide for Crete's terrains while the standarts 53x12 will not make him that faster if he isn't strong enough to have the same cadence that has with 50x11..

What is your opinion? Should he change from compact to standard? Or change just the inner ring of his compact to one with 36 teeth or perhaps find a even smaller cog for his cassette ( btw do 10 or 9 teeth cogs exist? ) to take out of his mind that he is not able to ride fast enough in flats? :)
Click to expand...

50x11 not fast enough on the flats? Has he thought about joining a pro team?
 
alitogata

alitogata

Oct 20, 2012
285
0
0
fatsprintking said:
50x11 is 119.6 gear inches or 56.9 kph @100rpm
53x12 is 116.2 55.3 kph
53x11 is 126.8 60.3

39x 27 is 38 18kph
34x 25 is 35.8 17kph

There are plenty of things to spend your money on in life, but in this case it is hard to see what real advantage you are going to get!! 36 innner would mean that you are pretty much the same as 39 x 27 so if he is really not using his 25 on the compact this could be a good move.

Really though it seems like a change for the sake of change rather than getting any real benefit.

I am a big guy who is happy to push the big gears, but even racing I have never felt the need for 53 x 11, but each to their own.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the immediate response.. Yes I agree with you about the change for the sake of the change..

Hawkwood said:
50x11 not fast enough on the flats? Has he thought about joining a pro team?
Click to expand...

He is indeed that good but here things are not so well organized regarding competitive cycling. He is racing in a team but I don't know which are his chances to be noticed and have an offer from a pro team..

But I think that the best thing he can do for the moment is to be careful and avoid any injuries.
 
W

winkybiker

Jun 30, 2012
1,306
4
10,485
My preference is not to ride a compact unless a low-low gear is absolutely needed. I just don't like the big ratio gap between the large and small chainrings. But that's just me....
 
Aapjes

Aapjes

Apr 20, 2009
382
2
9,285
winkybiker said:
My preference is not to ride a compact unless a low-low gear is absolutely needed. I just don't like the big ratio gap between the large and small chainrings. But that's just me....
Click to expand...

It is easy to put a 36/39 chainring on there. I ride 50/39 normally (flat terrain) and switch to 50/34 when I go on holiday to the hills/mountains. Compact is great for its flexibility.
 
ustabe

ustabe

Jan 13, 2010
491
0
0
winkybiker said:
My preference is not to ride a compact unless a low-low gear is absolutely needed. I just don't like the big ratio gap between the large and small chainrings. But that's just me....
Click to expand...

Hear hear! I don't like it either, but at my age with these hills around me, I'm learning to live with it. Still, if I ever wear out these rings, I'll replace them with a 60-36 Praxis set.

If you're racing at any level besides masters, standard cranks are best.
 
durianrider

durianrider

Mar 14, 2010
812
14
10,010
Do you need a compact crank? Easy. If your cadence drops below 80 on your main climbs then you do.

Majority the fastest climbers in the world use compact, often with a 32 on the rear so their cadence is in the peak power range.

Since using compact the only guys that out climb me are literally guys that can hold 6w/kg for over 10 mins. Im at 5.8w/kg currently.

Get a power meter and you will know for sure what is the best cadence for you. Those without a power meter are just guessing.
 
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