change a triple to compact
- Thread starter yello
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brockers
Senior Member
Sorry, but I've got to pull you up on that one! 'Top' riders tend to ride 53/39 these days (and have done for the last fifteen years), but I've met plenty who train and race on compacts - as I used to (50x11 is a bigger gear than 53x12 yadda yadda. Bear in mind that juniors are limited to around 46x14, and a good one can still whup the bottom of an adult in the same race). There's some bloke called David Millar who trains on a compact too. You can run 34/48 at the front if you're worried about constantly changing rings (still gives 108'' top gear), meaning you'll be in the big ring pretty much all of the time.
e-rider
crappy member
50x11 is exactly the same gear as 53x12!
the whole argument about compacts being crap has nothing to do with the 50T ring - it's all about the completely pointless 34T ring. Unless you live in the Alps; what's the point?
I've changed a Campag 9 speed triple to a compact and what I needed to change was the chainset and the bottom bracket (and move the changer down a bit). The existing changer and lever worked fine with both set ups.
(Actually I could have got away with keeping the 115.5mm BB but the chainline was much better with the 111.0mm unit.)
(Actually I could have got away with keeping the 115.5mm BB but the chainline was much better with the 111.0mm unit.)
raindog
er.....
How do you set-up and adjust the triple changer for a double? Just block it at either end with the stop screws?
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
Thank you for the comprehensive reply. It actually sounds like it's a sight easier than I thought to cobble something together. Gearing would probably be wrong to begin with, I have a 12-25 block which would probably leave me short of a climbing gear, but it's none-the-less worth having a go just to satisfy my curiosity. I'll have to have a look at ebay etc to see if there's a campag 50/34 of some description.
Cheers for that, helps greatly as it's my situation exactly.
Tim Bennet.
Entirely Average Member
Don't do it - it's a downgrade in every way.
Yes. Just moved the limit screws and reclamped the cable when it was all set up.
zigzag
Veteran
gears, tyres, saddles, pedals etc. are personal choice, not sure if anyone can tell/advise you what suits you better. you are an experienced rider and know which gears you tend to use and what you like or don't like about them. in my view the most suitable gears for wide audience would be something like 42/30 in the front and 11-28 in the back. i wonder if those bikes would be easier or harder to sell. i often see bikes (usually hybrid) parked with their big ring squeaky clean while the middle one is worn and oily.
after lots of experiments and calculations my personal choice is single ring in the front for simplicity, reliability and linear gear change. i much prefer bigger steps between the gears as it means less shifting, and i can't be asked to shift too often. i still need to shift twice when climbing seated/standing.
for non-racers the right choice of gears is not about speed, but about convenience i.e. "is the shifting smooth and flawless", "is the drivetrain quiet in all your preferred combinations", "have you ever had a chainsuck", "do steep hills defeat you" etc. (racer would only care "if this bike allows to go as fast as i possibly can")
so, getting back to Yello's question - i'd say leave a triple as it is or build a custom gearing from scratch.
p.s. and don't listen to Aperitif about my fitness or mental state - how can he know?
after lots of experiments and calculations my personal choice is single ring in the front for simplicity, reliability and linear gear change. i much prefer bigger steps between the gears as it means less shifting, and i can't be asked to shift too often. i still need to shift twice when climbing seated/standing.
for non-racers the right choice of gears is not about speed, but about convenience i.e. "is the shifting smooth and flawless", "is the drivetrain quiet in all your preferred combinations", "have you ever had a chainsuck", "do steep hills defeat you" etc. (racer would only care "if this bike allows to go as fast as i possibly can")
so, getting back to Yello's question - i'd say leave a triple as it is or build a custom gearing from scratch.
p.s. and don't listen to Aperitif about my fitness or mental state - how can he know?
if your running 50x11, then the gaps between sprockets are going to be big, unless the largest is 21 or 23, which is fine if you're david millar…
hondated
Guru
Another vote for a triple. I had thought about doing what you intend but even though I am no mathmatician I worked out that I would not have a " get out of jail gear/s" so I never bothered. I would love to look cool and ride a compact but then a) I would rather ride hills however slowly than walk and B) I have never been cool in my life.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
There's nothing nicer, when travelling fast, than a close ratio block (or cassette for you younger members) so that a click up or down fine-tunes your cadence. I wouldn't put a wide ratio cassette on anything but a commuting/shopping hack or an mtb. And a huge jump between outer and inner rings is equally discombobulating. So, for me, it's a standard double for road, and a standard double plus granny for touring/audax/long distance.
says it all really…
