Compact or triple on my new bike?

[philinmerthyr]

I've decided to test ride the 2012 BMC streetracer SR01 105. It's on offer at £999 a saving of £300.

My dilemma is should I go for the compact or triple chain set. I live 3 miles from the Brecon Beacons so hills will be a day to day occurrence. I am currently 130kg so getting myself up the hills is a challenge.

I am using cycling to loose weight and am working towards the London 100 next August where I ave a guaranteed charity place. I have been riding 80 miles per week on my mountain bike. This will be my first road bike.

I'm leaning towards the triple. The shop has one due in for me to test ride this week but would like some advice on the pros and cons of triple v compact.

 

[Dayvo]

Given your location and CURRENT weight, then a triple is the only sensible option. Grinding heavily uphill in the wrong gear could seriously bugger up your knees, not to say confidence and enjoyment.

The n+1 will hit you sooner or later, then you can go for a compact, once you are more accomplished up hills and a tad lighter.

Good luck and enjoy yourself.

 

[numbnuts]

I live 3 miles from the Brecon Beacons so hills will be a day to day occurrence

you have answered your own question it has to be a triple it is there if you should need it

 

[Alun]

In your situation (and mine) triple, every time !
What's not to like about them?

 

[Sittingduck]

I'm going to buck the trend and advise on a compact, with a 11-28 cassette. Low gear is around 30 inches, if I recall correctly and will get you up most things. You will spend less time shifting the front mech and it's nice and simple. I find triples annoying.

 

[PaulSecteur]

I would say tripple too.

If you loose weight and find you prefer a compact then second hand left shifters (or ex display) seem to come up, and so do compact chainsets.

But at you weight definatly the tripple, unless you are 130kg of muscle!

 

[Peteaud]

Triple

 

[jowwy]

Livin not far from the beacons i say triple too

Just like i have on both bikes.

 

[yello]

triple

 

[Hacienda71]

I have a triple and a compact and live on the edge of the Pennines. If buying new now I would opt for a triple or a standard double. I just don't like the jump changing from large to small on the compact.

 

[ACS]

Triple and when the granny ring goes starts to go rusty, n+1 with a compact set up.

 

[boydj]

I'm going to buck the trend and advise on a compact, with a 11-28 cassette. Low gear is around 30 inches, if I recall correctly and will get you up most things. You will spend less time shifting the front mech and it's nice and simple. I find triples annoying.

Hilly country - definitely a triple.

I have both triple and compact. I disagree with the above in that with the triple, I probably do most of my riding in the middle ring, and that's mostly staying away from the bottom two and top two cogs at the rear, so very few chainring switches. With a standard 50-34 compact, I found I was constantly switching chainrings and having to double-shift at the rear at the same time to maintain a reasonable rhythm. I switched my compact to 48-36, with a 12-28 cassette and that has cut down on the front switches significantly, but has compromised hill-climbing a bit - and it's pretty hilly round here too.

 

[Eribiste]

I've got to thank philinmerthyr for starting this thread off. I'm pondering a change of bicycle from the shopping trolley to a hot road bike, and I've been wondering time and time again about the choice of triple or compact. The replies coming in are really helpful, thanks to all you contributors and your wide experience.

 

[Peteaud]

To throw another spanner in, my compacts got a Deore rear mech with a 12-32 cassette (same as SRAM Apex). It suits my style of riding but it was not a brand new bike and has been adapted for what i want. (Giant Defy 2 2010).

My everyday bike is a triple and i rarely use the granny ring but i know its there if i need it.

 

[raindog]

I have both triple and compact. I disagree with the above in that with the triple, I probably do most of my riding in the middle ring, and that's mostly staying away from the bottom two and top two cogs at the rear, so very few chainring switches. With a standard 50-34 compact, I found I was constantly switching chainrings and having to double-shift at the rear at the same time to maintain a reasonable rhythm.

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