Crank and rear cassette advice please?

[cyberknight]

But you live in Devon! I only cross the border from Somerset over to your patch after a full breakfast and with a 34/34 lowest gear!

Currently running 50/36 with 11/28 on the back

 

[T4tomo]

Just to throw a spanner in the works of my three regular bikes, two compact as mostly described by others and one triple.

The one I enjoy riding the most is the triple which has 52-42-30 and 11-26.

When it comes to a hilly section you have the 30 as an insurance policy but on the fast flat tailwind sections the 52 really comes into it's own. (Especially for me being a "grinder" not a "spinner")

But how many new road bikes come with a triple nowadays? sadly gone out of fashion, as for hilly area's a triple is great. good range of gears and small jumps between them.

 

[Chislenko]

But how many new road bikes come with a triple nowadays? sadly gone out of fashion, as for hilly area's a triple is great. good range of gears and small jumps between them.

Yes you are right @T4tomo .

Was reading an article yesterday about the death of the aluminium, rim braked, manual gear shift bike!!!!!!

According to the article pretty soon we will be limited to carbon, discs and electronic shifting!!!!

They quoted one wheel manufacturer as saying "We have ceased any further development on rim brake wheels"

Personally I am glad I have my old bikes but you can see spares becoming more and more of an issue 😟

 

[vickster]

Spa probably still sell road bikes with triples

 

[T4tomo]

Yes you are right @T4tomo .

Was reading an article yesterday about the death of the aluminium, rim braked, manual gear shift bike!!!!!!

According to the article pretty soon we will be limited to carbon, discs and electronic shifting!!!!

They quoted one wheel manufacturer as saying "We have ceased any further development on rim brake wheels"

Personally I am glad I have my old bikes but you can see spares becoming more and more of an issue 😟

I read that too!

Might be a bit OTT, and I don't really see the lack of Alu frames as an issue, as there are carbon frames as cheap alu anyway. But dearth of new bikes of rim brakes - and the integrated shifters to run them - is an issue. If electronic shifting become cheap then great, if not paying a premium for something that doesn't need electonic-ifying is a issue.

I can see myself reverting to bar end friction shifters and drilled weinmann brake levers on a 20teens carbon frame if my mechanical Ultegra fails and becomes un-replaceable. Maybe its The Celeste god telling me i should have forked out the extra for Campag Chorus on my Bianchi n the first place!

@vickster - spa sell touring bikes, not road bikes

 

[vickster]

I read that too!

Might be a bit OTT, and I don't really see the lack of Alu frames as an issue, as there are carbon frames as cheap alu anyway. But dearth of new bikes of rim brakes - and the integrated shifters to run them - is an issue. If electronic shifting become cheap then great, if not paying a premium for something that doesn't need electonic-ifying is a issue.

I can see myself reverting to bar end friction shifters and drilled weinmann brake levers on a 20teens carbon frame if my mechanical Ultegra fails and becomes un-replaceable. Maybe its The Celeste god telling me i should have forked out the extra for Campag Chorus on my Bianchi n the first place!

@vickster - spa sell touring bikes, not road bikes

They sell audax and sportive bikes too…those are for the road (as are touring bikes)
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s223p0/Bikes/Audax-and-Sportive
My AR1 isn’t a tourer specifically as an example

Granted they don't sell carbon aero race bikes but that may not be what the OP wants
@Sloth what do you actually mean by a 'proper road bike'?