Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Just out of interest, technically what is the definition of a "compact" and how is it different from just a "double"? Is it just a double with a particularly small BCD so you can put a smaller little ring on it?
Fair criticisms of compact chainsets?
- Thread starter MrWill
- Start date
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It's all marketing and profits!
Sad to be seeing the triples are being phased out.
They don't make the money off of them that they do with the other stuff. With a triple you have everything covered. No more money needs to be spent. They reached triple chainset and shifting perfection.
People who have a standard double, often require a hill cassette, or even some choose to have another bike. More ££ for Shimano
People with compacts mess about changing things. More evident now with shimanos decision to have swappable rings in all sizes on the new doubles. Lots buying the 36 ring. Then another cassette and so one. More ££ for Shimano.
Have the triple back on. It's perfection! Everything is covered simply and easily. HI, mid, low range with close ratio cassette. Ace.
Sad to be seeing the triples are being phased out.
They don't make the money off of them that they do with the other stuff. With a triple you have everything covered. No more money needs to be spent. They reached triple chainset and shifting perfection.
People who have a standard double, often require a hill cassette, or even some choose to have another bike. More ££ for Shimano
People with compacts mess about changing things. More evident now with shimanos decision to have swappable rings in all sizes on the new doubles. Lots buying the 36 ring. Then another cassette and so one. More ££ for Shimano.
Have the triple back on. It's perfection! Everything is covered simply and easily. HI, mid, low range with close ratio cassette. Ace.
Yes, but now the new Shimano groupsets (105 up) have the same BCD so chainrings can be mix and matched.
Compact 34/50
Semi compact 36/52 ( Newest money spin)
Double 39/52
I'm getting further into the fog regarding this gearing crap.
I like the look of the new 11spd 105 but browsing the gear selections, they seem a bit off. Is a 11-28 with a 39/50 chain set not the best option really? You can't get it. It's either compact with silly low bottom gear, or straight out tt gearing.
I might actually buy the 50/34 with 11-28 and swap the 34 ring to a 36 or 39, for a new bike.
I like the look of the new 11spd 105 but browsing the gear selections, they seem a bit off. Is a 11-28 with a 39/50 chain set not the best option really? You can't get it. It's either compact with silly low bottom gear, or straight out tt gearing.
I might actually buy the 50/34 with 11-28 and swap the 34 ring to a 36 or 39, for a new bike.
AlanW
Guru
- Location
- Not to sure?
Once upon a time I viewed compact chain sets (on paper that is) as the way to go but couldn't pluck up the courage to buy one as I read so many differing stories about how good / bad they were. After all why should I change, I have been riding for more years than I care to recall and was more than happy with my normal chainset (39/52) and a close ratio cassette (10sp 12/25)
On three of my bikes I have normal 39/52 chainsets and another bike fitted with a triple, std 30/39/52 chain rings. All the bikes have the same 10sp 12/25 cassette ratio. Its also fair to point out that I like a close ratio cassette and any more than three teeth jump upsets my cadence as I am more of a slogger than a spinner.
Anyway a couple of years ago Merlin were selling Ultegra compacts at a price that was to good not to miss, so I bought one. I have to say that it was love at first sight and I instantly felt at home with it, to the point that with a few weeks I had compacts fitted to all my bikes, apart from the bike that has the triple! Furthermore I maintained the same 12/25 cassette ratios, but its also fair to say that I am a fairly strong rider so spend most of the time on the 50 ring so the 34 is very rarely used. That said, I did also buy a 10sp 12/28 cassette which I utilize on Audax events, which is okay if you can handle the larger jumps in teeth towards the bottom end.
In truth, as I see it, then unless you are racing I cannot see any point what so ever in having a 11T sprocket, to me it just acts as a spacer for the amount of times that it is used. Much better to have say a 17T mid range that will be used most of the time, but each to their own I guess.
Would I recommend a compact chainset, yes I would certainly recommend it, but fully understand that it might not suit everyone.
As for my triple equipped bike, would I change that for a compact chainset.......no NEVER! No matter how you look at it and heavens knows trust me I have tried, you simply cannot get the really low ratios while maintaining a close ratio cassette. Another example, if I need to go lower when riding with panniers, using the same 12/25 cassette, I will swap the 30T inner ring for a 28T In fact since riding with the compacts on my other bikes, I have now replaced the 52T outer ring on the triple for a 50T as its a more useful and constructive ratio.
So in summary, different things suit different people as everyone requirements and personal abilities differ, I love the compact but would not be without the triple!
On three of my bikes I have normal 39/52 chainsets and another bike fitted with a triple, std 30/39/52 chain rings. All the bikes have the same 10sp 12/25 cassette ratio. Its also fair to point out that I like a close ratio cassette and any more than three teeth jump upsets my cadence as I am more of a slogger than a spinner.
Anyway a couple of years ago Merlin were selling Ultegra compacts at a price that was to good not to miss, so I bought one. I have to say that it was love at first sight and I instantly felt at home with it, to the point that with a few weeks I had compacts fitted to all my bikes, apart from the bike that has the triple! Furthermore I maintained the same 12/25 cassette ratios, but its also fair to say that I am a fairly strong rider so spend most of the time on the 50 ring so the 34 is very rarely used. That said, I did also buy a 10sp 12/28 cassette which I utilize on Audax events, which is okay if you can handle the larger jumps in teeth towards the bottom end.
In truth, as I see it, then unless you are racing I cannot see any point what so ever in having a 11T sprocket, to me it just acts as a spacer for the amount of times that it is used. Much better to have say a 17T mid range that will be used most of the time, but each to their own I guess.
Would I recommend a compact chainset, yes I would certainly recommend it, but fully understand that it might not suit everyone.
As for my triple equipped bike, would I change that for a compact chainset.......no NEVER! No matter how you look at it and heavens knows trust me I have tried, you simply cannot get the really low ratios while maintaining a close ratio cassette. Another example, if I need to go lower when riding with panniers, using the same 12/25 cassette, I will swap the 30T inner ring for a 28T In fact since riding with the compacts on my other bikes, I have now replaced the 52T outer ring on the triple for a 50T as its a more useful and constructive ratio.
So in summary, different things suit different people as everyone requirements and personal abilities differ, I love the compact but would not be without the triple!
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Various definitions I like the one that's a double chainring with 30% or larger difference between chainrings. This way a 30/44 chainring setup is compact but a 30/40 setup is a double. A 'classical' double is generally considered 39 or 42/53.
They are dropping the triples from groupsets one by one. No longer can get one on 105, and was dropped from Ultegra recently.
