Standard or compact?

[Lee_M]

compact. unless you're racing who cares if you run out of gears going downhill, take advantage of gravity; going up hills its always better to have something in reserve.

me? I live in North Wales so sport a compact and a 12-32!

 

[mjr]

Another vote for 52/36.

Makes very little difference if you only ride in Norfolk then as there are no hills. But I would still say compact foe when you holiday in Yorkshire or the Alps

Go do a few reps of Beacon Hill then say it's flat. OK, it's no Alps, but it ain't flat.

Now, Cambridgeshire, on the other hand...

 

[Shortandcrisp]

Another vote for 52/36.

Go do a few reps of Beacon Hill then say it's flat. OK, it's no Alps, but it ain't flat.

Now, Cambridgeshire, on the other hand...

This is true. North Norfolk isn't flat. There are some really steep climbs, Beacon Hill included, the only difference being that they tend not to go on for very long!

My last purchase had a standard 11 speed standard Rotar crankset. Couldn't really get on with it and was forever having to change from the big to the smaller ring, but each to his own.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Can be fruststrating if bang in the middle caught between the big and small rings.

Not sure what you mean by this. There's a large overlap between the gears available on the two chainwheels.
Whether 53-39, 52-36 or 50-34, for 'normal' cyclists, unlikely an 11t sprocket is useful so 12-28 is better, or 12-25 if only flat terrain.
Have a play with this gear calculator.

 

[clid61]

compact. unless you're racing who cares if you run out of gears going downhill, take advantage of gravity; going up hills its always better to have something in reserve.

me? I live in North Wales so sport a compact and a 12-32!

Compact and 12 34 here in Lancashire, hardly use the 34 but thereof I need it

 

[mjr]

I probably should have mentioned that I have 14-28 on the back with my 52/36 front.

 

[T4tomo]

I probably should have mentioned that I have 14-28 on the back with my 52/36 front.

So you're not 11 speed then or even 10 with that cassette I guess