Thinking of moving back to 53/39 from 50/34

[Andywinds]

Since I moved to the compact I have got a lot more fitter and have lost some weight. I don't really use the lowest couple of gears now. My cassette is 28-11
If I had a new bike I would opt for the semi-compact.
My only question is, how is the big jump from 34/28 to 39/28 going to feel. Probably a daft question!! But has anyone done this back? It's a 12.5% jump.

 

[Sharky]

Study the gear tables
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

A 39x28 is going be between a 34x24 & 34x25

 

[Sharky]

I got fed up with my compact, finding the gears too low on the 34 and too high on the 50, so forever changing up then down on the front and rear. I solved this by getting rid of both chain rings and switching to a single 40T narrow/wide ring. Now a single click moves up or down without any hassle.

 

[Andywinds]

Or get a cassette that finishes at 25?

I like the idea of the 53T for the flats and some downhills.

 

[Andywinds]

Study the gear tables
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

A 39x28 is going be between a 34x24 & 34x25

Thanks for the link, very useful. I was here quite a lot in the climbs. There are a couple of climbs here where I would drop to 34/28 in the past. so I will try these in 34/24 and see how it feels.

 

[Andywinds]

I got fed up with my compact, finding the gears too low on the 34 and too high on the 50, so forever changing up then down on the front and rear. I solved this by getting rid of both chain rings and switching to a single 40T narrow/wide ring. Now a single click moves up or down without any hassle.

The only problem for me is that I would be spinning more on the flats.

 

[Sharky]

The only problem for me is that I would be spinning more on the flats.

My top on this bike is 40x11, which gives a 95" gear. This is in racing territory and I've raced (time trials) using smaller gears than this.
Spinning on the flats can be beneficial as well.

 

[Hacienda71]

I have a 53:39 double that I run a 11-32 with if doing a very hilly ride. The latest Shimano long cage rear mech and Sram allow this. I never liked the massive drop from a 50 to 34 on a compact. On a flatter ride I will quite often run a 11-25 with the double.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

My crash damaged bike has 38/50 and a 13 - 26 cassette. I call it my compact gearing. I find myself using the big ring a lot more and on a typical ride don't really spin out much.

Whilst I ponder on how/whether to repair it, I have been riding my old race bike. This has 53/39 and a 12-23 cassette. I am in the small ring more but that seems to suit my short legs, spinning action. When in the big ring, the feeble pipe cleaners that pass as legs certainly don't need to worry about spinning out the high gears!

Hills are such around here that I can get away with that cassette and rarely if ever use first gear even when on my "Let's go to Shropshire and ride some hills' routes.

Terrain I think would be the limiting factor. I did a ride around Hereford where my pulse/breathing were fine but I just couldn't get the pedals around!

Being an old git, I do think the bigger rings/short rear mech is a lot more visually appealing. I often wonder when I do finally order the titanium dream machine, what gearing it will have.

A final thought, isn't there a 36/52 configuration readily available?

 

[Andywinds]

My crash damaged bike has 38/50 and a 13 - 26 cassette. I call it my compact gearing. I find myself using the big ring a lot more and on a typical ride don't really spin out much.

Whilst I ponder on how/whether to repair it, I have been riding my old race bike. This has 53/39 and a 12-23 cassette. I am in the small ring more but that seems to suit my short legs, spinning action. When in the big ring, the feeble pipe cleaners that pass as legs certainly don't need to worry about spinning out the high gears!

Hills are such around here that I can get away with that cassette and rarely if ever use first gear even when on my "Let's go to Shropshire and ride some hills' routes.

Terrain I think would be the limiting factor. I did a ride around Hereford where my pulse/breathing were fine but I just couldn't get the pedals around!

Being an old git, I do think the bigger rings/short rear mech is a lot more visually appealing. I often wonder when I do finally order the titanium dream machine, what gearing it will have.

A final thought, isn't there a 36/52 configuration readily available?

View attachment 365473

Yes there is a 36/52, but I've still got the original 53/39 that came with the bike, and the 12/25 cassette. I might try this again in a week or so and see how it goes.

 

[Hacienda71]

You are limited by the bcd of the chainset you have. If it is a double 130 bcd your smallest inner ring is a 38t iirc. Anything smaller would require a 110 bcd compact crank.

 

[MacB]

Shame that triples are so out of fashion a 30/42/52 would answer a lot

 

[FishFright]

50/36 is a nice combination, it's those extra two teeth that make all the difference.

 

[HLaB]

@Andywinds have you thought about a semi compact. I used to cycle one before I was advised to go compact a 38/52 and I've just ordered a more middle ground 36/52. The new 4 bolt double I believe let you have the same cranks but fit all a 34/50, a 36/52 and a 39/53.

 

[Lozz360]

The only problem for me is that I would be spinning more on the flats.

At 50 x 11 and a cadence of 100-rpm you would be doing about 36-mph. Not bad going on the flats! And that's too slow for you?