Triple or compact?

[ColinJ]

[QUOTE 2467929, member: 30090"]
Has the OP mentioned that they want to cycle up some mountains - bearing in mind that this has been posted in 'beginners'
[/quote]
He has hardly said anything at all, but he is obviously concerned about riding up steep hills or he wouldn't be asking about compacts or triples!

I use triples because:

• We have lots of very steep hills round here
• 'Compact' chainsets didn't exist when I bought my bikes
• I can get a wider range of gears with smaller steps between them using triples rather than compacts

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I have a bike with a triple and It's a good option to start with if you are not fit enough or the hills are tough.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

[QUOTE 2467877, member: 30090"]Lowest gear on a compact assuming a 34t chainring and 28t sprocket: 34/28*28=34 GI

Lowest gear on a triple assuming a 30t chainring and 28t sprocket: 30/28*28=30 GI

Going as low as you can go, a 30t chain ring and 34t sprocket: 30/34*28=24 GI

For the sake of 4 GI (or 10 GI if you want do run an MTB set up on a road bike) you'd rather have a triple and go though the hassle of installing and indexing a triple front mech and more importantly installing a medium or long cage rear mech. Do you have any idea the stigma attached to riding a bike with such a set up or how out of place a long cage rear mech looks on a road bike!

Man up, fit a compact and attack those hills! [/quote]
I dont give a f, how it looks or about stigma, look at my user name for f sake, I forgot to mention it's a 7 sp how out of fashion is that, o and it's a viking, plus I don't work so don't have any money, and as for setting them up let's face it's not rocket science is it.
Oh I nearly forgot it's currently running an acera rear mech, and a mismatch of 7 and 8sp cogs, but with the triple I can have a closer rear ratio set-up, which I can choose myself, so if I am doing some steeper hills I can change the ratios.
If you want gear ".
Here this is my current setup, due to the fact I didn't have a 21th or 19th cog

This is what i will be putting on

I have just done 6,000 miles since last June, 2,900 miles this year. 500 miles plus these last 4 months 866 last and so far 600 this, I average 30 miles every day I go out and thats 2 out of 3 days.
I am currently 16th in the group as you can see from my ticker, so where the f do you get off tell me how it should look, it works and pretty dam well for a £300 bike.
If you look at the tables you will see how well triples can work.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

i knew this would get heated when I saw the title.

As Nigel sort of says above - the bike you ride and put the miles in on is the best bike in the world. A bike just needs to be fit for purpose.

And if you need a triple and that's what gets you a) out on your bike and b) up hills, then so be it.

A modest bike, or indeed any bike, with a triple that fulfills the above is a far better bike than having an uber-bike with a 53/39 and 11/23 gathering cobwebs whilst hanging from the garage rafters.

I have no idea why triples get so much flack - the're just toothed thingys that help transfer leggy stuff to the back wheel. I'd try a technical phrase but I fear I would get a huge technical correction in a subsequent post!

Mind you, they do weigh a 100g or so more and that would slow you down so much you'd be almost going backwards.......

Nothing wrong with a triple!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

i knew this would get heated when I saw the title.


Mind you, they do weigh a 100g or so more and that would slow you down so much you'd be almost going backwards.......

Nothing wrong with a triple!

My bike weighs in at 13Kgs without any extras, like mudguards, lights, rack panniers, but I am starting to make a consistent average toward the 15mph, and 50 years old next.

 

[SWSteve]

Am I the only person who when watching pro cyclists struggle with a climb thinks 'those idiots should use a triple, would be a lot easier'

 

[HLaB]

My bike weighs in at 13Kgs without any extras, like mudguards, lights, rack panniers, .

OT, that sounds like a light version of a Viking

 

[Nigelnaturist]

[QUOTE 2468097, member: 30090"]I'm not quite sure what I've done to deserve a post with such an agressive tone TBH.

My first post imo followed a sound logic that is when you get fitter the lower triple chain ring may become redundant and is not needed.

Whilst my second post was taking the p a bit. I thought with the amount of smileys that I put in the post that this would come across in a light hearted manner.

Congrats on your current set up. I don't see where I've said what I've highlighted in bold or maybe even where it is implied.

Anyway, safe cycling[/quote]
Sorry, I don't usually get so high rate.
[QUOTE 2467877, member: 30090"]Lowest gear on a compact assuming a 34t chainring and 28t sprocket: 34/28*28=34 GI

Do you have any idea the stigma attached to riding a bike with such a set up or how out of place a long cage rear mech looks on a road bike!

Man up, fit a compact and attack those hills! [/quote]
Think it answers your question, smilies or not, your written tone appeared condescending.
I sometimes carry upto 6-7Kgs of camera kit, so those lower gears can come in handy.

Viking O.O.B. by nigelnaturist, on Flickr

 

[Nigelnaturist]

OT, that sounds like a light version of a Viking

I did see one rated at about 10Kg's earlier this year with a 105 group set, well shifters and mechs, for £479, and they had a carbon frame at something like £6-700 I think.

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/43868/Viking-Vittoria-105-Road-Bike-Sale.html

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

What's best for a newbie?

What's best is what's on the bike you like and can afford.
Tbh you'll ride to your strengths, needs and ability so either will suit you... Unless you can afford both then ditch the one that you feel doesn't suit you.

I started on a triple cos that's what I used as a teenager, in the 80's and the 90's.
I only moved ot a double cos that's how my replacement groupset upgrade was.

 

[T4tomo]

[QUOTE 2468097, member: 30090"]I'm not quite sure what I've done to deserve a post with such an agressive tone TBH.

My first post imo followed a sound logic that is when you get fitter the lower triple chain ring may become redundant and is not needed.

Whilst my second post was taking the p a bit. I thought with the amount of smileys that I put in the post that this would come across in a light hearted manner.

Congrats on your current set up. I don't see where I've said what I've highlighted in bold or maybe even where it is implied.

Anyway, safe cycling[/quote]

Sound logic except you missed the point of a triple in that generally (on a road set up) you wouldn't have a 28T sprocket - the triple lets you have a nice narrow range so you get fewer jumps as you ahve sthe wider range on you chainrings. I ride a compact, but I can see the appeal of triples.

 

[MaxInc]

Am I the only person who when watching pro cyclists struggle with a climb thinks 'those idiots should use a triple, would be a lot easier'

They are not struggeling, they are hardenining up

 

[huggy]

I have just been through this, I had decided on the bike, exactly the same bike comes with either.

Compact 50-34 with 11-30 10 speed block or Triple 50-39-30 with 11-28 10 speed block.

When you put both these into the Sheldon gain ratio calculator it shows that the range of both setups is EXACTLY the same.

I went triple because it gives me a nice set of 8 or so gears in the middle where I won't have to change chain ring. Whereas with the compact I think I would oftern feel I was on the wrong chain ring.

Additionally if I end up at the bottom of some Alp I can put a 30 or 32 cog on the back to spin up it.

 

[Chris Norton]

The range may be the same but you have smaller steps which help smoothing you out so you can keep your cadence more comfortable for YOU. Having ridden double's many years ago, I'd rather have a triple with a more compact rear cassette. Very few hills here so I only need the small stuff after riding good mile's to get to one. I'd still keep the triple. And the 100g extra weight still needs to come off my large gut before I worry about the weight. LOL!!!

Ride a few bikes and see which take's your fancy and how comfy you are.

 

[clockhammer]

Nearing the top of a 21% climb at the weekend and feeling like I was in a big gear with flat tyres when in fact I was in my smallest gear and my tyres were fine I was wishing I had opted for a triple. Not going to change though so must get stronger.

Hope the OP doesn't listen to any claims of stigma or any other testosterone fuelled nonsense, just get what feels right and enjoy it. Ride more and improve with time.