Happiness is 34/48

Swapped 39/52 and 13/23 for 36/48 and 12/23. It's good.

Same high gear, lower low, nice size big ring. And it all weighs
less. And when I swap to 10 spd shortly I'll have 36/48 and 11/23
for the same top gear I normally race on (52x12) but keeping the
same nice low.

Just seems to work nicely when riding - keep it in the big ring most
of the time and spin nicely up the steep stuff.

Oh, and the TA Vega Light I bought has got some waaaay pimpy gold
coloured chainring bolts. Bling bling!

So, at least for me, this new "compact" trend is a good thing and
not just a pointless marketing exercise.

Ok, it's not earthshattering but it keeps me happy

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

"Arthur Clune" wrote in message ...
Swapped 39/52 and 13/23 for 36/48 and 12/23. It's good.

Same high gear, lower low, nice size big ring. And it all weighs
less. And when I swap to 10 spd shortly I'll have 36/48 and 11/23
for the same top gear I normally race on (52x12) but keeping the
same nice low.


I'll probably have to go along the same route when I finally pluck up
the courage to tackle the serious stuff on my road bike. I can't see
me doing it with a 39/52. (They've beaten me before I've started!)

--
Simon M.

Arthur Clune wrote:
Swapped 39/52 and 13/23 for 36/48 and 12/23. It's good.
Same high gear, lower low, nice size big ring. And it all weighs less.
And when I swap to 10 spd shortly I'll have
36/48 and 11/23 for the same top gear I normally race on (52x12) but
keeping the same nice low.
Just seems to work nicely when riding - keep it in the big ring most of
the time and spin nicely up the steep stuff.
Oh, and the TA Vega Light I bought has got some waaaay pimpy gold
coloured chainring bolts. Bling bling!
So, at least for me, this new "compact" trend is a good thing and not
just a pointless marketing exercise.
Ok, it's not earthshattering but it keeps me happy
Arthur
--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org/http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Hi Arthur, I'm a newbie to road bikes and finding it a bit tough o
39/23 up here in the Lothians, some short but sharp hills.Do th
"compact" chainrings raise issues with chain length / front mech. I
this a better way to go than to stick with 53/39 chainrings and gettin
a 13-29 cassette do you think ?, How much does the chainset option cos
by the way as the new cassette can be got for £16


-

toerag wrote:
Hi Arthur, I'm a newbie to road bikes and finding it a bit tough on
39/23 up here in the Lothians, some short but sharp hills.Do the
"compact" chainrings raise issues with chain length / front mech.

A link or two could possibly be removed if using a smaller big ring,
otherwise no change to chain length required. Standard road double front
mech should be ok (the rings aren't /that/ much smaller).
You might have to be extra careful about avoiding the small-small
gears if using a particularly small inner ring, with a large outer ring,
with a short cage rear mech.
A different BB might be required, depending on make/model of new
cranks.

Is this a better way to go than to stick with 53/39 chainrings and
getting a 13-29 cassette do you think ?

It comes down to personal preference/suitability. You have to decide what
range you want (do the sums) and what jumps between gears are acceptable.

Personally, after using a compact double for years, I now prefer triple
chainsets. Lots of low gears, high gears and medium gears! Most
usefully, the good chain angle from the middle ring means you can stay on
it most of the time, and use the smaller, closer-spaced rear sprockets at
the end without having to worry about cross-over.

Note: A longer chain may be required if using larger rear sprockets with
existing chainrings. With anything, chain needs to be long enough for the
big-big. (Even if you don't intend to deliberately use that gear, you
might accidentally ram it in one day).

~PB

Pete Biggs wrote:

: A link or two could possibly be removed if using a smaller big ring,

You will need to do this, at least if going from a 52 to a 48. Might
get away with it with a 50. With a 34 inner you'll need a shorter chain
though to avoid the small-small combo being too slack for the mech
to handle. A couple of links shorter is easy to do though.

Standard front mech works fine. I found I needed to tweak it carefully
to deal with the gap between small and big ring since a normal road
mech is curved to fit a larger ring. Not a serious problem though - just
requires car.

: Is this a better way to go than to stick with 53/39 chainrings and
: getting a 13-29 cassette do you think ?

It depends. If you are already on Campag 10 speed then just going 13-29
is cheaper (especially if you just stick with a short cage rear mech
which will work with the 13-29).

: Personally, after using a compact double for years, I now prefer triple
: chainsets. Lots of low gears, high gears and medium gears! Most
: usefully, the good chain angle from the middle ring means you can stay on
: it most of the time, and use the smaller, closer-spaced rear sprockets at
: the end without having to worry about cross-over.

Or, to look at it the other way, using my 34/48 I can just spend all day
in the 48

Arthur "the big ring is for crusing"

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

"Arthur Clune" wrote in message ...

Or, to look at it the other way, using my 34/48 I can just spend all day
in the 48

I've found this, too; whilst rebuilding my road bike (at long last),
the only chainset I had to hand was a 39/48 Campag I'd previously used
for 'cross. For gentler and/or shorter hills that can be tackled in
the big ring, a 48 seems to make a world of difference compared to the
53 I used to ride on the road, but without affecting speed downhill or
on the flat. You do find yourself pedalling at fractionally higher
revs in the latter instances, but it helps to develop a more fluid
pedalling style.

David E. Belcher

Arthur Clune wrote:
Swapped 39/52 and 13/23 for 36/48 and 12/23. It's good.
Same high gear, lower low, nice size big ring. And it all weighs less.
And when I swap to 10 spd shortly I'll have
36/48 and 11/23 for the same top gear I normally race on (52x12) but
keeping the same nice low.
Just seems to work nicely when riding - keep it in the big ring most of
the time and spin nicely up the steep stuff.
Oh, and the TA Vega Light I bought has got some waaaay pimpy gold
coloured chainring bolts. Bling bling!
So, at least for me, this new "compact" trend is a good thing and not
just a pointless marketing exercise.
Ok, it's not earthshattering but it keeps me happy
Arthur
--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org/http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook


I don't know..there's just something ethereal about hammering along in
53/12..it seems right..totally classi


-

crystal_tears_ wrote:

: I don't know..there's just something ethereal about hammering along in a
: 53/12..it seems right..totally classic

Yeah, but personally I need a decent sized downhill to do that. And
I'm not that slow.


--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook