53 39 chain set
Discussion
SILICONEKID350HP said:
Being a novice i like my compact what ever that is ,there are loads of hills where i live ! thanks
Will the rear cassette be the same on both bikes .
Impossible to say. *Generally* what cassette is fitted is largely independent of the chain set: it's down to rider/manufacturer preference.Will the rear cassette be the same on both bikes .
If you like your compact, stick with it
<old fart mode>
Thank god the general shift has been away from the 42/52 13-21 combo of my youth. I'm sure that was pretty much solely responsible for most of the knee problems of today. Hell, 39 25 sounds positively blissful. My time trial bike had a 48 17 bottom gear (57 12 top) and even my winter bike had 42 24.
</old fart mode>
I think, so long as you can keep a smooth cadence on the long hills you ride regularly, the you're ok. Take ego out of it, how many people honestly need a 53 11 or even a 53 12 top gear?
Thank god the general shift has been away from the 42/52 13-21 combo of my youth. I'm sure that was pretty much solely responsible for most of the knee problems of today. Hell, 39 25 sounds positively blissful. My time trial bike had a 48 17 bottom gear (57 12 top) and even my winter bike had 42 24.
</old fart mode>
I think, so long as you can keep a smooth cadence on the long hills you ride regularly, the you're ok. Take ego out of it, how many people honestly need a 53 11 or even a 53 12 top gear?
I'm happily riding on the road with my cyclo-cross gearing of 46-36 upfront and 11-26 at the back, perfect for when the road points up, and not that bad when it points down, would want a higher gear for road racing, but for training especially this time of year it's more than enough.
SILICONEKID350HP said:
Which is higher geared the 12 25 or 11-26 is that a 18 speed?
12-25 has a lower final gear, higher first gear, and closer ratios in between as a result.11-26 has a higher final gear, lower top gear, and more widely spaced ratios in between.
re. no. of speeds...who knows?! Could be anything!
I guess it also depends on your appetite for speed! Spinning out on a 11t cassette regardless of chainring is going to see a rider hitting 40+ mph, so unless they are comfortable and confident at that speed then 11t v 12t becomes kind of academic.
I would suggest that a lot of of the standard vs compact comes down to the rider, and their style of riding. Personally both of my road bikes are fitted with standard cranks and 11-25 cassettes and have never found them crippling on climbs - although that said I live in the Thames Valley so only really ride the Chilterns, Surrey Hills and South Downs - so if you live in Yorks your local rides might be a tad more hilly. I would say that you would be fine with a standard, and if you find that you are struggling with hilly bits swap the cassette out for a 12-27, which would give you roughly the same spread as you have at the moment.
Oh, also - real men ride standards......
I would suggest that a lot of of the standard vs compact comes down to the rider, and their style of riding. Personally both of my road bikes are fitted with standard cranks and 11-25 cassettes and have never found them crippling on climbs - although that said I live in the Thames Valley so only really ride the Chilterns, Surrey Hills and South Downs - so if you live in Yorks your local rides might be a tad more hilly. I would say that you would be fine with a standard, and if you find that you are struggling with hilly bits swap the cassette out for a 12-27, which would give you roughly the same spread as you have at the moment.
Oh, also - real men ride standards......
Go here and have some fun...
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
I use a compact chainset and occasionally spin out on my club run - 12-25 cassette. Thinking of trying a double with 12-27 in the summer, only problem is the number of 20% climbs I ride most weeks.
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
I use a compact chainset and occasionally spin out on my club run - 12-25 cassette. Thinking of trying a double with 12-27 in the summer, only problem is the number of 20% climbs I ride most weeks.
mudshark said:
Go here and have some fun...
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
I use a compact chainset and occasionally spin out on my club run - 12-25 cassette. Thinking of trying a double with 12-27 in the summer, only problem is the number of 20% climbs I ride most weeks.
Beat me to it, I was just googling for this article!!!http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
I use a compact chainset and occasionally spin out on my club run - 12-25 cassette. Thinking of trying a double with 12-27 in the summer, only problem is the number of 20% climbs I ride most weeks.
To the OP, I would say - buy the bike and don't worry too much. If the gearing doesn't work out for you it isn't an expensive exercise to change the rear cassette. It rather depends if you ride somewhere fairy flat, or hilly, and what level you're riding at. For most purposes you probably won't notice, and you can mostly set up either to give the range you want.
For that matter, it's quite possible (not guaranteed) that you can simply swap the chainsets between the bikes and have compact on the new one.. Would need to know details of both bikes to find that out.
Compact (50/34) is often paired with 11-25; that gives a pretty big range, but bigger gaps between gears. I personally found the gaps a bit big / annoying, but you can get rear cassettes that go as big as 27 or 28, and still work OK with a normal short cage rear mech (from memory I have a 27-12 on one wheel, and a 24-12 on my deep 'race' wheel)
Personally I've gone the other way from compact to std 53/39. My biggest complaint(s) with compact were the big gap in gearing between the front rings, and that I generally finished up spending a lot of time in an awkward (near) cross chained combos, which I avoid on a 53/39 setup. Much of that could be mitigated by going to 50/36 compact tho.
For that matter, it's quite possible (not guaranteed) that you can simply swap the chainsets between the bikes and have compact on the new one.. Would need to know details of both bikes to find that out.
Compact (50/34) is often paired with 11-25; that gives a pretty big range, but bigger gaps between gears. I personally found the gaps a bit big / annoying, but you can get rear cassettes that go as big as 27 or 28, and still work OK with a normal short cage rear mech (from memory I have a 27-12 on one wheel, and a 24-12 on my deep 'race' wheel)
Personally I've gone the other way from compact to std 53/39. My biggest complaint(s) with compact were the big gap in gearing between the front rings, and that I generally finished up spending a lot of time in an awkward (near) cross chained combos, which I avoid on a 53/39 setup. Much of that could be mitigated by going to 50/36 compact tho.
Edited by upsidedownmark on Thursday 21st February 13:14
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