Changing from compact to double

Craig06

I've had my bike now for a couple of months and recently started cycling with a club. The guys were telling me about using the inner ring in the winter and keeping my cadence up. Now I have a 10 speed tiagra compact and its great accept I can run out of gearing on descents and don't fancy doing a double shuffle every time. So the question is what's involved in changing to a double or is it too much effort and expense?

lennymc

what kind of cadence are you spinning out at? what gearing have you on the rear? A 50/11 apparently is a longer gear than a 53/12

I changed from compact to double on one of my bikes recently, sram gxp to sram gxp,so no BB to change. Moved the derailer up a bit, readjusted and that was that.

If you are handy with tools its not a big job, you may not need specialist tools if you are not changing BB. Chainset can cost about 100 quid up (at a guess)

hope that helps!

Lumen

You can get 53/39 rings in 110BCD. I use some myself, TA I think.

Craig06

The bike in question is the 2013 Lapierre Audacio 400. Haven't a clue really about gearing ratios etc yet. Still trying to get my head around it all. I'm very mechanical minded so easy enough to change bits and pieces.

Craig06

Cassette on the rear is 12x28.

Buzwaldo

[QUOTE=I can run out of gearing on descents and don't fancy doing a double shuffle every time.

Is it just that you spin out when on the small front ring?
Shouldn't be that much of a job to change to the large ring, and if doing much hills, a compact can be useful.
Or did I mis-interpret your initial post?

Craig06

Yep that's exactly it. The small ring is only 34 and probably could do with 2 more sprockets on the cassette sometimes when using it. Don't have a problem doing hills really.

Lumen

Just stick a 38 inner chainring on.

sleepyholland

Just stick it in the big ring when descending, no?
If you switch to a compact you're still going to use both rings, so I don't see the benefit in changing for this particular issue. Unless I'm missing something?

Sorry -are you spinning out on the small ring or big ring?

feck sake lads

Craig06 wrote: »

I've had my bike now for a couple of months and recently started cycling with a club. The guys were telling me about using the inner ring in the winter and keeping my cadence up. Now I have a 10 speed tiagra compact and its great accept I can run out of gearing on descents and don't fancy doing a double shuffle every time. So the question is what's involved in changing to a double or is it too much effort and expense?

winter training you should not be spinning out of any gear ,winter training is not about speed (Reason why your spinning out)it's about getting miles in your legs building strenght stamina;)
when you start racing your going to need to change to racing gears no compact gears ,up front 53x 48 or52x39 on the rear 11 to 23 if you a slip of a lad you will need to forget the 53 use 52x39,
the TA or Stronglight rings will give you a great range of gears if you feel you need to change things up front.
good luck enjoy

petethedrummer

Question to the floor....if you are spinning out on a decent on 50x11 wouldn't you be better off just tucking up and letting gravity do the work?

The only time I've ever spun out going down hill was when trying to increase the max speed recorded on my computer. I've since binned the computer in an effort to resist engaging in this kind of stupid carry on.

Lumen

petethedrummer wrote: »

Question to the floor....if you are spinning out on a decent on 50x11 wouldn't you be better off just tucking up and letting gravity do the work?

Depends on the descent. If you're trying to go fast down a shallow descent with a tailwind you have to pedal. I've sort of spun out a 53x12 at mid 70s kph in those conditions (not in Ireland), in the sense that I felt I could use more resistance.

I prefer to keep cadence below 120rpm when going fast, which gives only 68kph on a 50x11. I think optimal aerobic power production happens well below that cadence.