Racing on a compact chainset

ba

Guys, have been tempted to upgrade my training bike from compact chainset to 53x39 chainset. Would love to buy a dedicated race bike but for the moment the training bike will have to double as my racing rig. Is it foolish to think I could race and/or compete on a 50x34? My largest sprocket is a 12...?!

ford2600

ba wrote: »

Guys, have been tempted to upgrade my training bike from compact chainset to 53x39 chainset. Would love to buy a dedicated race bike but for the moment the training bike will have to double as my racing rig. Is it foolish to think I could race and/or compete on a 50x34? My largest sprocket is a 12...?!

Spinning @100 will get you to 52km/h in 50/12

thekooman

id say 30% of lads race on compacts...its not the Tour de France! i've a 50x11 and there aren't too many times id use the 11.
where a 53 might come in handy is on downhill sections in TT's and the likes where you might spin out.

couerdelion

The juniors seem to do alright on restricted gearing but not sure how that compares to a compact.

Seweryn

ford2600 wrote: »

Spinning @100 will get you to 52km/h in 50/12

That says it all.

But if that is not enough for you, just keep your cranks and install larger chainrings, say 52/36T. Or better even - spin faster (easier to do with shorter cranks).

Welshkev

I started last year on a compact and changed to a standard after a while - made a big difference. In theory you should be fine (just spinning faster) but for whatever reason I found it helped me having a standard.

ba

Good thinking. If I were to order a 52T chainring what should i get for an inner chainring? I imagine the drop from a 52/53 to a 34 won't work...?

Craig06

I race in a compact and don't need anymore. The only think I would want is a 39 inner ring as I find having to do a major switch in gears in a climb and the 34 if almost useless in a race

Cee-Jay-Cee

52/36 is considered semi compact and may suit your needs rather than going for a full standard chainset. A 11/28 cassette then leaves you very close to both full compact and standard in the highest and lowest gears.

niceonetom

Easier and probably cheaper just to use a cassette with an 11t cog. I raced on 50/34 x 11-23 for a while. The range in perfect though front shifting does require a bit more care than on a standard.

Seweryn

ba wrote: »

Good thinking. If I were to order a 52T chainring what should i get for an inner chainring? I imagine the drop from a 52/53 to a 34 won't work...?

I suggested 52/36T and that would be just fine. Make sure to order the chainrings with 110mm BCD, or whatever your crankset takes.

RobFowl

ford2600 wrote: »

Spinning @100 will get you to 52km/h in 50/12

I race the IVCA ones mainly but have a max speed of 60-70 ish in every one I've done...

ba

Seweryn wrote: »

I suggested 52/36T and that would be just fine. Make sure to order the chainrings with 110mm BCD, or whatever your crankset takes.

Think I will go this route. Thanks very much.

dave_o_brien

50/11 is bigger than 53/12. Only benefit to a standard is better front shifting. A semit compact, with a 16t differential, will not address this.

I'd stick to the compact and get an 11-23 or 25 cassette.

dave_o_brien

dave_o_brien wrote: »

50/11 is bigger than 53/12. Only benefit to a standard is better front shifting. A semit compact, with a 16t differential, will not address this.

I'd stick to the compact and get an 11-23 or 25 cassette.

Noob question:

Can the 12 tooth cog be swapped out for an 11 without replacing the whole cassette?

Borderfox

if you go with the newer versions of the shimano chainsets they are flexibile enough to use full gearing 52-53/39-42 and the compact variety on the same bcd.

Many moons ago when I raced I used 53/39 and the block was 11-25 except for racing in the IOM where I went up to a 54 front ring because of the smooth roads.

dave_o_brien

ronoc wrote: »

Noob question:

Can the 12 tooth cog be swapped out for an 11 without replacing the whole cassette?

In theory yes.

In practice, first off, a jump from 11 to 13 would be a massive percentage increase for your mech. Wouldn't be great shifting. Secondly, where would you find an 11t separate from the rest of a cassette?!

Seweryn

ronoc wrote: »

Noob question:

Can the 12 tooth cog be swapped out for an 11 without replacing the whole cassette?

It depends, but rather not. First of all, you will most likely need a different lock nut for the cassette. Secondly, you should replace the second last cog with a 12T cog rather than 13T, and the third last one with a 13T cog rather than 14T... etc.
Replacing a complete cassette may be just easier .

brasshead

Raced this season (mainly IVCA and club league) on a compact - only struggled a bit on some of the faster downhill sections but still managed over 62km in a number of races, and didn't feel any great disadvantage.

I will, however, be changing to a 53/39 with 25-11 cassette next year as like some of the other posters, I find the drop from 50 to 34 too extreme.

I also much prefer the range which a 39 gives for everyday riding and training; with a 34 I tend to have to spin at 100+ to maintain any decent speed, and I find I'm often grinding with the 50 when there's a bit of headwind or drag.

killalanerr

RobFowl wrote: »

I race the IVCA ones mainly but have a max speed of 60-70 ish in every one I've done...

Show off ,

Hi Ho

ba wrote: »

Guys, have been tempted to upgrade my training bike from compact chainset to 53x39 chainset. Would love to buy a dedicated race bike but for the moment the training bike will have to double as my racing rig. Is it foolish to think I could race and/or compete on a 50x34? My largest sprocket is a 12...?!

I think it depends at what level you are racing. As a rule of thumb I'd suggest:
A4 - compact ok with a 38 inner ring (and a 27 at the back for training and casual cycling)
A3 - mid compact
Above that - 'normal' - ie 53 front.
The 11 sprocket is an option but starting with a 12 reduces the gap between gears.

Craig06

Compact with 38 inner ring?

niceonetom

Hi Ho wrote: »

A4 - compact ok with a 38 inner ring (and a 27 at the back for training and casual cycling)
A3 - mid compact
Above that - 'normal' - ie 53 front.

I'm quite impressed by the specificity of this nonsense.

DirkVoodoo

niceonetom wrote: »

I'm quite impressed by the specificity of this nonsense.

Maybe it's like weight classes in boxing, y'know like compacts are "featherweight gears"...

The only thing I like about a double, as others have said, is that the front shifting is smoother/nicer. But if you're on a compact, for most races you probably won't need to touch the front mech!

I'd start looking at other areas to blame race performances on before I blame the gears. A compact is fine. A standard double is also fine. Switching from a compact to a standard will not suddenly make you more competitive.

Puggy

What about 52/36, I've noticed this on some new bikes. Is anyone running it.

I've got a compact with 11/25 at the moment, and find I spin out on the small ring.

Craig06

Puggy wrote: »

What about 52/36, I've noticed this on some new bikes. Is anyone running it.

I've got a compact with 11/25 at the moment, and find I spin out on the small ring.

That's why you have a big ring.

Hi Ho

Craig06 wrote: »

Compact with 38 inner ring?

I found it a good option for racing. Not such a big jump from the standard 34? To the 50

Hi Ho

niceonetom wrote: »

I'm quite impressed by the specificity of this nonsense.

If you are calling a post nonsense you might quote it all, and not just a select bit taken out of context. EG I also said "it depends" and "I suggest", neither of which fall under the term 'specificity'.

niceonetom

Hi Ho wrote: »

you might quote it all

Or I might not.

Hi Ho wrote: »

EG I also said "it depends" and "I suggest", neither of which fall under the term 'specificity'.

You did "suggest" some madly specific things though.

pedro_colnago

Hi Ho wrote: »

I think it depends at what level you are racing. As a rule of thumb I'd suggest:
A4 - compact ok with a 38 inner ring (and a 27 at the back for training and casual cycling)
A3 - mid compact
Above that - 'normal' - ie 53 front.
The 11 sprocket is an option but starting with a 12 reduces the gap between gears.

On what do u base that on????
Thats complete hogwash!!

Hi Ho

pedro_colnago wrote: »

On what do u base that on????
Thats complete hogwash!!

It's just what I see working for myself and some guys (well, not above A3 for me).
I presume it's ok to say that his choice will depend at what level he's racing at (A1 will be different to A4 etc)?
I raced A4 and A3 on the setup I described and am just giving my experience to the poster. This worked for me, so it isn't hogwash for me at least.
Seriously, after that, which parts of it do you think are hogwash (as a rough option to for the original poster)? I'm interested to know. But I don't want to get into a slagging match about it and won't insult your opinion.

pedro_colnago

Hi Ho wrote: »

It's just what I see working for some guys.
I presume it's ok to say that his choice will depend at what level he's racing at (A1 will be different to A4 etc)?
Seriously, after that, which parts of it are hogwash (as a rough option to for the original poster)? I'm interested to know. But I don't want to get into a slagging match about it

Cant agree with what ur suggesting at all, How on earth can u advise on a chainset based on what level you are racing at? That nonsense! Every cyclist is different, every race is different. For example I don't know of anyone at any level not to mind a4 racing on a compact (not saying there isn't persons who are). Ud want to be a fair cyclist tho to be racing at any level on a 50 tooth chainset regardless of what your cassette is and not be under geared when the pace racks up (a1 to a4) especially in Ireland where most races are not exactly massively hilly. I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to go for a compact rather than a standard racing in Ireland.

ba

Yeah I'm by far an Eddie Dunbar so I got a complete 105 5800 groupset on someone's C2W scheme. Grand job.
It's a 52/36 chainset btw. Bosh.