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Compact Cranks
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phog
Jul 2, 09 17:41
Post #1 of 39 (848 views)
Compact Cranks
Can't Post
I know this has been discussed here (more than once) but here goes.
Has anyone got an opinion about whether a compact crank is worth a try.
I'm an AG'er with a slightly better than 30klick average on a hilly course 37+ on a flat course (33 IM ave. on a flat course). But at 6'0"+ and above 180 lbs, the hills eat me alive. And don't say lose weight, I already did. I'm doing Muskoka 70.3 in the Fall and there's nothing flat there, except the water. So yes I will be lighter by then, but not younger.
Anyone got information, an opinion?
QRNub
Jul 2, 09 17:53
Post #2 of 39 (833 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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If you need lower gearing, they're great. If you're not going into your lowest gears with a normal 53/39, you won't use the lower gears a compact offers. I have them on my road bike because I too, suffer on hills. They offer the lower gearing of a triple (or close to it), without the draw backs of a triple. If you go to an 11 tooth rear in place of the usual 12, you actually gain a bit in the highest gear as well. Shifting from the small front gear to the large is a little rougher than "normal" set-ups I've ridden because it's a 16 tooth difference rather than 14.
As an aside, the name compact cranks is misleading. The cranks are the same as "normal" cranks, just the bolt pattern is smaller allowing for smaller front cogs. Some people think you get shorter cranks along with the smaller gears.
rroof
Jul 2, 09 18:38
Post #3 of 39 (787 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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Get 'em
Most people are WAY overgeared on their bikes
____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD
jime
Jul 2, 09 18:42
Post #4 of 39 (782 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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What's a click?
That's what they said on the show "Combat" with Vic Morrow, right? He would say, "I think the Krauts are a few clicks down the road." Great show.
CC's are good if you want to spin a little faster than the average bear. I do and I like mine. I can stay seated on a lot of hills I see people standing up on.
android
Jul 2, 09 18:48
Post #5 of 39 (776 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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I'm roughly the same stats as you. 6'1" and 180lbs. I've got a compact crank on one of my bikes and standards on the rest. Going up hill is hard. Going uphill in a 39x25 is equally as hard as going uphill in a 36x23. Climb more and you'll get better at it. Drop down to 170 or 175 and it will still be hard, you'll just go 1 or 2mph faster.
Going up hills is hard. That's my opinion.
blossom
Jul 2, 09 19:33
Post #6 of 39 (732 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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If the hills 'eat you alive' I can't imagine why you haven't already switched to a compact. When I went from a triple to a compact double, I only lost one gear at the top and one at the bottom. If you'll be racing on hills steeper than 6 or 7 percent, I would highly recommend giving it a shot.
mtlrunner
Jul 2, 09 19:58
Post #7 of 39 (706 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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get them. Muskoka is no joke and you'll be happy to spin while the other dudes are grinding in the "tough guy" 53x11's.
Just make sure you get your chain length right, you'll need to chop a few links. If not, your shifting will be major poo poo.
Shaner
Jul 2, 09 20:12
Post #8 of 39 (691 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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what the fuck is a 30click?
phog
Jul 2, 09 20:16
Post #9 of 39 (688 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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Thanks for the input, I have a feeling the CC's will help.
For the Vic Morrow fan, you and I must be in the same AG, see you on the hills.
hgrong
Jul 2, 09 20:20
Post #10 of 39 (681 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [Shaner]
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Click=military slang for km
I assume he means 30 km/h average.
skavoovie
Jul 2, 09 20:30
Post #11 of 39 (670 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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I say change your cassette for the race instead. The compact crank gives you two extra easy gears, right? Put a 27 on the back.
I don't like the idea of switching to a compact crank just because in my experience it has made me weaker. I run a standard crank on my tri bike but decided to go compact for my road bike because everyone raves about them. Spent about a month riding the road bike exclusively, and then when I came back to my tri bike I found out I couldn't climb anymore. It was like I atrophied, because I had gotten used to always going to a very easy gear on hills.
Cassettes are less permanent than cranks, so I think you'll have less of a chance to become sucky if you just switch the cassette when you really need it, rather than running a compact crank longterm. Unless you just swap the compact on for that race and then take it off when you're done. Then it's basically the same thing. Well, a cassette would be cheaper too...
BMAN
Jul 2, 09 22:01
Post #12 of 39 (643 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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Get them. The nice thing is that you can play even more with your gearing than you can with standard cranks. If you need something smaller for climbing like a 36 you can still have a 52 for your big ring. If you need smaller then you can go with a 34 and a 50 which still gets you down the hill but you just have to coast a little sooner than you do with standard cranks. I find that in a triathlon, I can pretty much stay in my 50 the whole time where as before I might have to drop down to the little ring for a few sections when using a standard crank. Cassettes are good to have as well.
Compact cranks will not make you slower. They will just give you a bit more options to get up the hill easier and save your legs for what really matters.
Aero & Light is Right
SLC 2.0
KEAU
Jul 3, 09 1:41
Post #13 of 39 (620 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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Try them.
Get a 52/38 combo with an extra 50/34 combo.
Rotorbike.com makes a 50t aero ring as well.
The rear use a 12/27 or 11/26.
Stay tucked and enjoy an aero Muskoka.
Konovalovas 7:2,53-91s
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ShoMyOFace
Jul 3, 09 4:23
Post #14 of 39 (591 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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Get one.........
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...;;page=unread#unread
“I’m thinking I might take that new chick from logistics. If things go well, I might be showing her my “O” face…..you know what I’m talking about………” - Drew “Office Space”
plainsrider
Jul 3, 09 5:26
Post #15 of 39 (558 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [skavoovie]
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In Reply To:
I say change your cassette for the race instead. The compact crank gives you two extra easy gears, right? Put a 27 on the back.
I don't like the idea of switching to a compact crank just because in my experience it has made me weaker. I run a standard crank on my tri bike but decided to go compact for my road bike because everyone raves about them. Spent about a month riding the road bike exclusively, and then when I came back to my tri bike I found out I couldn't climb anymore. It was like I atrophied, because I had gotten used to always going to a very easy gear on hills.
Cassettes are less permanent than cranks, so I think you'll have less of a chance to become sucky if you just switch the cassette when you really need it, rather than running a compact crank longterm. Unless you just swap the compact on for that race and then take it off when you're done. Then it's basically the same thing. Well, a cassette would be cheaper too...
I agree with this. I have a standard crank on my TT bike, and a compact (50/34) on my new road bike. I'm still not sold on the compact (although I did appreciate it when I rode the Ironhorse in Durango!). Then again, it kind of depends on what your typical terrain is--mountains and lots of hills, then you might really like the compact.
pharding
Jul 3, 09 5:43
Post #16 of 39 (546 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [plainsrider]
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Based upon what the original poster is describing I would get the compact crank. I think that compact cranks work well for the average older tri-athlete when encountering hills with very little trade-off. I really like my compact cranks.
09 Cervelo P3
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10 Stevens Carbon Team
(This post was
edited
by pharding on Jul 3, 09 7:11)
JollyRogers
Jul 3, 09 5:55
Post #17 of 39 (537 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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I run compact cranks on road and tri bikes. In addition having lower gears available, the spacing between gears is smaller so it's easier to achieve a desired cadence.
50x11 or 50x12 are both decent sized gears and larger than what I could lay my hands on as a roadie in college.
lidsterl
Jul 3, 09 6:33
Post #18 of 39 (509 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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I tried a CC 52/36 with a SRAM 11-26 for IMWI last year and it was a great choice. I find that I have enough range that I use it for all course types.
I prefer the CC now that I've tried it, best of luck.
jsquared
Jul 3, 09 6:49
Post #19 of 39 (500 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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In reply to
]
Can't Post
In Reply To:
I know this has been discussed here (more than once) but here goes.
Has anyone got an opinion about whether a compact crank is worth a try.
I'm an AG'er with a slightly better than 30klick average on a hilly course 37+ on a flat course (33 IM ave. on a flat course). But at 6'0"+ and above 180 lbs, the hills eat me alive. And don't say lose weight, I already did. I'm doing Muskoka 70.3 in the Fall and there's nothing flat there, except the water. So yes I will be lighter by then, but not younger.
Anyone got information, an opinion?
Bit the bullet on my new bike and went to compact cranks changing from a DA 53/39 with a 12/21 9spd cassette to a Sram 50/36 with an 11/23 10spd cassette. Caveat: also dropped to 172.5 from 175s. It's only been 2 weeks but I'm really starting to like the compacts and lo and behold, I've become more of a spinner instead of being a bit of a grinder. It may be more due to the crank length but I used to only average 82-85 rpms on my CT rides and my last few rides have been in the 90-92 rpm range. These old legs are feeling better post ride than they used to and my power, which has been dropping lately with the onset of summer, seems to be be back up. I have noticed my HR seems to be up a beat or two for comparable rides of distance & wattage so overall my body might be working slightly harder but the difference in my legs is plenty worth it. There's a training race tomorrow with a 20 mile bike leg so even though it's early in the game (actually about 11 days) I should get a fair test of how I'm doing with them. I did a sprint last weekend with only 2 days on the bike and was shit but I had some positioning issues and had never had the bike on the roads (only had it on the CT). After the race I did some positioning work and things have looked up the last 4 rides.
JJ
A Cake???
I don't even have the ingredients for the batter right now!
P2SLowry
Jul 3, 09 7:44
Post #20 of 39 (478 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [JollyRogers]
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Quote:
In addition having lower gears available,
the spacing between gears is smaller so it's easier to achieve a desired cadence.
Bingo! (apologies to Fleck)
To me, this is the best reason to go compact.
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jackmott
Jul 3, 09 7:46
Post #21 of 39 (474 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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]
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well
you do still have another 20lbs you can lose
=)
In Reply To:
I know this has been discussed here (more than once) but here goes.
Has anyone got an opinion about whether a compact crank is worth a try.
I'm an AG'er with a slightly better than 30klick average on a hilly course 37+ on a flat course (33 IM ave. on a flat course). But at 6'0"+ and above 180 lbs, the hills eat me alive. And don't say lose weight, I already did. I'm doing Muskoka 70.3 in the Fall and there's nothing flat there, except the water. So yes I will be lighter by then, but not younger.
Anyone got information, an opinion?
----
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tjs
Jul 3, 09 7:46
Post #22 of 39 (474 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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I am the same stats as you ---well at least when I am at race weight :). Any ways--I made the change last year and never looked back. I have rode (std cranks) near 5:00 on a course like Florida and 5:30 or less on a tough course like IMWI. 2:2x type rider on a 1/2 IM course and a 57 min or so 40k course during an olympic distance race. All followed up with good runs of course :). Any ways- switched from standard to compact on my road and tri bikes and am glad I did. I even run a 12x27 cassette on the back for good measure :). This set up works absolutely perfectly for me for 1/2 IM's and above. IF I was serious about any short course races (I am not), then I would probably have to go back to standard cranks for these races. As it turns out the compact cranks and the 12/27 work really well for me. Rarely do I ever need to get into the small chain ring but it's nice knowing it is there. 99 percent of the time on the big chain ring with the chain right in the middle of the cassette. Seems ideal to me. Like I said, I am glad I made the switch and have no plans to ever go back to standard cranks. I am no where near running out of gearing yet. BTW- Most of the riding I do is almost entirely flat and I don't miss the extra 3 teeth on the front at all. When I do get to the hills this set up pays off in a huge way. Hope this helps.
Scott Herrick
Jul 3, 09 11:22
Post #23 of 39 (416 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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I had my bike converted to CC earlier this year due to hills everywhere here and it has made a huge difference--well recommended. One downside is that on fvery ast descents, I do run out of gears to use, but I can live with that.
Scott
---------------------
Zurich, Switzerland
www.scottherrick.com
FatandSlow
Jul 3, 09 12:03
Post #24 of 39 (403 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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I'm about the same height and weight as you, 53 and a roadie. I have standard cranks on the TT bike, but only because I switched them off one of my road bikes. I've owned every chainring combination for compact cranks of which I'm aware.
Changing a cassette is definitely the less expensive way to go, but it yields bigger differences between gears, making it harder for you to use your optimal cadence.
A 52x38 isn't much different than a 53x39 and I used this combination last year. It's not worth it. I'm using 50x36 with 11x23 on both road bikes now and rarley have need of the 23. If hills are your demise, consider 50x36 with an 11x25 cassette. The advantages over a standard crank with a 12x27 are: higher gears, lower gears, fewer overlapped gears, no 3 tooth jumps, and marginally less weight. Disadvantages are none. Unless you're a UCI pro needing a 53x11 to hit the speeds that they hit, there's almost no reason not to use compact cranks.
In addition to the race team, I ride with a social group, too. I convinced a lady in the group to get compacts. Some of the older, stronger men told her not to. "You'll lose power." She hangs with them on the flats and drops them on the hills now.
For the poster claiming that using compacts weakened him, that sounds more like climbing in too easy a gear. htfu.
TriBodyboarder
Jul 3, 09 12:16
Post #25 of 39 (392 views)
Re: Compact Cranks [phog]
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Another vote for compacts. I have a 50/34 in front and 12/27 in back. Lots of hills where I live. Works very well for me.
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