New DA Compact

[LONE RIDER]

Not. I was hoping that Shimano would size their new carbon DA crankset for compact chain rings but I guess I will have to wait another year. So...has anyone seen the compact Shimano R700 everyman's crankset or whatever it is and can you tell me if the finish is as good as the DA? Will it look out of place on an otherwise DA group? Next question, given the aftermarket compact cranks out there what would you recommend. Reason? as I age I can't achieve the same cadence on the local climbs as I could when I was younger (when you have a 20yr history on the same passes it is disheartening knowing what you used to do) and I am just not damn ready for a TRIPLE! Any help from you guys is appreciated.

Legend Ti until I die.

[tiger]

I have the R700 on one bike, and Ultegra or DA triples on the others.

The finish of the R700 is exactly like Ultegra. Not as dark silvery blue as DA. It looks fine. In fact, not once when I have been riding have I checked to see how it looks, so it must just blend in!

I tried the octalink version of a FSA carbon compact crankset a few years ago. Shifted poorly. The Shimano shifts as well as any Shimano crankset, i.e. pretty darn good.

I shift a lot more on a compact than a triple, owing to the size jump between the rings (mine is 50/34). On the triples (53/39/30), I rarely use the granny, it's a bail out gear for me when I hit a 20% grade or at the end of a tough ride when I'm sucking wind and my legs are bereft of A,T or P - or all three.

It's much cheaper to buy a compact crankset than to buy a new triple brifter, FD, RD, and a longer chain. So you might want to start with a compact. I will say that the "I can't be seen riding a triple" attitude wears off quickly once you have one and learn to appreciate it. I know when I show up at group rides and look at other bikes the presence or absence of a triple has no predictive value about how good a rider someone is. (I am routinely trounced by all iterations of cranksets!).

[stevep]

now the new ultegra sl compact is available. it is a gray finish unlike prior ultegra.
if you want a silver compact you might want to get to it as i think they are not going to continue with this. i believe the SL version is what they will make ongoing. i think it looks fine w/ da....( but im not that fussy about this stuff...)
its a useful product if you ride a lot in hilly terrain and it will more or less do the duty of a triple... but as noted it can be tough to use a 34t on most rides so you will shift more often in the front then you are used to. it is probably somewhat key to be sure that you adjust the cassette to properly utilize the chainset.

[PaMtbRider]

I just received my Co-motion Nor'wester co-pilot with an Ultegra compact. I originally ordered the R700 but when I picked up the bike it had what looked exactly like an R700 but has the Ultegra name on it. FWIW it shifts and looks fine to me.

[Dave B]

Zipp has a new crank external bb and so forth. They might have a compact. It is probably wicked expensive, but it is neat.

[Steve Hampsten]

so why oh why can shimano not bring themselves to produce a dura ace compact?

not racey enough?

no market?

what does it take?

[Grant McLean]

so why oh why can shimano not bring themselves to produce a dura ace compact?


they have that engineer working on putting the cables underneath the tape,
and don't want to disturb him until he's finished.... :)

g

[mschol17]

they have that engineer working on putting the cables underneath the tape,
and don't want to disturb him until he's finished.... :)

g


Post of the day!

[Dave B]

Post of the day!


+1

In the immortal words of Vanilla Ice...."Word to your Muttha!"

[rwsaunders]

I'm used to a triple on my other bikes, but the compact seems to shift fine. Here's a comparison of finishes on my bike with a DA front der and the R700.

[Grant McLean]

I'm used to a triple on my other bikes, but the compact seems to shift fine. Here's a comparison of finishes on my bike with a DA front der and the R700.

The R7 is a great crank. People shouldn't be so hung up on designer labels! :)

g

[Tobias]

I am just not damn ready for a TRIPLE! Any help from you guys is appreciated.I'd use a larger cassette until I WAS ready for the triple.
A triple has better gearing and offers more future flexibility.
I'd start out with the triple and small cassette.
As I aged more I'd go to a larger cassette again.
And if very lucky, I'd end up with a 24 chainring and 34T on back by age 96.

You did say you plan to keep the Legend Ti until you die, right? Might as well plan far ahead just in case. ;)

[Moosedryvr]

I'd love to see a DA compact from an aesthetic point of view (and to appease the few corpuscles of WW blood still in my veins), but the R700 is a great product from a functional point of view. I've ridden several other compacts (mostly FSA) and nothing comes close to shifting as well as the R700 (except for the R600 I have on another bike). Fugly, yes (it actually looks pretty good on a beadblasted Moots frame), but oh so functional. Gotta' luv those Shimano engineers!

Shawn G

[LONE RIDER]

Thanks to everyone. The responses tell me what I need to know. The reason why I love this site so much is that it's like talking to my buds "who cares what it looks like, will YOU like the ride better", "you know, if you put a triple on we'll give you so much sh*&.......oh, go for it and tell us how it is (read: I'm not so sure I wouldn't like one too). I checked out the Ultegra SL compact, its got quality written all over it and this is probably what I'll go with. It was good to learn that several of you commented on the poor shifting on the after market cranksets, smooth shifting is key and can make or break a ride.

[FierteTi52]

The R 700 is a great product. I have them on my Kirk and on my Mudpig with D/A for the other components. The look fine with the D/A and the cranks shift great.
Jeff

[Spinner]

... or TA rings on DA cranks.

I have TA rings (50 & 38) on my DA 9-speed and they shift better than DA. I also have Cospea (50 & 36) grouped with my Chorus 9-speed set-up and it shifts beautifully too.

[Ray]

I replaced the big ring with a 46 tooth TA ring. Shifting is better (only a 12 tooth jump) and I prefer the looks of a less bulky chainring even with that massive crankarm.

-Ray