Age... Compact or triple?

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by Dekonick

PM me I am looking for a triple. Square taper?

I have a square taper Chorus BB designed for a triple. No use to me so happy to let it go. PM if interested.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=230996

[jamesdak]

I just got back from a after work climbing ride. I've been using a bike setup with a Dura Ace/Ultegra 10s Triple setup. Right now it's geared 53/39/30 with a 12-30 cassette. I was glad to have that final gear when I hit a 19% grade today.

I've also got a Campy Racing Triple setup as well as several compact doubles. I honestly don't find a properly setup triple FD to be a problem.

On top of the triple/compact decision you might want to consider your actual position on the bike. I find that I like bars a little higher than normal on my climbing bike as well as a saddle that's flat with lots of room to move around on.

[NHAero]

I have both set-ups. On my old Bob Jackson I have a 10s STI 105 triple shifter set with a 12-30 cassette and a 48-36-24 triple. Shifts fine. On my Anderson, I wanted STI hydro, so that's a 2x11. 44-33 front, and for D2R2 it's got a 11-40 cassette (R8000 Ultegra RD with a Wolftooth DM link). Lowest and highest gears similar, larger jumps on the 2x11 cassette. Normally that bike wears a 12-34 cassette, fine for Martha's Vineyard's paltry hills.

My Litespeed Unicoi drop bar conversion usually has the 11-40 and DM link, 11s Shimano hydro shifters just like the Anderson, but a 42-28 front gives a 18.4 inch low gear, because that bike gets both single track and pavement mixed duty. It's set up to get all 11 cogs on the 42T chainring.

[rccardr]

Hmmmmm. Right tool for the job, as my beloved grandpa used to say.

For local rides, which are certainly hilly but not, um, mountainous, a standard 53-52/39-42 with a 12-28 works just fine. So does a compact. Hardly ever have to shift into the small ring.

For more steeply rides, a compact with 12-28 does the trick, Skyline Drive, Thunder Ridge, long relatively steep pitches, the 34-28 combo does the trick with a bailout just in case.

For truly difficult climbs, like in Southern Wisconsin or Eroica, pull out the jams: either a 50-28 ring combo with a 13/28 freewheel, or a 38-36-24 triple with a 13-32/34 cog set.

Oh, and I'm 68, so I understand about the whole age thing.

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by Dekonick

90% - but the knees HATE that 10%... That is the whole point here.

I've had three surgeries, on my left knee and two on my right. I've had back surgery as well. I pay close attention to my position and what my knees are telling me.

[Ronsonic]

Originally Posted by Dekonick

Just one of those old farts who rides mostly solo. Hills all around my house.

I have one bike with Campy 46 - 36 which works well enough for my fendered putter around bike. The 50-34 always had me at one end of the cassette or the other.

If I find myself needing a wide range I'd go triple.

Don't know how the 48-38-28 fell out of fashion. Great compromise for everything except serious racing.

[Dave]

The difference between a 50 and 46 big ring is no more than 1 sprocket on the cassette. The difference between a 36 and 34 is even less.

The new 48/32 from Campy works great with the 11-34 12 speed cassette. The low is the same as an old 28/29 on a triple. The 48/11 provides plenty of top gear. If you don't need the 11-12, don't use them. An old 10 speed 13-29 cassette wouldn't have them.

FWIW, I used a 53/39/28 triple with a 12-25 for 5 years, riding in the Colorado mountains. I finally switched to a compact crank when 11 speed came out.

[Spinner]

I switched my Serotta CIII with a DA 39-53 double 8+ years ago to 38-50 TA rings and have never regretted it.

My Chorus equipped Rambouillet has a compact crank with 36-50 rings and it works great too. However, I've known for some time that I could really benefit from a triple as I'm now 65.

In January I picked-up a NOS CIII (same size and color as my original) on this forum that had a 6503 Ultegra triple with 30-42-52 rings, 12-27 in the rear. Because of my experience with 38 and 50 rings, I immediately switched to a 26-38-48 TA configuration (thanks to Peter White Cycles). This new set-up works perfectly and the shifting is as good or better than any that I have ever used. I may switch to a 12-29 cassette before I take CIII No. 2 into the mountains.

[sfscott]

I have an essentially unused Athena triple + PT bottom bracket available (ca. 2015-2016)

Black crank arms, 170mm. PM me if interested.