General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double? Rss Feed  
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2008-08-09 5:49 AM
in reply to: #1591478

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?

PennState - 2008-08-08 10:24 PM

what is the rational to use a compact for the 99% of triathletes? I'm just curious.

I should have said IM athletes; especially if you are not talking about Florida for the bike course.  The big reason is that most athletes are going to end up pushing too hard up hills and into the wind as they run out of gears.

I think that it is a good choice for most triathletes anyway as it allows you to run a tighter cassette; someone who needs a 12-25 or 27 with a standard double can probably run an 11-21 or 12-23 pretty comfortably, lose very little (or no) top end and have fewer jumps on the cassette.

Shane



2008-08-09 6:36 AM
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2008-08-09 7:10 AM
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Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?
PennState - 2008-08-09 8:36 AM

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. Shane, I am considering going to a compact for next year (I am riding a 53/39, with 12-25 rear). I found this fine at LP, but saving my legs next year on the hills at LP is a big goal of mine. My bike split was 5:37, and my run was 3:54.... but my 1st half of the run was 1:46, then 2nd half 2:07.... maybe a compact would help save my legs a little more?

What are your thoughts Shane?

Fred,

I think the big question you should consider is whether you were running out of gears on the climbs - obviously at LP you spent a great deal of time going up and if you had to regularly use your 39-25, then there were probably times that you probably could have benefited from an easier gear. I think that for many a compact can provide the opportunity to save their legs (definitely doesn't ensure that it will happen though) for the run.  You could accomplish a similar result with a 27 but, as I mentioned before, I prefer tighter cassettes as there are fewer jumps in the number of teeth.

Good luck next year, hope you have an even more successful (and better weather) day for your second IM.

Shane

2008-08-09 10:05 AM
in reply to: #1589656

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Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?

You are not "saving your legs" by dropping gearing.  That's hogwash.

You want to know why you had such a big variance in your run splits??  You went a little bit too hard on the bike and you pushed the first half too hard on the run.  All you have to do is look at your two separate bike laps to see that.  There is a big disparity in the times for those.  You went hard on the first loop.  That is what cost you your second loop of the run.

For next year I'd work on more even paced miles on the bike (not that you did not put a lot in this year) and more even pacing off the bike.  I felt great off the bike and ran the first two miles at a very easy 8:05-ish pace ...... but it fell of pretty quickly after that.  Getting pacing right is a real puzzle and it will take a few shots before you really have a good sense of what you can really do.

2008-08-09 10:26 AM
in reply to: #1591995

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Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?
Daremo - 2008-08-09 12:05 PM

You are not "saving your legs" by dropping gearing.  That's hogwash.

You want to know why you had such a big variance in your run splits??  You went a little bit too hard on the bike and you pushed the first half too hard on the run.  All you have to do is look at your two separate bike laps to see that.  There is a big disparity in the times for those.  You went hard on the first loop.  That is what cost you your second loop of the run.

For next year I'd work on more even paced miles on the bike (not that you did not put a lot in this year) and more even pacing off the bike.  I felt great off the bike and ran the first two miles at a very easy 8:05-ish pace ...... but it fell of pretty quickly after that.  Getting pacing right is a real puzzle and it will take a few shots before you really have a good sense of what you can really do.

Rick, good post; that's what I was trying to say in my post.

I think that going with compact can help an athlete save their legs if they are pushing their 39-25 hard and are looking for another gear.  However, if the athlete is comfortable riding with a standard double and 12-25 (or 12-23 or 11-21, whatever) there is nothing magic that is going to allow them to run faster.

Also agree 100% with a positive split on the run; this could have come from going a little too hard on the bike, going too hard coming out of transition, etc.  If you have paced the bike well, it is easy to get off feeling great and then run too fast out of T2 and end up with a poor second half of the run as a result.

Shane

2008-08-09 12:17 PM
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Edited by PennState 2008-08-09 12:18 PM


2008-08-09 6:32 PM
in reply to: #1589656

Master
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Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?

When I got my first good road bike 30 years ago I rode a 52/42 with a 13-21 and was proud of it. My buddies and I used to ride up Boulder Canyon onto the Peak to Peak Highway. And were damed proud of that. Over the years I whimped out to a 52/42 13-22; 52/42 13-23; 52/39 13-23; 53/39 13-25; 53/39 13-29.

 I have probably lost sheer strength but raised my cadence. I now ride a 53/42/30 13-26 and am still proud (that I get out of bed every morning). In the end it all depends on your strengths, skills, riding style and terrain. Although I must admit it looks cooler to be on a standard double with a corn cob in the back.

 



Edited by E=H2O 2008-08-09 6:34 PM
2008-08-09 7:44 PM
in reply to: #1592014

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Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?
gsmacleod - 2008-08-09 11:26 AM

I think that going with compact can help an athlete save their legs if they are pushing their 39-25 hard and are looking for another gear.  However, if the athlete is comfortable riding with a standard double and 12-25 (or 12-23 or 11-21, whatever) there is nothing magic that is going to allow them to run faster.

Exactly right.  But my post was more directly related to Fred who I know was okay with the gearing he had and could ride it okay.  He had a faster split then me and still had easier gearing, so he did have the ability to spin a little more.

I would think you would be fine with the gearing you have Fred.  But if you feel like changing, JK rides a compact even though he doesn't really need to and is happy with it.  And so do others.  It's my feeling that you don't "need" it, but if you think it will benefit you, go for it!

2008-08-09 7:49 PM
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2008-08-10 1:09 AM
in reply to: #1589656

Expert
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Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?

This is a nice topic and I investigated around for my next bike.

First of all, take this link as a reference

http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

I started riding seriously at the end of 2007 and I have a triple with 12-27 on a Trek. I jumped quickly to some Oly races with though hill and I think that at that time, if I had no triple, I would have been out of the race for the effort.

Than an HIM with 3 hills on around 17% slope where the triple was a great solution, passing some people with aeroframe full carbon.

Now, looking to a new bike, for sure I will get the compact 50/34 with a 12/26 from SRAM.

If you compare this compact with a 11/25 or a triple with 12/27, you will see that at high speed (50-11) you will be great and on the hills (34-26) you will be very similar to the triple (30-27). I don't think you will notice the difference between 34-26 vs. 30-27.

Try on Sheldon Brown and see.

 

2008-08-10 3:50 AM
in reply to: #1589656

Extreme Veteran
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Brambleton, VA
Subject: RE: Bike gearing Double, Triple or Compact Double?
I had a triple on my road bike. Went through the same deliberation when I got my tri-bike last year. Ended up with a compact (50/34) and a 12/25 in the back. Compared to my triple, I was losing about a gear and half.

I am not a stong biker and was living in Switzerland at the time (think hills). And, I was very pleased with my choice. The double compact was a great move. One of the guys at our tri-club, who just rode at 4:40 at Roth IM, rides a compact. He believes people over gear far too often. I think you need to be putting out 9 million watts to ride a 53 / 11 at 90 rpm.

Cheers.


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