Cycling Tips - Compact Crank VS Standard. Which is better and why?
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
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I love your videos Durian! Thanks for the motivation and info.
I train in a very hilly area. 52-36 is the best of both worlds
Thanks for posting this. For years I have thought that most riders should go with compact chain sets. Many of my cycling chums feel that standard is the way to go. What I didn't know was that many pros ride compact.
pros very seldom ride compact, its simply not true. They sometimes even throw on a 3speed before riding compact! Reason is you need the biggest gear. You can use a 30 casette, r if you truly wanna take it esy 32 even, but you still have the 53/11 if needed. One reason is the sprint, however far more important is that if you ride compact you need to be super-careful on slight descents. If you mess up you are gonn get dropped if the other guys are riding standard. Most racers know that, appearently durianrider doesnt race a whole lot...
netfischer sry but how can one mess up on slight descents with a compact?
Konstantin Kesper have you ever raced? if you are in the back of the pack holding on for dear life and you lose contact once that can be if the tempo is real high. on a steep descent you can just duck and you are fine. If you have a tailwind however or on a slight descent and the pack is going with 65+kph 50teeth is a disadvantage compared to 53 or 54. Having to put down numbers that are well above your threshold for minutes again and again really leaves you worn out. In a situation like this a missing gear can be what pushes you over the brink when the next acceleration comes around. I´ve raced with a compact crank a few times and hated it!
netfischer no I don't race don't see the point in it but good to know!
@@netfischer I like a mid compact with a 40t cassette
GREAT TIPS!! Thanks. I can't turn big rings anyway but I feel a little less whimpy riding compact! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
durianriders collection of bikes is pretty awesome
Thank you! Love your videos!!!!
Great stuff matie. Cheers.
Highly informative video thank you.
Awesome video!
Thanks for this video. Very helpful
Great video and a great finish on that race. Lenny Kravitz sang it best..."it aint over til it's over."
compact or standard is related to climb length as well as gradient
and depends upon riders fitness level
short climbs at about 6-12 % over 1-2 miles can be powered over on a 39 x19-28
longer climbs as per alps and Pyrenees require energy saving technique using high cadence e.g 34x 21-28 on 10-16% gradient
its horses for courses but the compact provides a climb disaster proof option
I have a standard crank with 12-30 cassette. I figured this option would be cheaper than getting a compact crank. My father says it's a major difference from 11-28 cassette . You can go bit faster cause you still have the standard crank but your climbing will be a bit easier cause of the 12-30 cassette.
I had a 11-28. I climbed ok with it but on16% to 18% climb I suffered all the way through. I wanted to get a 12-32 but I would have to change the rear derailleur.
But group set is only a year old with less usage for that amount of time cause where I live the winters are pretty damn brutal so I can't ride all the time and I'm limited to weekend rides cause of work.
I hope one day I can afford to upgrade to a better group set but I'm really happy with my shimano 105 5700 I got last year.
I had a triple crankset and much heavier road bike.
So, what do you think of this change for now?
I know this video is almost 3 years old ... but I started cycling in June of this year. First ever road bike is a LeMond Alpe D'huez. It came with a Shimano 105 group and the legs are 172.5mm. Where I live there are mountains EVERYWHERE! Like al around me .. not Joke... Yesterday we roud on a 17% grade hill .. it was no fun with the standars crank but still got to the top and stayed in range of everyone. I was one of the first to get to the top. So when my compact crankset finally gets home (just ordered on friday) I hope its easier to climb :) Love that dura-ace9000 crankset durian ;)
Good info. Thx.
Good video
Thank you brother for this upload. Waay back in the day I was fit as fuck, raced and rode 500 mile weeks all the damn time and only jumped back on my bike 4 years ago to train to race my dirtbike.. Bought a Specialized Tarmac but....gearing is all fucking wrong as I am 6'3 and 215lbs. I do love to climb but after posting this i'm actually going to go count my shit to see what I am actually riding 'cause I struggle whilst climbing and because my shit is all wrong I avoid climbing at all costs. Lame!!
Great video as usual. My experience with a standard double is slightly different. I'm very much a spinner and can comfortably spin 100rpm on a 54 all day. I have a 28-10 on the back if I'm going to be doing lots of climbing. There's no right or wrong here, both are good options in my opinion.
I do agree though that spinning is always the way. If you can't spin in a 54 on your local terrain then go compact for sure. Both have their place
I love the 50 cranks, only got dropped once, on a fast strait down hill with a strong tail wind, but when we came back into the windy. Up hill, I soon was glad I was on compact.
The actual reason pro cyclists use a higher cadence is so that they use more slow twitch muscles so that they work out aerobically as opposed to anaerobically so that they dont use up the glycogen stored in their muscles and can use the extra glycogen for recovery afterwards. Not because they dont want to use their upper body, even the best climbers will get out of the saddle at some point just to get up a really steep section but there is a direct positivecorrelation between power and energy.
I switched to standard (with same rear cassette) and instantly improved time for about 40 seconds over 10.5km TT. Was a bit struggling on 10% hill tho with 39x25, but it's due to my weight, which is 80kgs, now I have great motivation to shed some fat off.
Got a compact -just now I know why I am still climbing on 18 gears when I was in the past using 27 gears on my hybrid (speciallized Secteur compact sport )
Har' to the novice like me you are SO un-intimidating or as you might say, not 'fake'. Great work and great advice!
PS noted your tan today!
I'd agree, I'm excited about the upcoming 52&36 combo with an 11-32.
I live in an area that could best be deemed as "lumpy" and as my form improves I can do some easy climbs on the 50 ring.
Tour of Flanders flat?? What about the Koppenberg with 20% on the cobblestones?
One thing about the DA9000 11sp is the available 11-28 cassette. So you can run a 53/39 with an 11-28 and have the climbing gear of a standard 50/34 with an 11-25 cassette. 34/25 is the same ratio as the 39/28. Best of both worlds!
Thanks for this Harley, do you know how a Compact Crank would compare against a standard over a 10 mile time trial? - is it best to have a completely different crankset for this?
I have 2 road bikes one with standard crank 12-25t cassette, the other one compact 11-28t. For climbs more than 9% grades I like the compact set but if lived in flat states like Florida I would not want a compact crank. I seem to go faster on standard crank bit more
They asked Eddy Merckx what he thought of compact cranks. He said when he was a cyclist he didn't need them. But seriously that small inner ring is great, even back in the 60's and 70's in England some of us used TA chainsets to get that smaller inner ring.
i tried to put standard rings on my compact rival...didn't work had to build up a whole new crankset unfortunately
SRAM does 110 BCD for compacts and 130 for standards. You should be able to find 52/36 or even 52/38 semi-compact chainrings with 110 BCD, that gets you pretty close to standard gear ratios.
Thanks Harley, please can you do a lesson on power meters for beginners like me. it would be useful to know their advantages and how the pros use them to gauge attacks etc.
which cassette do you use on your climbing bike? 11-28? or even 11-30? i think for 11-13% 11-30 is better
how you obtain your optimal cadence number durianrider some says it's equal of your running cadence number but i think is not i wish to know your method
of course, you could also just get a triple crank. all the utility of a standard double, plus the small chainring for climbing.
I'll have to give it a go, I still ride a 30 year old Colnalgo (love steel bikes). The easiest it gets for me is 42X23. Base elevation is 5K feet (about 1300m) nothing but hills here. Typical ride will have 2000 to 3000 feet of climbing.
Do play with other cassette combos,will try a compact to see how it fairs got one lying in the bike bits box.
Hi man I have 50-34 compact cranck but I still can' t spin easily up the steep climbs. D you think I should put more chain rings on the back caseette or put one more at the front?
Benjamin Beckerich what's Rule V? I need to be enlightened... please... and thank you!!!
Raw VeganAdventurer I was told, it never gets easy going up hills, you get stronger! I have a compact crank and my legs look like they do in this video, but I'm not anywhere near as strong as those PRO's are. It takes several months to build-up the needed strength needed to maintain a high cadence... I'm building slowly, over time! I notice a huge difference in my ability to maintain an even pedal stroke! It's taken since the beginning of the season...
Michael Grant Rule V refers to Rule 5 of the Velominati's 'The rules' www.velominati.com/the-rules/
Rule #5//
Harden The Fuck Up.
Raw VeganAdventurer You need a bigger cassette. Get a 32 on the back, this is what DR recommends.
Gone with 36x52 four new grouppo ))
depends on where you live, in Sydney there arnt too many steep hills so I've never had the need for the compact crank
Hi! I have a compact chainset and there are short steep climbs on my usual TT route which I tackle mostly out of saddle, with a fair amount of struggling. However, on certain flat segments of the route I feel I'm out of gears (ie 50x25 is not enough) Should I switch to standard cranks or go 23 or even 21 on the rear ? Any other suggestion maybe ? Thanks.
I agree 100%
I run a compact on my road bike and my tt bike. I never run out of gear because I run the Rotor QXL 53/38 on my tt bike and the regular Rotor 50x34 on my road bike. So on my tt bike I essentially am running something like a 54-55 tooth front in the power phase and an 11 in the rear.
Of course, I'm still in recovery from being hit from behind by a truck about two months ago, broken neck, back, leg and twice on the pelvis but I'm getting better and looking to come back soon.
Compact is way too small, i ride a standard 53/39 with a 11/28 rear cassette and climb alot of steep hills in north wales and the lakes, the 39/28 is more than enough for the steeper ones such as hardknott, 33% for a bit and mow cop, 14% average.
I would only suggest a compact if your constantly in the likes of the alps. Even on contador's bike he said he rides standard chain rings unless on steep steep climbs in the likes of the giro
Jonny Freeman it will go up there but with some hard labouring and bogging down which is a more tiring way to ride. My road bike had a 30/32 for a while until I reduced the cassette to a 30 tooth as it was pushing the limits of what would fit with the back derailleur.
Love you videos and I respect your knowledge on cycling in general, mate. However, what's the verdict on what exactly makes a compact crank, anymore? When the "Compact" crank hit the market, the primary differences were the BDC 110 vs 130 and of course, the teeth count on each chainring was highly modifed from a 53 to 50 and 39 to a 34. (Lets disregard the cassette gearing for the time being) However, today, many of the compact manufacturers offer extended chainring options; I believe we now can have compact 50/34, but you can get standard 53/39 (110 BCD) and even a mid-compact 52/36 in a 110 BCD. I actually run this last combo on a FELT Z2 with a 11-32 in the rear. Are there "other" not so visible differences between a Compact and Standard crankset? Seems if I can get the same teeth count on my compact as I would on my standard and the only real difference is the BCD, what's really left? Crank arm lengths are comparable. Seems like the standard crank by definition is gone the way of the dodo.
What are your thoughts on q-rings?
My bike came with 52/36 - do you think it's worth going down to 50/34?
I switched from a standard to a compact, the difference on climbing is worth the switch. still running 11-27, as im losing weight this should be an advantage on the climbs surely?
wouldn't it matter too what length the pedal levers are???
What do you think about Q-Rings?
Do you suggest a compact crank even on a triathlon bike?
50-11 with good cadence is like 70 km/h
I have no issues pushing my 53/39 around,12/25 spin spin
Seeing Contador in that 34x32 combo doesn't make me feel bad anymore. :)
harley, how about 52/36 compact compared to 50/34 compact?
Hi buddy hope you're well and safe, do still reckon to go with 50/34 or 52/36? I have a 52/39 at the moment
I like 46/30 or 50/34
I like a 53-42 on the front.Are you sure you've raced before?
what bike is it with the sram gruppo???
i ride a standard 53/39 11/26 and i usually never go near my smallest gear on hills and i live in an area with hills at about 8% for .5 mile so i personally dont think that it makes a difference
Harley, there seems to be a number of top pros using 36x52's on steep climbs with success. You recon this crank is also the way to go?
I've been using a compact crank on my new bike for about a month now. My thoughts are if you are in the same gear ratio for both cranksets, cranking the same from pedel to rear tire, the compact crank will most surely have a smaller chainring, therefore putting more stress on the chain. It will also be on a smaller rear cog, bending the chain more, yielding shorter chain life. I also find the 50/34 = 1.47 a bigger jump than 53/39 = 1.36. This a 8.25% difference! So when the grade changes and I shift the front chainring, with the compact crank I also have to change the rear cog. Before with the 53/39, on the same course, I didn't have to.
Hi which compact crank did you buy for your bike. What was its cost?
I bought a complete bike, it was part of it. Its a Sram Red. Pretty sure this is it. www.sram.com/sram/road/products/sram-red-crankset-1 that webpage says MSRP*
USD: $451 - $489, but I sure you can find it cheaper.
phillman5
Thank you
I would agree if you live where you do any real climbing the compact is the way to go but if you live in florida like I do go with a standard, as it is I spend most of my time in the 53 and run a 93 cadence most of the time. There just aren't any long climbs here mostly just bridges.
I use a 52/39 crank and I did ventoux and alp d'huez on it no problem. I had an 11-28 on the back but I think a 52-36 is what most people should be on. The semi compact.
And what about the 52-36?
Bicycle fit is number 1. If you are not in the proper position, you cannot put power to the pedal no matter what gear you are in. If you are not in the proper position, you can only use a small portion of your leg muscle and you wear it out faster.
and at that stage dan martin was using a standard ,with cassete 11,25.
Depends what speed you will be riding it at. Id use a compact OR standard if it was on the flat. You can ride everything with a compact crank bar 80kph sprints that require a 53x11 but only a pro sprinter needs that after they get taken to the line by their lead out train.
i have 3 bikes, 2 compact 1 standard, i use a 12-30 cassette on one of the compacts and it makes a huge difference compared to the 12-25, i call the 30 cog a resting gear as it helps me rest while am still climbing and get my energy back and then sprint off, one guy i ride with was shocked to see me go past him cos last time he looked i was at the bottom and the next thing am going past him, i keep telling him its all about the resting gear, the standard one is an old 12 speed with a 28 cog which kills me.
durianriders iv been thinking about getting one, which power meter would you recommend, some are very pricey, cheapest i can get in the uk is £600!
Hey man, sorry to chime in but I need to ask someone who knows his stuff.
Can I fit a new 11-speed Shimano 105 FC-5800 Hollowtech II 50/34 crankset (which I believe has a 24mm spindle diameter) to a a Cannonade Synapse alloy bike which has BB30? If so, how? Thanks!
I don't think so. Shimano wants you to use their external bottom bracket system. Which they pioneered, and which is why the don't offer any bb30 cranks.
It's a shame you didn't race at Mt Baw Baw today.
Is it possible to have a 53*34 combo. I live in a very mountainous area with many hills that I have to climb and descend. If I could have a good cadence on the uphills and not be on the smallest cog on the downhill that would be magnificent. Thanks
Thats a big jump off the big dog. It'll probably have a hard time going back in too.
Dan Martin runs a surprisingly small cassette. 11-26, if I remember correctly.
now he rides a 30 and rides stronger. Contador rode a 32. Dan never could hold his wheel in big races.
i used to run a 50/34 but now i run a 53/39 up front and threw a 12-27 on the rear. seems to make up some of the difference in the climbs
i'd seriously love to read more of your experience about this 'difference' you mentioned.
EjaxPlus (I should have added that I used to run a 12-25 cassette with the compact crank and that may have made more sense) Running the 12-27 i really don't notice much of a difference between climbing in the 34/25 that i used to run and the 39/27 that i run now. the gearing ratio seems to be pretty similar and it seems to make up the difference with the larger chainrings.
What crank arm length do u use ? I am a recreational rider & I am looking for another crankset. The only choices I see online are 170 & 175 crank arm lengths. How can I know which length to use ? Or does 5mm really make any difference ?
it depens on your inseam (inner leg length). But generally if you are under 173cm tall, go for the 170mm (unless you have exceptional long legs), over 173cm, go for the 175mm. The 5mm makes a radiation difference of 1cm, it effect how easy you can push your power out.
No please don't follow liang qiao advice because there is no correlation between leg length or inseam and crank arm length. I have done a lot of research on crank arm length. I designed a crank arm length mobility test which can accurately show you your optimal crank arm length. My contact info is in my channel.
You know I got this measurement from Shimano factory in Guangdong few years ago when I bought my 6700 groups from there (I know somebody works there, so I can get factory price). They told me this, they also have 180mm for people over 190cm, I suppose you know better than the people who makes them.
I don't know what else to tell you but if that's the method they used, then it's simply not accurate. It's as good as guessing. There's plenty of research on this topic that has shown that there's no correlation between inseam or tibia:femur length and optimal crank length. I welcome you to read peer reviewed research articles on this topic. Measuring skeletal landmarks isn't accurate because it doesn't account for musculotendinous limitations (flexibility and mobility). Two 6 foot tall cyclists with identical inseams can vary by 15 mm due to differences in muscle, ligament and tendon limitations. Determining optimal crank length isn't as simple as what most have come to think it is.
I understand your point, fexibility, habit, way of applying the power, probably even cadence matters. To be accurate, one surely need to try different ones, I guess what they told me in the factory is a general thumb of rule.
I have riden both 175mm and 170mms, and they do feel quite different, actually I do feel more difficult to apply my power on 175mm than 170mm. I am 168cm tall with good condition but quite bad flexiblity. My cadence on flat is normally 85, I don't have much watts, but because I am very light, I could easily pace fast groups on flat and go really fast on climbs. I have problem with head wind (I think less watts and weight maybe), and back wind has also huge effect on me.
I'm certain the pros use compact on the toughest mountain days only.I had one but used to get dropped all the time with my 50/12 gearing. Once I got a bigger crank set I could hang with the bunch every time.
times have changed! All the top riders today have gone back to big rings - & even bigger - Simon yates uses 54/44 front chain rings on a standard stage although not sure what he uses on a mountain stage
50/34 in the giro
@Chi Hang Lam Pro riders still use 53/39 on a standard stage race & some use 54/39. Compact is not used - see here czcams.com/video/beIFukGwqU0/video.html
@Chi Hang Lam Also Sram still make 54 - www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram-x-sync-11-speed-argon-grey-chainrings/rp-prod197716
Is a compact good for a beginner cyclist too, with lots of hills around
+rebecca johnson yes. Even more so for a beginner.
Edgy Guy
ive been using a mountain bike with a triple crankset, and i use the granny ring on really steep hills
I would need some help!I would like to change to compact from standard but i don't get the money.... the question is:Is it possible to change only the chainrings from 53 to 50 and from 39 to 34?
Bajcsev Attila learn about "BCD"
I did since then :D
Nes Suno, what's the cheapest but great compact crankset on the market?
That question is too hard to answer! Depends on budget, and if you are Campagnolo, Shimano or SRAM. You could even buy FSA... just google or ask on a bike forum :)
nes suno
Thank you
From experience I've always felt that 34 is a ridiculously small ring for most riders in a relatively flat or moderately hilly area (say perhaps climbs of no more than 10 mins, less than 7 or 8 percent). I started 21 years ago on a steel framed bike with 52/42 and 25t on rear, okay 38/39 is much smoother on steep climbs, 36 on really steep stuff but riding on long slight inclines on a 34T chainring simply doesn't feel right to me. Yes it's best to ride a smooth cadence on long climbs, but ride on something steep at 86-90 rpm + for a few minutes and I blow up. On the flattish roads I normally aim to keep a 90-96 cadence. I'm only a recreational/sportive rider, and I think for anyone in decent shape unless you are going up 10% plus climbs all the time, a 36 or 38 T chainring is plenty small enough - maybe standard compact chainrings should be 36/37 and 48 and a 12-28 or so 10 spd cassette these days. Most sportive riders are hardly ever going to use 50x12 or 50x11 (let alone 52x12) or larger. Manufacturers should take note and adjust default chainring sizes accordingly - NO To 34T chainrings in flattish to moderately hilly terrain!
Steve Gandalf You are right I use to ride 52/42/30 Then recently buy a new bike with a compact 50/34 and what a mess I was looking back to my old ride because of this.. I exchange the 34T for a 36T an what a difference much better ride.
you are right... but I don't feel comfortable with cranks shorter than 180mm (long legs) - and they don't produce such compact-cranks! My solution: I use a Campagnolo Record standard crankset 53/39 with 36T sprocket. Same result as 34-32...
sram apex has 50/34 in 180mm
Konstantin Kesper yes, you are right... but then I had to put off my beauty and replace - no, I can't do it; will stay with my Record 39 and 11-36 cassette :-)
fiddler on the bike: good choice. I recently got sram eTap with Sram red components. The build quality just is not there compared to my Campagnolo Chorus, let alone your Record.
You bought the giant advance sl395573 ?!?!!!!
Even climbing up a 5.5km with avg gradient of 5% on a TCR Advanced with standard cranks, I had to climb on the easiest gear to keep up the cadence... would've been better on a compact for sure
All you have to do is get someones watts per kg and then you can factor in where you would have came on the rankings. 5.8w/kg is the natural limit for long climbs.
lol. watching the video to the end is better sometimes ;)
While I completely agree for most riders, I'm a big sprinter and I really can't afford two pairs of cranks, so I went with a standard.
YOUR BIKE HAS SHIFTERS FOR A REASON. IF YOUR NOT SPRINTING AT 75kmh + YOU DO NOT NEED STANDARD CRANKS.
It's such a shame you ride with an annoyingly loud freewheel, You should go silent but I guess in the end it is personal choice.
Thanks for another great video Harley!
I agree fitness and strength is good but if you're not too fit and not a body builder like me a 34/46 and 11/36 is the way to go
Is there only ONE kind of COMPACT CRANK SET, or are there ones with different ratios other than 50/34?
I think "maybe" I've heard of a 50/36? There are a lot of crankset options. But, here is the list of the "generally accepted" terms:
Standard: 53/39
midcompact: 52/36 (perhaps this is what you were thinking of?)
compact: 50/34
sub-compact or super-compact: 48 or 46 / 30, 32 or 34
mountain: 36/26, others.
It seems the super-compact and mountain options have the most variability, I only listed one mountain option but there are others.
There is a super compact with I think 46/32. Anything smaller than that you're going to be in MTB gearing.
MTB gearing?
Mountain Bike
Is 52/36 compact? durianrider
Semi compact
What about a semi compact, Do a video on that
Offers zero advantage over a 46/30 that I can see.
46/30 is lighter and you can still do pacelines under 60kph.
@@DurianriderCyclingTips I may of said it wrong, I mean a 52/36 lol
@@DurianriderCyclingTips i was just wondering because you always do a standard vs a compact, didn’t know your opinion on the 52/36
@@DurianriderCyclingTips well I just changed out my 52/36 for a compact stages right side powermeter, I’m new to cycling anyway so I’m sure I’m better off with a compact. Hope all is well man, I got to figure out how to make money on CZcams or something lol. Tired of this 9-5 day job shit lol
Nothing wrong with riding a climb in your smallest gear, i use the 25 cog a lot.
lol, mail alert always fools me :)
according to GCN most pros ride Standard crank sets
Are pros even 1% of all cyclists? Maybe that's why he said for most cyclist compact is the way to go.
When you are a pro you need to be able to literally ride behind a team car at 90kph to draft back to the group if you get a flat etc. Good luck doing that with a 50x11.
Question to the cycling fraternity in general and yourself. Why call this a compact crank? Shouldn't we call it a compact ratio? I.e. that no ratios overlap through the size gearing we choose in the front and back? There is nothing compact about the crank, just the gearing ratios.
I hate riding with people who have a 50T c/ring on as the gears/inches are well off...
she talks to you ,she loves you :) 1:00
@0:24 did I hear someone get a email?
peta plug at the end, snort. Try petakillsanimals instead.
I have both crank sets and I honestly think it doesn't make that big of a difference. My opinion.
Did you even pay attention to the video? If you can pull a 42 with a 23, then bully for you. I have doubts on that however. I live here in California, and we have some VERY intense climbs. Colorado does as well. You try pulling a 42/23 on the "Death Ride" and I'm pretty sure you will rethink your opinion. As for a 52 or 53? Unless you're doing descents, no cyclist I know can pull a 53/11 all day. I used to pull a 52/42. I switched to a 48/38/28 triple: higher cadence, and climbing better.
For fit guys like Durianrider and the other racers posting in these comments, compact or standard is OK, but for us fat, unfit, trying to get in shape guys, the best is a triple, or maybe even better, mountain bikes with their really low gearing. For an overweight guy or gal trying to get up mountains with anything else means walking.
Ha ha ha I'm fat your comment made my day.
John McCullough I"m not entirely "fat" but I am not quite fit either... lol I have so much trouble making up hills and when I do 20 mile community rides, I'm lost at the last 2 hills.... I can stay up with everyone until we get to these last 2 hills in Newton Ma. and we end in Cleveland Circle, Boston, MA. Love the ride, hate the hills...
John McCullough I had a 22/34 on one mountain bike although it was quite heavy at 35lbs. Good for those 1 in 5 and greater grades.
I'm with you pal. I've got a "road bike" with mountain bike gearing and a triple up front and I counted 48 teeth on the big ring. I can see the day I'll go compact or maybe even standard but for now this bike gets me out there burning fat not oil.