mmrocker13 wrote:
I realize that's sort of a vague and handwavy (and yes, girly) comment, but I don't know how else to explain it. I feel like I use very few of the gears that I have, and that even those aren't spaced quite right. Kind of like a staircase where the steps are spaced at a non-standard increment. They work for going up and down, but you always feel like you're just a tick off.
Vague and handwavy does NOT equal "girly". You just have trouble quantifying the ratios of your preferred gears. Perhaps what you have trouble with is the difference in when you shift from big ring to little ring in the two gearing systems- i.e. going up a hill with changing gradient as a standard double rider, you may be in the small (front) ring the whole time, whereas a compact rider may switch from big to little (front ring) at the same speed/power outputs. And this can be annoying to someone not used to it. However, a compact may allow a rider to stay in the big ring for a longer portion of a rolling TT, which has its benefits.
However, the extensive range of cassettes offered these days makes compact gearing a good choice for many many riders, even the strongest riders, and I would personally say I love my compact.