The thread on “morally based sales” and the one on the Nashbar compact cranks made me remember that a while ago, you posted on how a compact crankset would be suboptimal for IMC, and thus the store who would not sell it to the customer was doing the right thing. (This may have been in the Mission Bay thread - I don;t know)
My question is: Do you believe that compact cranksets are an apropriate choice ever? What circumstances would dictate whether or not you would recommend/sell a pair to a customer?
First off, let me preface my response by saying my ACTUAL experience with compact cranks is limited.
That in and of itself makes me reluctant to recommend them until which time as I have adequate technical/practical expereince installing and servicing them so that I can/can;t make knowledgable recommendations.
Having said that, I see the compact crank as a highly viable equipment option for customers within specific performance envelopes. We are currently building a bike for a client who is doing the Triple Bypass ride in Colorado and equipping his bike with a compact, one of the first we have done. Since he lives locally and is a close friend (I went to high school with him and he is one of our attorneys) we will be able to monitor the crank’s performance closely for evaluation.
I do foresee certain situations where the reduced diameter of the smaller chainrings may create significant drivetrain problems, specifically the chain dropping, the front derailleur not being able to be mounted low enough on a braze-on clamp to be in compliance with Shimano’s recommended 2mm of clearance from top of chainring to bottom pf front derailleur cage, and then there is the matter of bottom bracket spindle width.
So, as far as compact cranks go, at this stage my perspective is that they are an interesting option that we will explore in the near future. Pending our examination of them we will have more information on their suitability and utility.
They could be just the thing for something like EmbrunMan or other super hilly events.
I see… Thanks for the (always) well thought out response. Being a stocky non-climber type, and living in Vancouver, BC, I have been thinking of converting to a compact drive to help my climbing. (It’s either that or goto an XT rear mech and a 12/32 because I simply can’t put a triple on my ride.) I had hoped that the closer spacing one can get with a compact plus lower gearing options would combine to be THE answer. Guess I’ll have to wait and see!
I look forward to reading an in-depth review in a couple of months!
