I’ve done a good deal of searching on the forum, and might be more confused now than when I started… so here’s my scenario:
I’m 5’2, on a 48 P2C Ultegra. I am extremely comfortable on the bike, however I feel like I would be more efficient on some of the climbs I’m doing if I had a compact crank. I tried switching out the cassette to a 12-27, but it still just seems like I’m thrashing my legs on some of the climbs I’ve been doing lately, so I think its time to look to compacts. I’m doing Placid this year, among other hilly halfs and olys. I currently have the FSA SLK MegoExo’s in 170mm, though I think I would benefit from 165mm, allowing me to adjust to a lower aero position. If I’ve left off any other major facts you need, let me know.
What recommedations do you have for a compact crankset? I’m not looking for top of the line; although it would be nice, its just not in my budget. I’d like to keep it as cost efficient as possible, though I don’t want a terrible set of cranks.
The shimano r-700 would be under $200 and the r-600 would be under $150 (Nashbar has it for 144) and ebay has one for $98 buy it now. You could also look at Ultegra (same quality as the r-700).
I may be biased, but it is based on experience. In general FSA cranksets suck.
I’ve had 4 or so Truvativ Rouleur (both carbon and non-carbon versions) cranksets, 3 of them compact and find they are great product and a great value. I much prefer the 50/36 that these come with rather than the 50/34 that is common on FSA & Shimano because it shifts much better. Should be able to find a complete crankset with BB between $100 and $150.
FWIW, Truvativ is owned by SRAM and it appears they are now branding the Rouleur carbon crankset as the SRAM Force crankset. Might verify that, but that is the impression I’ve gotten.
Compacts are a great crankset for most (but not all) everyone.
Add an 11-26 (SRAM) cassette to a 50/36 compact and you’ll have a much easier climbing gear and a slightly better top gear than a standard crank with a 12/27 for the downhills. It’s a win-win.
Just checking - if I did end up with a Truvativ, my DA 12-27 would still be compatible for the time being, until I consider switching to an 11-26, correct?
when combining a compact with a 12/27, make damn sure you adjust the chain length properly, or else you could have problems.
I run this combo on my road bike for our mountain rides. It’s a nice combo, but you need a lot of chain. Since you’re on a small bike you might be able to use a normal rear derailler instead of a long cage rear derailler. Taller folks with longer bike frames typically need a long cage derailler with this combo, but you might be ok.
I do not at all want to start a fight…but, big bike or small bike the length of the chain stay is constant - thus the length of the chain on a 48, or a 68 is the same presuming that the wheel is a 700. Compact from 53 means that you take about 1.5 links out of the chain.
If it matters, I’m on 650’s I’ll probably be picking up a new chain when I make the switch anyway. Learn something new everyday though - I would have assumed that the bigger the bike, the longer the chain stay.
I’ve used FSA Gossamer compacts for several years without any problems. They may not be the lightest crank out there, but I’ve found them to be an all around good crank.
Pick one that matches your present crank BB, then you can swap back and forth depending on the course you plan to ride (w/ minor adjustment at the braze-on fitting & perhaps a slight retune).
If it matters, I’m on 650’s I’ll probably be picking up a new chain when I make the switch anyway. Learn something new everyday though - I would have assumed that the bigger the bike, the longer the chain stay.
If you have a good chain, just have a few links taken out and install a Whipperman. 650 is the same as 700…it is what it is. No matter the size of the frame the chain stay are constant. Things on bikes grow…but not the chain stays or chain length.
Truative usually uses GXP as does Force. (both part of SRAM).
FSA sometimes uses ISIS Not sure about all the time.
BB30 is another new one
Not sure about shimano external cup BB, but it looks similar to GXP.
If your bike is older it could have octalink or square taper. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/bbsize.html
External cup BBS not shown.
i’ve just switched from standard(130-53/39) to compact(110-50/34)
on my QR Caliente. i also went from 172.5 to 170 length cranks
to reduce the spin diameter(easier to run off the bike?)
the QR came with FSA Team Issue Carbon so i found the compact
version on ebay($170) so no messing with the BB(which is MegaExo
btw) - kept the 12-25 cassette. no issues with the all Dura-Ace
derailleurs.
i’ve found that my fastest spin is a lot higher(from 110 to about 125)
and i can maintain low 100s much easier than before. i do miss the
leverage with the shorter crank arms, but the lowest gear is a good
bit lower than before(about 5 gear inches, 40 to 35.7) so i can spin
up hills muuch easier, but i’m not faster, yet(that’s what the hill
repeats are for.) at least i’m not cooked when i get to the top of any
hills now. even if you eventually find the gearing too short, you
can always put a 52/36 on it(or larger, but larger rings in 110 are
hard to find. better: 11-26 cassette)
I’ll probably be picking up a new chain when I make the switch anyway. Learn something new everyday though - I would have assumed that the bigger the bike, the longer the chain stay.