A quich question for the forum. I am buying a road bike for training as I already have a tri TT bike, my question is should I go with a triple chainring? I have a double on my tri bike, and am a relatively new rider. I know I can get the FSA compact also, and this might be a good way to go, however would a triple give me more options? I do some pretty hilly rides. How much of a lower gear is a 30/25, copared to a 34/25?
Thanks…
I really like the compact cranks. We ride in a reasonably hilly area and I’ve found the 34/25 more than adequate on the steepest hills. A 30/25 would have to be for an almost vertical climb I’d think.
On a road bike with STI shifting I think the triple is still the better option. Sure, you can get comparable gearing with a compact double (and maybe one cog larger in the back to compenstate for the 34 instead of a 30), but the two issues that I see with a compact double are 1) you have to shift 3-4 cogs in back when you shift from one ring to the other in front, and 2) riding in the 17-19 mph range in the flats you’re going to be fairly cross-chained. Now, both of these are tolerable in a tri bike with bar-end shifters when a triple really isn’t an option due to chainstay length, but with STI it’s harder to shift 3-4 cogs quickly, and there’s no real reason to tolerate a funky chainline and the associated accelerated drivetrain wear and noise. Just my $0.02.
rundown,
I’m presuming your TT bike uses 700c wheels and your chainrings are 53/39, 39 being the critical one at least.
39/25 = approximately 42 gear inches
34/25 = approximately 37 gear inches
30/25 = approximately 32 gear inches
Using a cassette with a 27 tooth cog would produce the following gearing:
39/27 = approximately 39 gear inches
34/27 = approximately 34 gear inches
30/27 = approximately 30 gear inches
Reference: BICYCLE GEARING: A Practical Guide by Dick Marr, published by THE MOUNTAINEERS.
FWIW
Thanks guys, I just need to decide which way I want to go. I have the FSA on my Tri bike, and most likely will go this way.
I was looking at getting a triple at one time, until I was beat over the head by many peolpe… Tom D even said triple’s butt ass suck…
flytri,
Triples are for mere mortals who are faced with significant climbing challenges. Triples can permit spinning up a climb where without one, one would labor and mash up the climb, if they could make it up the climb at all without getting off and walking. Even pros dismount and walk/climb sometimes, though rarely.
As for Tom D saying triples butt as suck… Consider the source. Tom D is in the upper echelon of cyclists. Most of us can only dream of reaching his level of cycling ability. Triples were never intended to benefit a cyclist with Tom D’s ability.
But then again, don’t forget that Roberto Heras and a few other pros used triples on some unbelievably steep portions of the Tour of Spain in years past. These cyclists may even exceed Tom D’s cycling ability.
So maybe there is a time and a place and cyclists who can benefit from triples more than any other crankset/chainring choice.
Triples are great for loaded touring where you have a ton of gear to lug up a steep hill.
I say go compact on your road/tri bike and save the triple for your touring bike.
One thing you might want to consider when making your decision is what are you going to be using your road bike for? If you are going to be using it primarily for base training and recovery rides (or even group rides) I would recommend the tripple because it gives you more options and those rides are meant to be done comfortably (this means spinning up a hill easily as opposed to hammering up a hill fast). If you are going to use it primarily for road racing or the occasional crit, go with a regular double (not compact cranks). I have more than one road bike but I do all my base training and recovery rides with my tripple. Good luck!
It seems like the FSA compact gives you almost the options of a triple, my question is would I miss the 42 or 39 ring?
Thanks-
Purely from a gear ratio perspective, the compact gives the same available ratios as a triple. What you don’t have with the compact is the gearing overlap between cogs. This simply means that you need to be more attentive to what gear you’re in and be a little more gentle with your shifts, depending on what gear/cog you’re in. Either one will give you the same climbing capability. It’s purely a matter of personal preference.
I have been told by some of my hard core Tri friends not to **desecrate **my road or tri bike with a triple. They say, they are heavyer, they look like Sh%t, have problems shifting ect. They say if you have to go with the compact.
That is the way it is
Ah, yes. These surely are the same people that say that clinchers are not real race wheels. Like I said, it’s all personal preference. If you can get your friend to ride your bike up that 15% grade for you, then go with whatever they want. If you’ve got to ride it, then make up your own mind as to what makes most sense 
I’d suggest you ride a triple and a compact double, and then see for yourself which one shifts worse.
I have been told by some of my hard core Tri friends not to **desecrate **my road or tri bike with a triple. They say, they are heavyer, they look like Sh%t, have problems shifting ect. They say if you have to go with the compact.
That is the way it is
flytri,
Just so I can be pigeon holed as biased, I ride bikes with triples. I have desecrated all my bikes, except my time trial bike. My first bike had a Campy Mirage triple. I loved it. Shifted great. Shifts were precise. I loved the gear overlap.
My next two bikes had Campy Chorus triples on them. Again, sure and precise shifting.
Personally, I would not change my triples for doubles. Why? Weight savings? Get real. If anyone thinks the modest difference in weight between a triple and a double is going to be the difference between flying up the hill vs struggling up the hill they need their head examined.
That being said, what kind of riding do I do? I belong to a road cycling club that has a reputation for riding very fast and hard. Most of the time I hang with the “big dogs”, the fastest group. The few times I get spit out the back are not because of the triple!
I ride a large number of organized rides in the course of a season including 10-12 centuries and do some multi-day touring as well. Most years, we, the club, will ride a one day ride across the state, usually 165-175 miles and we have also done a one day ride from Windsor to Toronto, 230 miles in 13.5 hours or about 17.04 mph ave. including all stops along the way. The average speed on the cycle computer was just over 20 mph ave.
On Wednesdays there is a group of racers (not club members) who ride really fast. When Sheila lived in Michigan, she often rode with this group. Frankie Andreau still rides with this group when he is at home. I frequently ride with these riders as well, mostly for speed work. The terrain is predominately flat metropolitan area roadways. Lots of traffic lights and start/stop riding with quick and hard accelerations. Speeds tpically are 26-32 mph.
The only disadvantage I have ever felt on any ride was an “engine” deficiency, not that I had a triple instead of a double. FWIW
Yes, a triple will give you more options. But the question of whether you need one depends on a lot of things 1) the grades you ride, 2) your fitness, 3) total weight (you, bike, and gear). Your tri-bike has a double. Are there any hills you have trouble getting up on that? Are there any you haven’t even attempted because you know they’d be too tough?
A 30T ring is ~12% smaller than a 34T so it will give gears ~12% smaller with the same cog. But remember that you can also go smaller than 30T on many triples. The 74mm BCD found on many road triples can go as small at 24T. With a compact 110mm BCD crank, the smallest ring is 33T.
i don’t know why all these sissy’s are getting compact chain rings for, i live in the missouri ozarks and ride a 55-42 / 11-23 with know problem. as far as a triple chain ring its a waste unless you plan on riding double like i did when i was a kid. you pedaling and someone sitting on the handle bars.
Those of you who are using compacts,what do u have on the back and how do you find it for climbing, I am considering a set-up with compacts for Lake Placid.
I have an 11-23 on the rear with my FSA compacts on my P3. I would think that would be more than enough for Lake Placid. I can climb a wll with this setup.