38t With 52t Mid-Compact?
Moderator: robbosmans
My wife loves her new (used) bike but is adjusting to the mid-compact gearing after a life on 39/53. She's liking the 52. Either can't tell a difference compared to 53 or maybe likes that it's slightly lower. But the 36 chainring is too low and too big a step from the 52. Searching for 38t 110mm 5-bolt chainrings seems to only be bringing up middle rings for MTB triples. Does anyone make a 38 or 39t small ring for use on a road compact crank (Sram Red 22)?
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Chain rings should be matched pairs to shift the best. I much prefer a 16t difference. If you shift in advance of need, it's just a 2-sprocket shift to compensate. I often pedal standing at the start of a climb, then sit and quickly shift to the little ring, with no compensating sprocket shifts required.
Huh, I much prefer a 14t difference. When I ride a compact or mid-compact the two things I notice are the large jump between rings and that the small ring and 7th or 8th gear is too slow for traffic, so you shift between rings when in town or pull away from stop signs in the big ring (not such a problem with a 50t).
I just love a 39/53, but I think this 38/52 will suit her nicely.
With my 46/30 and 10-44 cassette, the big ring works for everything but climbs exceeding 8%, so my little ring only gets used for one long steep climb on some of my routes. Others might have several shorter 10-12% climbs where the little ring is used.
We have very different gearing preferences.
I don't like big steps between cogs. My main bike has always had an 11-23 or 11-25 cassette. My touring bike, tandem, and wife's bike have 11-28.
I don't like cross chaining. In the big ring I never go below 4th gear.
I don't like the wear or friction in little cogs. I rarely use my 11t and wouldn't want a 10t. On my MTBs where I'm pretty much forced to have a 10t I use a big enough chainring that the 10t is rarely used.
I like a small ring that's big enough to be usable on any real climb and around town without cross chaining above 8th gear.
I do not like gaps either and having moved into my 60's, no longer have a need to keep up with the boy's. Have not made the move to 12-speed, so for now find the a Absolute Black 52/36 oval rings with Shimano 14-28 cassette is ideal, especially since the only steep climbs I am riding are indoors with Rouvy.
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"
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