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Compact double or triple chainset for women?

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  • January 28, 2015 at 3:20 pm #23121
    Tjuice

    Seems to be quite a lot of preference expressed on this topic, but I’m keen to understand better the arguments for choosing between a compact double or a triple for a woman. (Note: I fully understand the technical arguments around being able to get a broader range, or narrower gap between gears. But the same holds true for men also…)

    Context: I am rebuilding a road bike for my wife, who is starting to regain her fitness after the arrival of child #3 (having had little opportunity to maintain fitness since arrival of child #1 around 8 years ago). The bike currently has an old triple on it (with 8 on the cassette), and I am debating whether to replace it with a newer 2×10 compact (am not currently considering 2×11).

    I personally used to ride a triple, but switched to a compact double a number of years ago, and I would not go back to a triple now. However, I note that quite a large number of the women’s specific bikes come with triples (anecdotally many more triples in women’s specific bikes than in male/non-gender specific).

    I haven’t yet worked out why triples would be a better choice for women than compact doubles. Unlikely that my wife will be riding any major mountains in the near future, and if she does start getting to that point, that will be the time to upgrade completely.

    What is the opinion amongst the readership here? Am particularly interested in hearing from regular women cyclists about what you chose, why, and how it has worked out for you.

    [Edit: Happy also to hear from unusual women…! I of course meant that I am interested in hearing from women who cycle regularly… 🙂 ]

    [Edit 2: my smiley face above turned into a smiley face on a phone – now fixed]

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  • January 28, 2015 at 10:39 pm #829419
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    lisa76uk

    I ride a compact 50/34 and an
    I ride a compact 50/34 and an 11 speed 11-28 cassette. I ran variations through a gear ratio calculator before I settled on that set up, just to check, but it’s never been a problem and I can climb plenty of steep hills on it. I would only bother using a triple on a mountain bike. I also ride 45×16 on a fixed gear for commuting/tooling around if that has any relevance for gearing, probably not.

    January 28, 2015 at 10:08 pm #829417
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    Simon E

    Although I like my triple, a
    Although I like my triple, a 2-ring solution is simpler.

    But my gripe with compacts is the jump between 50 and 34 teeth so I would suggest a 46/36 CX double. The extra 2 teeth of a 36 is 5% higher than 34t, negligible IMHO.

    Fit a 12-28 cassette the bottom gear is not much bigger than a typical triple’s 30×25. Current rear mechs will let you run 32 low gear on the back, that will surely be low enough for most things.

    The only reason I can think why there are more triples among women’s bikes is that men have opted en masse for compacts. This is likely due to insecurity – the insignificant 150-200g difference must keep them awake at night, along with the ever present fear of being laughed at by the bigger boys with their “man-sized” 53/39 chainrings 😉

    January 28, 2015 at 8:30 pm #829415
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    pablo

    I have a tripple on my old
    I have a tripple on my old winter bike and really don’t see the point yeah you have a closer ratio between gears but you can get the equivalent granny gear on a compact it’s also a pain to keep running properly I very rarely use the 30 ring. On my tripple lowest is 30/25 and on my compact for hills i change the cassette and have 34/30 which is actually lower gearing than the tripple. I live with the tripple because it’s on my junk winter bike but i’d never buy another one. The only good think i can say about the tripple is because its actually higher geared than the compact getting some serious speed up is easy.

    January 28, 2015 at 7:57 pm #829413
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    Joeinpoole

    I have a triple and I
    I have a triple and I wouldn’t buy a bike with one again. I think they’re ugly, heavier, harder to adjust and provide very little extra help to get up the hills. I’ll probably swap it out for a compact soon.

    The difference between the lowest ratio on a compact (34) and most triples (30) is only 4 teeth. That’s not a significant difference (whether the rider is male or female) and, quite frankly, I’d rather get off the bike and walk if I can’t manage with the compact. I’m sure that losing a bit of excess body fat would be much greater help than 4 fewer cogs on the chainring.

    Btw, getting off the bike and walking up the steepest bits was considered to be the ‘sensible’ thing to do 30+ years ago __ not the “walk of shame” it has become today. It preserves a great deal of energy and gives your legs, back and nether-regions a welcome change of position for a few minutes.

    January 28, 2015 at 6:52 pm #829411
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    rjfrussell

    More female specific bikes
    More female specific bikes have triples because fewer women buy the macho bullshit that if the pros only have two rings (relatively) unfit amateurs should only have two rings. Very frustrating that the new 105 11 sp does not come with a triple.

    January 28, 2015 at 3:54 pm #829409
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    birzzles

    i have thought alot about
    i have thought alot about this.

    i have a triple, it has always been fine and i use all of it. A triple is a normal chainset 53/39 with an extra ring. A compact has larger drop between the rings 50-34 = 16. If you work out the ratios a compact doesnt give such a good spread of gears through the ratios, and 52/36 can be worse. SRAM with a 32 ring at the back on Apex and later stuff gives the low gear but faces the problem of intermediate gear spacing. An 11 speed addresses some of this, but need to be careful on spacing. I definitely would want my lowest ratio which is 30 / 27. Depends where you ride in the end and the cadences you like.

    January 28, 2015 at 3:42 pm #829407
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    CXR94Di2

    Was/is your wife very fit. I
    Was/is your wife very fit. I don’t see why she would need a triple if she is. That said a triple allows you to bail out into the granny ring, so anybody can climb the steepest hills.

    Maybe consider a mountain bike crankset with say 36 – 22T marry that to a 10 speed 11-36 cass and she will go anywhere, but not at top speed.

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