Mid Compact Crank

[mogwaiboi]

Hi All

I've picked up a SRAM S950 50/34 for one of my bikes to swap out the 53/39. Thinking of changing the chainrings to 52/36 and I was curious how many others are running this mid compact set-up and how they find it??? I've tackled the likes of Mt Macedon with the 39/28 and Donna Buang with 39/25 but it would be good to have some more gears to give the knees a rest and have a crack at Mt Baw Baw and others.

[drubie]

I was running something similar with an FSA compact but the rings were too flexible. I'm back to a normal 53 now. I reckon its better to run a 27 on the back instead.

[Uncle Just]

Keep your 50/34 with a 28 for Baw Baw, it's a brutal climb. I haven't used a 52/36 setup as I find the 50/11 gives me a big enough gear for descents without spinning out. I alternate between 50/36 with an 11-25 for the flats or hills around Melbourne and 50/34 with 11/28 for the longer steeper climbs in the mountains. For most other climbs, apart from the 3 peaks perhaps, if you're very climbing fit and supple, a 52/36 with an 11/28 or 12/27 might be ok. Gearing is a subjective topic anyway, what works for a young 60kg A grade climber will not obviously suit an 80kg masher or someone over 50.
I've found the older I get the gears are dropping as you simply lose strength. A climb I may have done in the 39/21 10 years ago, I now use a 36/25 or on steeper stuff like back of Falls a 34/28 is very handy.

[dobby]

I live in Toowoomba Qld (which can be a bit hilly) and run a SRAM Red compact 50/34 with an option of a 11-26 or 11-28 rear on my Trek Madone. What I find is that on a regular morning bunch ride, when I try and spin in the 34 11 or 34 12 I simply cant because the way the SRAM Red doesnt have a trim in the front derailleur. I find riding in 34 13 a bit limiting because I tend to run out of gears at about 28 to 29kmh and a 90 cadence on the flat around town. I get into a situation where I am constantly changing up in the front and then back down etc.

I have just installed a 36 chainring, to replace the 34. I have found the 50 36 front and the 11 - 26 as I can run the 36 13 and sit in, in a bunch ride comfortably at about 30kmh and it has made the world of difference in that Im not changing as constantly as before.

[mogwaiboi]

I live in Toowoomba Qld (which can be a bit hilly) and run a SRAM Red compact 50/34 with an option of a 11-26 or 11-28 rear on my Trek Madone. What I find is that on a regular morning bunch ride, when I try and spin in the 34 11 or 34 12 I simply cant because the way the SRAM Red doesnt have a trim in the front derailleur. I find riding in 34 13 a bit limiting because I tend to run out of gears at about 28 to 29kmh and a 90 cadence on the flat around town. I get into a situation where I am constantly changing up in the front and then back down etc.

I have just installed a 36 chainring, to replace the 34. I have found the 50 36 front and the 11 - 26 as I can run the 36 13 and sit in, in a bunch ride comfortably at about 30kmh and it has made the world of difference in that Im not changing as constantly as before.

Thanks for the info guys.

Yes I think I'll get the 36 chainring to begin with, and put an 11 tooth on the back instead of the 12 and see how that works.