Do pros ride compacts?



roubaixjoe

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Dec 3, 2009
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I ride a 53/39 with 11/28 cassette, we have a lot of big hills here in Tennessee.
I tried a compact and didn't like the transition, but I like the 11/28 it still has the 11 for speed and the extra 28 teeth for the hills with the 53/39.
Do the tour riders ride compacts or 53/39 or do they ride compacts only in the mountains?? Or do they ride a crankset only available to them?? I never here them talk about it like it's a big secret......
 
roubaixjoe said:
I ride a 53/39 with 11/28 cassette, we have a lot of big hills here in Tennessee.
I tried a compact and didn't like the transition, but I like the 11/28 it still has the 11 for speed and the extra 28 teeth for the hills with the 53/39.
Do the tour riders ride compacts or 53/39 or do they ride compacts only in the mountains?? Or do they ride a crankset only available to them?? I never here them talk about it like it's a big secret......

I remember Roberto Heras using them in the vuelta espana 7 or 8 years ago. Hamilton also used a compact crank when he broke his collar bone in the TDF one year.
 
roubaixjoe said:
I ride a 53/39 with 11/28 cassette, we have a lot of big hills here in Tennessee.
I tried a compact and didn't like the transition, but I like the 11/28 it still has the 11 for speed and the extra 28 teeth for the hills with the 53/39.
Do the tour riders ride compacts or 53/39 or do they ride compacts only in the mountains?? Or do they ride a crankset only available to them?? I never here them talk about it like it's a big secret......

Does it matter? What's really important is that you have the gear range that you need. For the record, yes pro's have and do at times use(d) compact cranks. There are several climbs in Europe for which they pull the compacts out.
 
Unless one has the power profile of a pro, there's no need to adhere to what the pros use. Or it's just masochism. :D
 
roubaixjoe said:
Do the tour riders ride compacts or 53/39 or do they ride compacts only in the mountains?? Or do they ride a crankset only available to them?? I never here them talk about it like it's a big secret......
What difference does it make? Ride what makes you comfortable.

FWIW, I've been riding a compact for ~3 years and will not go back to a standard setup. The 50/34 & 11/25 give me just about all I could ask for (maybe an 11/23 for the racing season...).

Dave
 
generally speaking ( at least what i have seen ) not on TT of course, not in brutal climbs not in Paris Roubaix

*competing cyclists start with 52/39 and then move to 53/39
*competing track cyclists start with a 48 or 49 then move to a 50 or 51 crank (on the main endurance events)

several/all forum members have positive opinions on compact cranksets
 
"Does it matter?" "What difference does it make?" "Unless one has the power profile of a pro, there's no need to adhere to what the pros use."

Maybe the OP is just curious. Thank you VSPA for answering the OP's question and adding to my knowledge base at the same time without pointing out that one should not even entertain the thought of using the same gear that the pros use unless said rider is a pro.
 
I'm one who found the question interesting. In practice, I fully agree that what suits a person's riding style/level is all that matters. However, just for fun, I want to know what pros use. I was curious about compact, as well. Also, I often wonder about the range they use in the back for various terrains.
 
I'm personally not a fan of compact. I recently did a few Crits on a SRAM fitted bike with a compact setup.

As a sprinter, it's not an ideal setup. Probably better for the races through the mountains.
 
A couple of years ago in the Giro, plenty of riders were using compacts, some of the sprinters even used triples to get up the climbs. The 34T ring allows the riders to use a tighter cluster.
 

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