Re: Compact Crank Suggestion: Bikefanclub.com

Devil's Advocate time...

While cranks have been visiting these forums for years now, compact cranks seemed to be all the rage this year. It might be the Tour's fault with pro's looking towards new solutions that don't involve hotel dumpsters. Anyway, why is it that compacts are all the rage? My basic understanding is the compact is a solution for people to avoid the dreaded granny-gear (3rd ring) solution, dare we think others might think less of us. But there seems to be some dissention developing out there, that maybe the granny solution is the better fix, granted it is added weight and well, we Calfee-ites are weightweenies to an extreme, if anything. What I've heard is there can be what some people feel is considerable chain flop/float/whatever when dropping into the small ring from big and that the transition to big from small is often not as smooth as the more standard crank. Perhaps the grievance is people are over estimating their climbing needs and underestimating their time spent in flat or rolling terrain where the benefits are less felt but the gear change problems remain. Certainly Lon's Pittsburgh area is worthy of special gearing due to that terrain out there, but is it for everyone or are people jumping too fast in this direction where other solutions might exist?

Crank away!

Post Extras