Double or triple crankset

[christinebuehlmann]

Double (compact) or triple crankset for a road bike - what do you recommend?
Is it possible to ride hills (I'm from Switzerland) with a compact double crankset?

[Matthieu O’Halloran - "M@"]

Hey christinebuehlmann a triple crank set is mainly for off-road ridding!

QUESTION: do you ride 650 or 700 wheels?

If you have a cluster at the back with 11X28.
Combined with a compact-double.
You should be fine to ride over 99% of hills in Switzerland!

Depending on your goals, strength gains and physicality.
You might be able to move to a regular-double-chain-rings in the near future!

[DamienC]

I love the Swiss sense of humour!  If you can ride the Swiss "hills", you won't need a triple or a compact for the mountains anywhere else on the planet. 

[christinebuehlmann]

Thanks for your answers.

@Matthieu O'Halloran: I'm riding 700 wheels.

@DamienC: Now I'm riding a triple crankset and with this it's ok. You know the Swiss hills?

[terrence]

rode ironman nice on 42-54 x12-21 had to walk the run wish i had used a compact listen to commen sense not your ego .i made my decision on what my friends said they where riding  after the race checked their bike they had chainged to compact the night before the race,same mates said dont need wet suit in france? some times i am so dumb,live and learn or get a coach

[Brandon Marsh - "-Tex"]

A 50x34 front as Matt says with an 11x23 or better an 11x26 or 28 will get you the gearing that 'most' age groupers will need.  By 'most' I mean that a 50x11 will get you to an IM bike time of 5hrs easily without spinning out!!

[DamienC]

@DamienC: Now I'm riding a triple crankset and with this it's ok. You know the Swiss hills?

A Swiss friend of mine once said that he only called it a mountain if it was longer than a 5km climb, otherwise it was only worthy of the title of "hill".

[terrence]

cheap compact cranks chainreaction

[jvigaray]

Don't be afraid of compacts , 50x11 is faster than 53x12 at same rpm.

[christinebuehlmann]

Hi guys
Thank you very much for all your advices. The decision was easy because I want the Shimano Di2 (electronic shift) and this is only avalaible in compact. Now I'm riding since over 1 months with a cluster at the back with 11 x 28 and I'm climbing every hill until now 
Cheers from hilly Switzerland