3x drivetrain on road bike
#51
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I had a transition last weekend that was so abrupt that I lost my momentum before I could get to the end of my range and fell over. I got on the granny first and was trying to grind it out while moving up the cassette. Momentum stopped and I couldn't get a foot down fast enough. Got up, shifted the rest of the way to the end of the cassette, rolled down to the start, and went back up. Luckily, there were no other riders/bystanders to witness the fiasco.
Also slowly passed a teen walking up a hill with a skateboard. Looked down and I was climbing at 4.1mph. Slow enough that we had a conversation.
Also slowly passed a teen walking up a hill with a skateboard. Looked down and I was climbing at 4.1mph. Slow enough that we had a conversation.
Last edited by seypat; 05-29-22 at 03:31 PM.
#52
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Wait the fall of the tripple is a Big Gravel thing? That was my gut feeling but I thought that the switch away from tripples happened before Big Gravel took over, but this was before my time.
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Even an 8 speed 13 - 34 cassette w/42T chainring provides a 33 - 87 gear inch range. That would cover a lot of territory for most folks. My 2018 bike came with a tripple chainring, But I didn't buy the bike for that, If it came with the gearset in my example, I would have been just as happy. I found I can work with the standard gears on most bikes, Its just a matter of taking advantage of the benifets of each gearset.
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Because it's cheaper to put less chainrings on a bike and still charge an inflated price for it. It tries to be justified as being simpler, tuning doesn't have to be as "perfect" as with a triplle, and generally works better. My ancient (98) mtn.bike and my road bike ('06) both have triples and both shift just fine and have never given me any trouble. My bikes are well maintained, and while I'm not an expert mechanic, I do OK.
Your triple drivetrains are 3x9 at most, correct? Adding more cogs in the back allowed a ring to be removed from the front. Again, it isnt eight or wrong to use a double or a triple. Ride what you like.
With that said, your theory that compact doubles taking over because they are cheaper is absurd.
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What replaced the triple? The compact. Why were no compacts made before? Because no one would want one. Why have an inferior drivetrain like that which neither climbs nor descends as well? The bike industry took a step back with the only goal being standardization and increased profits.
I get it that strong riders on BF can console themselves with the imaginary virtues of compacts. Just you wait.
I get it that strong riders on BF can console themselves with the imaginary virtues of compacts. Just you wait.
- cassettes at the time were not designed to handle a compact double up front. 11t cassettes weren't a thing and there weren't enough cogs to make wider range cassettes useful.
- the industry largely split drop bar drivetrains into either road bike with very tough gearing or wide range touring triple.
You claim profits are why compact doubles exist?...how? What was saved by moving to them? What was sold that otherwise wouldn't sell?
You live in a hilly area. Others live in flat land. Others live in a mix of hills and flat. What works best for you may not be what works best for others. This is aside from strength, since you brought that up, and is entirely terrain based. What you need is not universal, regardless of strength.
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Also, 11sp allows for tight jumps and wide range.
Your history is jacked up- time for you to come up with another reason and base it on something other than reality.
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I just LOVE the term Big Gravel, and had to try using it. My post was in jest, of course. But only half-so.
My "history" has a four-decade absence, ending two years ago. What happened?
Speaking of jacked up, somebody needs a chill pill! I hope you brought enough chill pills for everybody...
My "history" has a four-decade absence, ending two years ago. What happened?
Speaking of jacked up, somebody needs a chill pill! I hope you brought enough chill pills for everybody...
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Also got F.all to do with Big Gravel. Alternative reality stuff there.
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How many rear shifts of 3-8 cogs? A lot of those can be eliminated with 2 shifts of the front or 1 front and a couple of rear with a 3x. Bear in mind we're talking about terrain with great variation. Not talking about rollers where you nibble along parts of the cassette. It depends on what's important to each rider.
Anyway, most less experienced riders are avoiding difficult terrain / not able to figure out which chainring to be in even with only 2 chainrings, let alone 3 (TBH even I can't be bothered, I hate how slow it is to hunt around for the right gear combo with 3x on my tandems).
No nibbling around the cassette here.
I don't even find having a 1x to be a major issue in a paceline as I've become more adaptable with my cadence. 1x is still going to be 11 times easier than SS on a hilly ride.
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Viva la 110/74!
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Because it's cheaper to put less chainrings on a bike and still charge an inflated price for it. It tries to be justified as being simpler, tuning doesn't have to be as "perfect" as with a triplle, and generally works better. My ancient (98) mtn.bike and my road bike ('06) both have triples and both shift just fine and have never given me any trouble. My bikes are well maintained, and while I'm not an expert mechanic, I do OK. I am a senior, so maybe I just don't appreciate new "advances". My trouble free triples are staying on my bikes-and the triple gets full use on the road bike, while no so much on the mtn.bike.
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That's probably countable with Di2 data, but I can't be bothered considering rear shifting is easy and intuitive, so those shifts are basically free for me. On the other hand -- quite literally -- back when the only road bike I had was a Tiagra 4700 double, my left wrist gave out during a long ride due to the strain from upshifting the front ring too often. That played a role in splurging for Di2 when a deal came along.
Anyway, most less experienced riders are avoiding difficult terrain / not able to figure out which chainring to be in even with only 2 chainrings, let alone 3 (TBH even I can't be bothered, I hate how slow it is to hunt around for the right gear combo with 3x on my tandems).
No nibbling around the cassette here.
I don't even find having a 1x to be a major issue in a paceline as I've become more adaptable with my cadence. 1x is still going to be 11 times easier than SS on a hilly ride.
Anyway, most less experienced riders are avoiding difficult terrain / not able to figure out which chainring to be in even with only 2 chainrings, let alone 3 (TBH even I can't be bothered, I hate how slow it is to hunt around for the right gear combo with 3x on my tandems).
No nibbling around the cassette here.
I don't even find having a 1x to be a major issue in a paceline as I've become more adaptable with my cadence. 1x is still going to be 11 times easier than SS on a hilly ride.
BTW, I'm sure the less experienced riders could also figure it out with electronic shifting. If it solved your problems, it would probably solve theirs as well.
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That is 100% not the reason why triples have virtually disappeared. It is simply down to the increase in the number of cassette gears. A modern 11 or 12-speed drivetrain doesn't really need 3 chainrings for most people. We are actually at a point where 2 chainrings is now becoming questionable with 1x13 emerging.
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Anyway, most less experienced riders are avoiding difficult terrain / not able to figure out which chainring to be in even with only 2 chainrings, let alone 3 (TBH even I can't be bothered, I hate how slow it is to hunt around for the right gear combo with 3x on my tandems).
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I joined a road club of 500 members in 1989, still ride with that club. It's rare to see a triple on anyone's bike now but back then there were only a few. I used a double for everything except touring. I didn't get a triple roadie until 2002. I rode 9000 miles for 3 years and 12K for another on double chainrings with tons of climbing. A friend rode 25K miles some years including all of the climbing centuries with a double and 8 speed.
It would be shocking to see a racer with a triple, ever.
Now, I can only think of one club rider who has a triple.
When compact cranksets came out the demand for triples went down and high-end triple groups were dropped. I have an Ultegra 10 speed triple group on one bike.
I have a compact 10 speed group on the other and it works pretty well but sometimes I wish it had a lower gear then the 34x29, but I'm fat and old.
I'm surprised to see people supporting triples on the forum. They were scoffed at in the past on these pages.
It would be shocking to see a racer with a triple, ever.
Now, I can only think of one club rider who has a triple.
When compact cranksets came out the demand for triples went down and high-end triple groups were dropped. I have an Ultegra 10 speed triple group on one bike.
I have a compact 10 speed group on the other and it works pretty well but sometimes I wish it had a lower gear then the 34x29, but I'm fat and old.
I'm surprised to see people supporting triples on the forum. They were scoffed at in the past on these pages.
Last edited by big john; 05-29-22 at 07:03 PM.
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It never ceases to amaze me how many people cling to the theory that bike manufacturers all conspire to produce 1x, disc brake, carbon frames etc., despite most cyclists preferring triples, rim brakes, and steel frames. It's like claiming the auto manufacturers all conspire to build SUVs, despite people really wanting station wagons.
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I agree based on what I see around me, but why is this the case? Are racers normally strong enough to not need the granny? It could just be everyone conforming to the norm, I think some people don't even know why they shave their legs and wear sunglasses over the helmet straps. Its just the way things are done.
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It never ceases to amaze me how many people cling to the theory that bike manufacturers all conspire to produce 1x, disc brake, carbon frames etc., despite most cyclists preferring triples, rim brakes, and steel frames. It's like claiming the auto manufacturers all conspire to build SUVs, despite people really wanting station wagons.
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Here's one of the hardest rides I did with a strong group on that bike: 77 miles and 5300 ft elev gain with 17 mph avg speed, 44 mph max and only 116 rpm cadence.
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If i want to buy a new station wagon, yes. The last American one sold was a rebadged German one that was dropped for the 2020 year We have the Outback, the VW if it is still being sold, and the high end German ones if they are still being sold. So for me it's mini and full sized vans. No SUVs and crossovers. Triples also, so no new bikes.
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I dont agree that tripples are more complicated, when I got my first "nice" bike when i was like 11, the bike shop told me to use gears 1-3 for the small chainring, 3-5 for the middle, and 5-7 for the big one. I still follow that advice religiously when using a 21 speed bike. Its actually easier for me to be in the right gear on the tripple than a double because it was laid out for me so plainly as a kid