Road Bike Triple Vs Double

A triple chainset is one with three chainrings.

Road bike triple vs double.

For example if you take a brand of bike and look at their entry road bike it will typically have a triple or compact. In my experience read my opinion a triple does offer a couple of. Shimano spec measured to the midpoint between the rings. Shimano spec measured to the middle ring.

And the next time you go buy a bike more manufacturers are putting compacts on their road bikes. There are always sides to a discussion involving tradition and emotion. In each case the chainrings are 50 39 and 30 tooth. Older bikes with 110 spacing would be on the smaller end of this range newer bikes with 120 mm spacing normally use 42 mm.

With the invention of the compact double some thought that the triple chainring had gone the way of the passenger pigeon but it didn t happen that way. Specialized diverge comp the 2017 version gets a sub compact chainset triple chainset. The introduction of the compact chainset in the mid 2000s was a defining point in the path of road riding. So many arguments about the use of a single front chainring versus a double or triple.

Shimano offers triple chainsets for its three cheaper road bike groupsets claris sora and tiagra. Road double 43 5 mm. Progressive all road performance new 10 speed tiagra provides serious entry level riding performance with cascaded technology from top tier lines. Traditionally entry level road bikes come with a compact or a triple and high end bikes come with a standard or a compact and this is done for good reason as you develop as a rider then you can build up to a standard crank.

A traditional double for a road bike may be more than most people want for casual riding. Double or triple chainring. Consider swapping out your standard double chainring crankset for a compact model. Road triple 45 mm.

The high end bike will often have a traditional double or compact. At this time of limited choice a triple was appealing for any non racing applications particularly touring or audax bikes laden with luggage the lower gears helping to spin up the climbs. Before the compact came along your crankset choice was largely split between a double for racing and a triple for touring and audax riding. If you are a weaker rider and or you plan to tour with weight and do hill climbs then consider triple cranks.

The smaller 50 and 34 tooth chainrings helped open up road cycling to a much wider. The trend toward smaller gears in the mid 2000 s gave birth to the compact double chainring which is used on most contemporary road bikes.