Everyone knows that the quality of one’s character is measured by the size gear they can push, particularly when going uphill. It is also a well-established fact that no self-respecting Flemish Pro would ever ride a Compact, no matter what condition their knees are in or how ferocious the gradient. Which, by extension, means that Compacts are for sissies. In fact, a true Flandrian would rather lose their national race than ride a Sissy Gear.
The first time we rode with Johan Museeuw, we were shocked to find him aboard one of his carbon/flax race machines – and a compact chainset. Not wanting to offend an Apostle by suggesting he’s riding his son’s bike, I asked him what he thought of it. “I don’t like it. The big ring isn’t big enough for climbing.”
The standard Flemish chainset is – and has been for as long as the Ancients have tracked these details in their sacred scrolls – either a 53T or 52T outer ring paired to a 42T inner ring. On the occasions when the parcours will see them scaling the Koppenberg or Kapelmuur, the Belgians make a concession and dust off their trusty 41T inner ring in order to shorten the gear by a whopping single tooth. In the mountains or over in Wallonia (the land of savages) where they are far from the prying eyes of their proud public, the Flemish hardman may allow his mechanic to bolt on a lowly 39T ring, so long as no one brings it up at the dinner table. (It is worth noting that in Cyclocross it is standard practice to ride a 38T inner ring.)
Museeuw has never been a grimpeur, not when he was a Pro and not now. On Keepers Tour 2013, we had the opportunity to do several more rides with him, one of which was over the roads of Liege-Bastogne-Liege. It was customary for him to suggest alternate routes that avoided the steep hills, and so it was that he tried to talk us out of riding the Stockeu. We rode up side-by-side, taking our time. As we alternated between pedaling and doing track stands, he asked if I was riding a compact. I feigned a combination of exasperation and insult at such a question and told him it was a Flemish Compact.
“Oh, a 39? Goed.”
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Belgian Compact/”/]
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@Daccordi Rider
Spot on, me also
@ChrisO Yes, this is where the mathematics comes in, a Standard crank can be geared with a block so that it is equivalent to a compact, and a compact vice versa to a standard.
It's like a lot of things on here, people shouldn't feel insulted by the article, get all defensive about being less strong, because yes in fact our manhood is being threatened because yes, in fact, riding a hill like The Lion whilst Sur La Plaque is manly. Very manly indeed. And the female riders, well they'd have no problem chicking most of us! As impressive as The Lion to my eyes.
If we prefer to ride a compact and spin up climbs, we're doing what we think is best.
But clearly we are less strong than someone at our pace or quicker whilst on harder gearing than us. End of story.
When it comes to dropping other amateurs because they choose an inefficient gear for the hills, then I know I am on the right gear for my abilities. Reconciling that with feeling less Machismo compared to the male and female professionals is easy, for riding is something I do to suffer, not for dollars..
@Marko
Brillant timing!
@DerHoggz
Holy shiet! This front moto driver looks like Dr Strangelove's older fatter brother. What is with the helmets?
@frank
You confuse me sir with someone who is intelligent.
Great article Frank. My steel bike has a 53 x 44 on it and it's a real mother fo ya! Manly and shifting between chain rings is the best, it's like going up of down a cog or two in the back. I should bring that fucker to Belgium. KT 2014 Steel is Real Tour. All participants must ride steel. oooof!
This is very disturbing. Being an average 55 yr old in hilly country - frankly I need a 34 inner just to get to the top of my 12% dead-end road. But an 11-23 out back in my defence. But the real issue - are you saying it is impossible to be rule 23 compliant on a compact ????
@GT
Location, location, location. Museeuw grew up in Belgium. Frank just loves his big chain ring. I loves me a compact now I live on a volcano, ffs!
And your 50 x 11 is a nice long gear, I believe longer than a 53 x12? So spin it out.
I think one of the worse looking thing is having a hug cassette on the back wheel(on a road bike that is)
Id rather see a compact up front with a 11-25 than a big ring with something crazy like in a 32.
@RedRanger
Yup. Cassettes of 11-28T and bigger are for mountain bikes, no matter what Bertie Beefsteak does. Don't forget they can bolt on heavy bits at will as almost all Pro bikes need ballast to get them above 6.8kg anyway. Expect this to change if the proposed reduction to the UCI weight limit goes through.
@mouse
@mouse
...and surely you mean "all intents and purposes".