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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I've learned a great deal about gearing over the past few hours.
With a better understanding I'm at peace with my bike's compact 50-34T. I could add a 16T to the mix by changing to a 12-25 out back but would lose my top gear. Changing to an 11-25 doesn't get me a 16T but it would smooth transitions on the easier gears. An 11-23 might be my best option.
It really sounds like a 50-34t compact in combination with one of the new 11 speed 11-25 cassettes would be my perfect world. I have put it on the list for N + 1.
@Fausto
These two fellas right here are on to it. I'm not sure I agree with the 11-28 if say Gianni, living on the side of a volcano, needs the 28 to get home. But yes, big cassettes do not look pro. You may as well keep the dork disc on. Seeing a nice petit cassette on a bike gives me wood. In this sense, I'd ride a compact with a small cassette before I would a 53 with a larger one. But I live in the flats and have massive guns so I get to ride a standard and an 11-25. Whoahpaya.
@kixsand
No, I meant "All in tents with porpoises". No wait,@Marcus said that. @Frank was Museuuw's tenant who's cheek was tongued.
And I'm fundamentally wrong.
@kixsand
This is why I like 11 speed. With an 11-23 you can go 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23.
Even with 11-25 you can still go 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-25 but I prefer minimal gaps on 12-25 (12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-25) if I'm going to go for the lower gears.
Don't look now but The Lion is in Rule #37 violation.
@kixsand
I can't stand not having the 16T cog so the race bike has an 11-23 cassette, the commuter is 12-25. Would love 11 speed but budget won't stretch that far. Yet.
@Marko
Good of you to say so Marko! I'm not sure we are actually, but in sticking to it for now. Hills out of my village range from 10% to 20%+, compact isn't exactly a necessary evil but it helps stop my knees exploding.
I hope my knees never ring for a compact.
@Marcus
Is this some subtle attempt at humor? Because it is hilarious. All intensive purposes is my favorite misused term of all. Second is road to hoe.
http://grammarist.com/eggcorns/for-all-intensive-purposes/
There is nothing funny about a compact though. Use the right gear for the right terrain/conditions.
great thoughts Frank, as usual
i thought for a moment you were going to make the corollary between gear inches and ones manhood, but no go
Like so many things within the mind of the cognoscentia, its all about soul and spirit, and chiefly attitude. For example, I will never ride a compact, well except when i ride the graveleur. The road bikes all are standard, and I must say, the drop from the 53t to the 39t is like falling off a slope, and the transition to a 42t is sooooo much better, it simply rolls out much better. Granted, this is no mtn gear, and where I ride there are simply millions of short steep climbs and are usually 300-500ft climbs over and over, not long...so this works
But even in the mtns, a 39t is adequate.
I say that to say this, like any gear, its all about the mind, your will and your will being superior to the extent you submit everything else to IT, including your gear. See Rule V for referece