# triple vs compact on Trek 1.2



## osteomark (Jun 15, 2011)

I'm thinking since I can get up any hill around me with the 39t/28t is it better to get a compact 20/34t? 
I'll have to swap out the front derailleur and change the Left STI I'm sure.
Any suggestions?
Thanks


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

osteomark said:


> I'm thinking since I can get up any hill around me with the 39t/28t is it better to get a compact *50*/34t?
> I'll have to swap out the front derailleur and change the Left STI I'm sure.
> Any suggestions?
> Thanks


(corrected above)
If it were my 1.2, I'd just leave it and wait until I was ready to buy a new (maybe better) bike and then get what you think you need at that point.

If you decide to change the crankset, you wouldn't (probably) have to change the left shifter. Usually they're double-triple compatable (just use less clicks for the double). You may or may not need a new derailleur, but if you did, a Sora or Tiagara FD is very cheap.

To me, what you really need is a conventional double, not compact. Compared to your current triple, you'd be losing the 39t chainring which is a very versitile ring. I'll bet you use it a lot, making use of all the cassette's gears, reducing the amount of front shifting you need to do. With the compact, the 34t is not nearly as versitlle and you will end up doing a lot more front shifting. And the front shifting won't be as good (in my experience) because the jump between the big and small rings is greater.

The only (again, in my experience) advantage of the Compact is if you need the low gears of the 34t ring. You don't. Its very slightly lighter, but one of the things that makes the compact lighter than the triple other than the little inner chain ring is that you can get away with a lighter rear derailleur. You don't need to change that for functionality though, which means you probably wouldn't. Therefore your weight advantage will be very, very small (the weight of the small chain ring only).

If it were me, again, I'd just leave it as-is, only use the rings you need and forget about the one you're not using. It's doing you no harm, and the compact double will probably be a downgrade in performance for you for no reason. Wait until you want/need/can afford a new bike and just upgrade the whole thing into maybe a little higher grade of components and the drive train you know you need.

This is exactly what a starter bike like the 1.2 is for - a very nice, fun, well functioning, quality bike that you can learn on and enjoy totally, but you can also find out what you do and don't want or need in your next bike. It's not for 'upgrading' in my opinion.


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## osteomark (Jun 15, 2011)

Camilo,
Very good advise. Thanks for talking it out for me. Your right the 39t is used the most. The jump would be worse going from 34t to 50t.
I have the Tiagra STI's now and like them. 
The Tiagra crank feels different, not in a bad way, than the FS Vero. I'm going to measure the length. I noticed it immediately. The Tiagra feels smoother though. The shifting is smoother with the FD now also, don't know if that is because Tiagra is upgrade from Sora or not. 
The TIagra STI's and Tiagra cranks were only $75 lightly used so I feel that was a warranted upgrade.
Thanks again


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