# 52/38 Cranksets



## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

I allways rode a Standard. 53/39 with a 12-23 cassette was my setup when I was living on flatter area and never needed else.

2 years ago I moved to a hilly area and got in contact with a group of riders that are very enthousiast hill/pass climbers.

They are all in compacts and triples, even thoght they are 10 years younger than me, much fitter and strong. But alas, they like the big and steep climbs and say they are much better spinning fast a compact or a triple than mashing a standard on "danseuse" ( off the saddle )

I tried the Compact and didn't like it, because the gears feel "off" in comparison with the standard, the shift from 50 to 34 feels to big, forcing you to upshift in the back, and I think the 50 is too little for downhill or even flat rides.

I tried the Triple and I like the fact that you can still have a 52 and a 39 and have the 30 as a bailout ring. What I didn't like is that the Q-factor is higher ( I can feel it ) and the chain is crossed most of the time, and I perceive it as heavier and clunkier. However, I think this is what I will need when I am older and can't really climb on a standard, so I keep the triple bits in reserve ( with the triple left shifter on the bike ).

Anyway, I do my hills now, on a standard 53/39 and 12-27 cassette. my regular ride is 55 Km with 530mts climbing involved. I don't go fast and chose the easier slopes up there, but can do it in roughly 2:15 hours, 1:20 to go up, 55mins to go down, 22.5 Kmh average speed.

I am quite satisfied with this, even though I know I can't keep up with the younger riders on triples and compacts, that chose the steeper hills, but this doesn't bother me.

Regularly I climb on the 39 ring and stay on the 21-24 sprockets and use the 27 as "bailout", when it is truly steep or long.

I have done it on a 12-25 and I actually feel I need the 27 on some sections, but then I just go on "danseuse" on those parts that otherwise I could do seated on the 27.

Now my questions to you after all that long introduction.

- I have a 52 and 38 set of rings and I want to try them. But I guess the gain in comparison with the 53/39 would be so small that maybe it is not worth it. I would like to know if other people have done the change ( on 130BCD ) and if they have had a good experience or if it is nothing to write home about ( BTW I just hesitate to mount them on the bike as they are new, so I could sell them as new now, but if I just do a test ride I have to sell them as used )

- How does this setup compares with a compact ( dumb question I know ) but some people have posted in the past here about disliking the compact 50/34 and having put 52/38 on 110BCD.

- Or should I just keep my setup and when someday I am old enough swap it to the triple ?


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

If the 39/27 is fine for you, ride it. 38t if you really think it will help. 

One option is to put a 36 on a compact and ride a 12-27 cassette.


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## wetpaint (Oct 12, 2008)

If you ran a 52/38 and a 12-28 cassette, it seems like that would get your gearing a bit lower too.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

I though about a 11-28 cassette that are avaliable on the market

but I have a SS derailer ( capacity 29 )

so 53-39 = 14 27-12 = 15, that gives a total capacity of 29

I couldn't run a 12-28 nor a 11-28 unless I reduce the tooth distance on the crank and then you lose the advantage.

52/38 mantains the same distance so I can still run it on a SS derailer


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## ruly62 (Feb 9, 2004)

*52/38*

First sorry my english.I have this configuration and work good.My cassette is 12/26.The advantage in the 38 is minimal,but help.For me,the 52 is the key,because I run in big ring and use then in the flats,false flats and low hills slopes.Im big guy 6'2" 225 pounds,and when training in hills(not steep), I use big chainring,but in the group rides use the 38 to go up the distance,maybe mental.My next configuration compact 52/36-12/27 cassette for steepest hills.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Gracias ruly,

I decided to test it, so I just finished to setup my bike with the 52/38 rings.

I'll go to my usual ride tomorrow and see how it feels.

Thanks for your answers


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## Hoffman (Jul 29, 2008)

I used a 50/38 on a ultegra 9sp crank as a tester before making the plunge into a compact and it worked well for me. 50/38 is a strange setup and lends itself to some awkward chain positions because of the small 12 tooth gap between chainrings, but after trying it out I knew that the 50 was big enough to go fast downhill or pull a big gear through the flats and I still wanted something smaller for the small ring.

I ended up w/ a new 10sp ultegra compact which I am very happy with. If the gearing works for you the argument for a compact crank is very compelling. I suspect the vast majority of 53/39 users w/ 12/27 cassettes would benefit from swapping to compact. Works for me 

Hoffman


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## Doctor Who (Feb 22, 2005)

You're not getting much gain from a one-tooth difference in the 52/38 vs. a 53/39. Run the gearing through Sheldon Brown's gear calculator.

Just an example:

Gear chart using Gear Inches
For 700 X 23 / 23-622 tire with 170 mm cranks
With 10-speed 13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-26-29 Cassette

39	2.6 %	38
13	78.8 76.8
7.7 %
14	73.2 71.3
7.1 %
15	68.3 66.6
6.7 %
16	64.1 62.4
6.3 %
17	60.3 58.7
11.8 %
19	53.9 52.6
10.5 %
21	48.8 47.6
9.5 %
23	44.6 43.4
13.0 %
26	39.4 38.4
11.5 %
29	35.3 34.4


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

I rode today the 52/38

didn't feel much difference.

I found however that I was more time around the cassette center than before, but anyway the whole thing felt sligthly off.

Could have been because my fitness level is low today, so I'll give it some tries more.

Otherwise I'd switch it back to the standard 53/39

No compact for me thanks, ( at least, not before I hit 50 )


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

How about running a 110bcd crank with 36/52?


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

Salsa_Lover said:


> No compact for me thanks


This is probably what you need, 36/50 or 36/52


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