modern road bike ?

[Dickyboy]

but why do they put a triple chainset on a roadbike

I for one do not understand the current trend towards compacts, for the sake of very little weight saving, they create too big a jump between chainrings & don't give low enough gears for hilly areas or for the general non hero cycling population. Yes you can fit a larger cassette, but then you just have bigger jumps front & back, all for the sake of not going triple - mind you I did pick up an ultegra triple chainset for £70 from Merlin so others following fashions aint all bad

 

[gtRTSdh]

but why do they put a triple chainset on a roadbike

I for one do not understand the current trend towards compacts, for the sake of very little weight saving, they create too big a jump between chainrings & don't give low enough gears for hilly areas or for the general non hero cycling population. Yes you can fit a larger cassette, but then you just have bigger jumps front & back, all for the sake of not going triple - mind you I did pick up an ultegra triple chainset for £70 from Merlin so others following fashions aint all bad

I had a compact double 34/50, most of the time the chainline was terrible and everytime I hit a hill either up or down I'd have to double shift. Now I've got a 30/39/52 triple and the ratios are much bettter suited to me.

 

[JamesM]

Chainline aside with a compact you can leave it in the 50 and use the whole cassette most of the time (the 50 is closer to the centre line on a double) then drop into the 34 for the tough climbs. Roadbikes climb like they have gerbils in the bottom bracket so you can get away with higher gearing than on slicked up MTB.

I've ridden a friends road bike with a 30-39-50 triple (12-25 out back) on several ocasions and never used the 30 once. I was climbing the steep stuff 39:25 that normally on my slicked up MTB I'd have to go 38:32 or even drop into the 28 at the front. There are only a couple of hills I can think of where I would have needed that 30t on the front. But a 34:28 would get me up there too.

 

[videojetman]

so where can i get myself measured up for the right size frame ?

 

[NeilM]

Any decent bike shop should be able to do a competent fit. Find out where the local roadies go for all their bit'n'bobs.

I am going through a similar process, but have chosen to go Retro, with a Raleigh RSP 853. I have had an easier job with frame size, as my roadie fanatic son is an almost identical build (but much younger and fitter) to me.

Just waiting for tyres and a rear brake and I can take my first ride on a road bike in over 30 years.... I'll make sure my son's out when I do