Ladies, I Need Your Advice

[Snoop Doug]

Any ideas on a quality carbon triple for girls?!

A contact has asked me - I know of no better place to get the lowdown than here. Cheers in advance

Snoops

[Bridget]

Does she definitely need a triple? I had a triple when I first started riding and when I changed to a compact it was a lot easier.

[Amy]

Nothing wrong with a triple - yes, compacts are lighter if you're going for lightness - but a carbon triple?

Sorry, carbon triples not really my thing. Good person to speak to - knows his stuff and appreciates what ladies need - is Paul Smith (aka Smiffy) at Corridori Cycles: his girlfriend is beating him up the hills now

[Snoop Doug]

[quote]Have Pinarello with Compag triple group set etc etc - but is now a bit heavy, I had it built to do Lands End to JOG a few years ago, so is quite sturdy

I am planning some time in the Alps/Pyrenees in the next few months

I've tried a few compacts but they don't really suit

[Ivor]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]I've tried a few compacts but they don't really suit

[Roy Green]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]

Latest from Debs, Amy will pass on your note

Keep it coming girls

[Phil H]

Pearsons now do a ladies' bike. I'm sure they'd put a triple on it.

Having gone compact, I sometimes wish I'd gone triple. Yes, I know that triples aren't cool, but the change from the 50 to the 34 is a lot. Especially if someone in front of you does it up the Rusper drag. 52/39/30 that you could run an 11-25 cassette and have all the gears you would ever need.

[Dominic]

I think Phil may be right about the gaps in the gears on a compact Snoop. If your friend is doing Alpine climbs which are more gradual she may be more happy with a wide range of gears, but with not too many large gaps. In my audaxing days I used a 53/42/30 with a 13 to 26. Perfect for all situations. As for the benefits of using carbon I am not sure. But that is because I am tight Having just looked at some of the prices, not a route I would choose to go down. There is also the commonly held belief amongst some cyclists that there is usually more weight being carried by the rider than on the bike. But I will let you tell that to your friend

[higg]

It's true the gaps on your standard compact (50/34) are large. I found I was always riding at one end of the cassette or the other. Front changing especially with such a big tooth difference was never smooth. I changed the large chainring to a 46 and am much happier. OK so I've sacrificed bit of top end speed but chasing someone down a hill at over 40mph was never my thing anyway.

Not really the answer to your question but just another option. It hardly seems right, wanting to change to something lighter and then going for a triple .....


Aodan.

PS you do have to shop around to find a 46t chainring, this is one

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/TA_11 ... 360010820/

[Amy]

Good point Aodan, I'd forgotten to mention that as a girl, I went for a 48 big ring rather than 50 as it saved a bit of weight and I'm not really into big gear riding... though of late I have started thinking about trying a 50 as I'm running out of gears at the top end in certain situations but then like you Aodan, I'm not into chasing people fast down hills either.

Maybe when I'm back and riding comfortably in the 19s...

[Mike I]

Here's a compact for girls ...

[img]http://i45.tinypic.com/2yxiubo.jpg[/img]

Sorry, I'll get my own coat .