Compact v. Midcompact Crankset // Which Is Best For You?

In today's video, we swap out the mid-compact Hollowgram 52/36 crankset on my Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod and replace it with a 50/34 Hollowgram crankset to see whether this upgrade will make a considerable difference in the bike's climbing ability and my enjoyment of riding it.

0:00 Intro & Overview
3:21 Test Agenda
6:01 52/36 Mid-Compact Hill Tests
11:38 Removing 52/36
12:04 Weigh-In
12:45 Installing 50/34
13:44 50/34 Compact Hill Tests
18:47 Comparison Between Chainrings
29:53 Final Thoughts & Conclusions

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[juliolopez]

Did you drop the front derailleur for the smaller chainring? Didn't see this on the video (admittedly I skipped around the timestamps). Just want to see if you got away without a front derailleur adjustment.

[awhite]

34/28 is my lowest gear too. I wouldn’t mind an extra gear on some of the 20% gradients sometimes to save the knees a bit 😅

[DannyPacheco-jf]

I have 40/36 11-36, what's easiest/less expensive way to make gearing easier to climb? Changing crank combo or cassette? I'm just starting out to bike again and need a little more help on steep climbs where i don't have to push so hard for so long

[nukemforkhigh]

If you have a spare wheelset chuck on it an 11-32 shimano 105. It’s compatible. It’s 120 bucks New Zealand dollars… so you can race with the 11-28. That’s what I do. Racing wise you don’t want to have gaps between cogs and I found that often I span out the 50-11 cog.

[steveindorset]

Surely you’d be better off with a bigger 11x30 cassette?? A 36x30 is just slightly lower than 34x28. That way keep the 52 big ring for belting down hill? Or even go 11x34 cassette that’s a real mountain goat….but at 300bucks it would be a bit of an expense. 🚵🏻😎👍🏻