I recently purchased a Spa Cycles Super Compact Chainset to reduce my gearing. I have one real regret: I should have done it years ago! I was slightly apprehensive I might end up with a bit of a bodge job, but not at all. The chainset was much better than the photos on the Spa Cycles website suggest. At only £60 I consider it a bargain. I had to swap my bottom bracket to accommodate it which added 200g to the overall weight in comparison to my original set-up, but as I am a couple of stone underweight I am not at all concerned.
I appreciate it is really a triple with a blank, but I certainly don't mind. It was good to be able to choose any combination of chainrings I wanted.
Spa Cycles certainly get a big vote of thanks from me for providing a product I just could not find elsewhere. Living in a hilly part of the country the new gears are an absolute godsend.
Spa Cycles: Super Compact Chainset
Re: Spa Cycles: Super Compact Chainset
I may be ordering one soon could you tell me how many teeth you have on your chainrings, which derailer that you are using and how slick are the shifts please.
Re: Spa Cycles: Super Compact Chainset
The bike originally came "off the shelf" with 34/50 at the front, and 12-28 at the rear. 34 is normally the lowest chainring size for a compact chainset. The get slightly lower gears I put a mountain bike 11-34 rear cassette on, with a cheap and cheerful long reach Shimano Deore rear derailer. 34 at the front was generally OK but just not low enough. I never bothered using the larger chainring. Hence the reason I recently purchased a 28/36 chainset from Spa Cycles. I spent a long time noting carefully what gear I was in before deciding upon this. Spa recommend 28/40 (ie 12 tooth difference) but I took a chance 3ith 28/36 and it all works OK. Other than occasionally jumping across second gear the gear shift as just as good as before. Note that the Spa chainsets require a square-tapered bottom bracket, hence I had to ditch my Shimano hollowtech. Spa recommended a 115mm bottom bracket and this fitted fine.
Re: Spa Cycles: Super Compact Chainset
It's been said before - but - what would we do without Spa?
Re: Spa Cycles: Super Compact Chainset
Hi burroc, interesting reading /knowledge. I am /have been experimenting with gearing not for the same reason as you but for more load bearing cycling when touring. I don't carry a huge load but every little helps. Interested to know what length crank arms you are running on.
Re: Spa Cycles: Super Compact Chainset
Crank length depends on leg length and if using short cranks then you are turning smaller circles and will ride in a lower gear and pedal a bit faster. Not some thing you will notice with a large number of gears. I am a big fan of Spa Cycles chain sets. I have them set up as triples with the large ring mainly for down hill or if a tailwind. I find the chain alignment works a treat on inner and middle rings and with larger outer ring I am usually in the smaller range cogs in the block which is ok chain line as well. I really like the newer set with five exposed chain ring bolts but there again have always been a Stronlight fan. The only mistake I have made is to use stronglight bottom brackets with plastic cups. The plastic is not up to the job and on a fixie is and instant failure.
Re: Spa Cycles: Super Compact Chainset
Ref Malvandy. 170mm cranks - so nothing out of the ordinary.