SHIMANO FC-RX600 GRX chainset 46/30, double, 11-speed, 2 piece design

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Groupset brands also recommend a maximum difference in the number of chainring teeth that a front derailleur can deal with, so you can’t usually increase the jump between rings. In its 46/30 chainring configuration, FSA's Energy Modular BB386EVO crankset provides a very useful drop in overall gearing for gravel bikes, touring, and unhurried riding in general. It's solidly constructed, very nicely finished, straightforward to install and flat-out Just Works™.

Swapping from a double to a triple, or the reverse, is quite an expensive process because you need to change other groupset components too. Fitting is extremely easy, with only an 8mm hex key required, though a torque wrench is a very good idea (the rating of 45-47Nm is handily etched onto the left arm) to accurately eliminate play. Removal is just as simple, as the self-extracting bolt pulls the crank off the splines as you undo it. It takes a fair bit of force in both directions, so invest in a long key. It's on a Specialized Diverge which has short chainstays so I cannot use the two smallest cogs while in the small chain ring. Not a practrical problem because after the first few low gears it makes sense to be in the large chainring's lowest or second lowest gears of 28.3 gear inches or 32.1 gear inches, respectively. Tanpan cable converter at the front near the 105 rear shifter/brake (away from the road and contamination).I don’t think even the 50/34 believers can ride at 50kph by themselves,” Arizaga adds: “However, you could always increase cadence to 100rpm and develop 52kph or 105rpm and reach 55kph.”

Due to very special 2.5mm offset construction of BOTH chainrings towards the frame and custom bolts: I'm very impressed with the FSA Energy Modular BB386EVO crankset. It shifts well, provides a useful drop in gear range, looks good and is straightforward to fit. It's a bit pricey compared with similar-quality chainsets like Shimano Ultegra, but I think the lower gears it provides are worth it. If you want a chainset that provides a substantial reduction in your overall gearing, it's currently your best option. Verdict But we think they have a place for general riding too. As soon as you hit seriously hilly terrain, there's going to come a moment when you need the lowest gear you can get. You might have blown up, you might have hit a 20% grade or steeper. Options like FSA's Adventure series cranks, Sugino's OS cranks, or the Praxis Works 48/32 cranks give you a slightly lower gear range for those situations. For those who may find this worth considering but feel that a 46-tooth front chainring is unacceptably low, they might consider the Shimano GRX FC-RX810 crankset, with a 48/31 gear combination. This combination will provide a higher top end than a 46, while the 31-tooth chainring will offer a climbing gear that is just slightly higher than a 30. Or maybe consider the various offerings by Shimano, Praxis, FSA, Rotor, etc., of a 48/32 combination. As you can see, there are a lot of options that allow riders to tailor their gearing to specific desires. Subcompact Front Derailleur Caveats SRAM’s crankset BCDs vary between setups, though. A 12-speed SRAM Force eTap AXS or SRAM Rival eTap AXS two-ring crankset and single-ring crankset both have a 107mm BCD, but a SRAM Force Wide double has a 94mm BCD.

The latest crop of gravel specific road drivetrains offer lower gearing than a typical road bike. Groups like Shimano GRX, SRAM Force AXS Wide and Campagnolo Ekar are designed to help you deal with steep dirt roads with loose surfaces as best as possible through wide range gearing. In the case of 2x gravel groups, the new “sub-compact” cranksets have smaller chainrings than the common 50/34 compact rings many road bike come with. New gravel friendly road cranksets include the 46/30 Rotor, 46/30 FSA Adventure, 48/32 Praxis Zayante, the 46/30 Shimano GRX RX FC600 and the 48/31 Shimano GRX FC-RX810. How do you know if this lower gearing is for you? A Brief History of the Compact Crankset A compact chainset has a 50-tooth outer chainring and a 34-tooth inner chainring. This means that the gears are lower (easier to turn, but they’ll progress you a shorter distance per pedal revolution) than you get with a 53/39 chainset (above) with the same cassette. At the risk of some accusing me of heresy, I would dare say moving to a 46/30 subcompact crankset has very few disadvantages for many road riders. Subcompact is not all about getting a lower hill climbing gearing. Subcompact can allow stronger riders, or riders on flatter terrain, to focus on a cassette with tighter gearing jumps. For example, if a rider normally rides an 11-28 cassette, having a 46/30 chainring combination could allow them to move to an 11-25 cassette without giving up their lowest climbing gear. Additional Subcompact Crank Gearing Options That said, a triple can be a good idea, especially for something like a touring bike where you need those very small gears to climb while carrying a heavy load.

What’s more, the move to 12-speed gearing means the standard double crankset is no longer standard on the latest WorldTour bikes featuring SRAM or Shimano groupsets. I think 48/32 is probably the new scenario for Gran Fondo/endurance riders,” Bellin concludes. Our take Choose from the latest road bike cranksets and MTB cranksets from the world's biggest component brands, with a choice spanning entry level to pro.

Combined with the cassette, the number of teeth on the crankset’s chainrings will define your bike’s gearing. However, chainring sizes vary significantly, with options for every type of riding, so we’ll cover them separately below. combination is minimally faster than 52x12T. This is 49.7km/h (30.9mph) and is faster than 53x13T! At 100rpm it increases to 55km/h (34.3mph).