[littlepitboy]

Hi, I recently got a Specialized Tarmac Elite. It is equipped with an FSA "Mid Compact" FSA Gossamer Pro. 110 BCD. Chainrings are 52-36 and would like to change to 50-34? Which FSA chainrings match the Gossamer? The Pro Chainrings 110? or or Super Type? If both fit.. which is better?

or Should i just get a new Compact Crankset?

 

[Randy99CL]

You may want to switch to 50/34 if you do a lot of climbing, otherwise there isn't enough difference to justify the cost of new rings.
Just ride it the way it is for a while and decide if you really need to change.

What is the cassette?

Any 110 BCD rings will work. Many here seem to prefer Shimano, including me, and 105 rings work well if the budget is tight. I bought mine from amazon.

 

[littlepitboy]

My cassette is a Shimano 105 - 11 to 27.

 

[rm -rf]

The usual reason for going from a 52-36 to a 50-34 is to get lower gears for steep hills.

The 34 chainring will get you about a half-a-cog easier. So with the 34 chainring, the 24 cog will be the same as halfway between the 24 and 27 on your current 36 chainring, and the 34-27 will be a half shift easier than your low gear 36-27.

It's enough to help some, but it's hard to say if its worth switching.
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The 50 chainring will move all your cogs to a slower speed. The difference is approximately 1 mph less. For instance, the 52-17 at 90 rpm is 21.5 mph, while the 50-17 at 90 rpm is 20.6 mph.

It's not much of a change. It does let you stay in the big ring for maybe 1 mph less pace. The max speed is reduced, but you'll be going downhill when you are in the 11 cog, so that's not critical at all.

 

[SystemShock]

My cassette is a Shimano 105 - 11 to 27.

They make those?

 

[littlepitboy]

They make those?

yup


thanks for the advice guys.. good to hear no need to spend extra bucks for it