Which crankset should you choose: 50/34 or 52/36?
Wondering whether to go for a 50/34 or a 52/36 crankset? This choice directly impacts your pedaling comfort, climbing performance, and flat-ground efficiency. Here are our tips to help you decide based on your cycling profile, terrain, and goals.
50/34 vs 52/36: what's the difference?
The 50/34 crankset: compact and mountain-friendly
- Ideal for beginners or older riders with no athletic background
- Popular among experienced climbers thanks to easier gear ratios
- Great for long mountain rides or events like the Étape du Tour
The 52/36 crankset: versatile and faster on the flat
- Perfect for younger adults, even beginners, riding mostly on flat terrain
- Stiffer and more responsive with better high-speed efficiency
- Great for group rides, sprints, and cruising at 35–40 km/h
Which crankset suits your rider profile?
Beginner or senior rider (without a sports background)
The 50/34 crankset is a solid starting point. It makes climbing easier and helps you find your cadence without forcing.
Beginner with a background in running, football, swimming, etc.
The 52/36 is often suitable from day one. It offers more range on the flats and prevents you from maxing out too quickly.
Former competitor used to 53/39
The 52/36 is the ideal transition for leisure riding without sacrificing speed. It’s smoother than the old race gearing but still powerful.
Sportive rider who enjoys fast group rides
Stick with the 52/36. It’s your standard gearing, found on most high-performance road and endurance bikes.
Online bike buyer with a stock 50/34 setup
Many pre-built bikes come with compact gearing. If you feel limited on the flats, hitting 38 km/h with difficulty on a 50T, it’s time to upgrade to 52/36!
Comparison table: 50/34 vs 52/36
| Crankset | Max gear (with 11T) | Min gear (with 34T cog) | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50/34 | 9.5 m | 2.12 m | Climbing, beginners, long-distance riding |
| 52/36 | 9.9 m | 2.24 m | All-round performance, flats, group riding |
Velo-Perso.com's advice
If you mostly ride in flat areas or in groups, a 52/36 crankset is a better fit. It helps you keep up with accelerations and maintain higher speeds more efficiently.
In the mountains, you can pair it with an 11/34 or even an 11/36 cassette on Shimano 12-speed groupsets. This compensates for the smaller inner ring of a 50/34 while keeping the stiffness of the 52.
For long-distance events or riders with low training volume, a 50/34 is still a wise and comfortable option.
Want to upgrade to the perfect crankset?
🔧 Complete 52/36 cranksets
- Rotor Aldhu: modular design, stiff and available in 24 or 30 mm axle
- Rotor Aldhu Carbon: lightweight performance (150g lighter), ideal for racing
- Rotor Vegast: excellent value for money
⚡ Power meter cranksets in 52/36
- Rotor Inspider 2.0 integrated into the spider
- Choose Aldhu or Aldhu Carbon crank arms based on weight and budget
- Fully compatible with Garmin, Wahoo, Zwift
🔁 Convert your existing crankset to 52/36
- Rotor chainrings compatible with Shimano 12-speed cranksets
- Available in round or oval Q-Rings versions
- Perfect for Ultegra R8100 / Dura-Ace R9200 setups
👉 Not sure what to choose? Contact us on WhatsApp (bottom left), we’ll give you personalized advice quickly and clearly.
velo-perso.com's solutions for 50/34 & 52/36 cranksets:
