mleess

Before getting my first road bike, I was advised by a couple more serious riders not to get the triple. They couldn't really give me a valid reason; it was clear that it was just one of those mind-set things that they were conditioned to believe. Of course they mentioned the weight. But I read online that the triple adds about 5 oz. to the weight of a bike. That may be a lot to a serious racer but for the average rider it is negligible. So it all comes down to: A) how strong are you; B) the topography of where you live; and C) Do you prefer to do easier riding up hills or do you prefer gutting it out. It's an individual choice.

6Stringer

There is a mathematical way to look at this. A typical double will give you a 39x25 as your lowest gearing. With a 700 tire, that means that every turn of the crank will cause the rear wheel to travel 3.43 meters when in the 39x25 gear. With a triple in the 30x19 gear (the fourth largest gear on your current bike) every turn of the crank will cause the rear wheel to travel 3.47 meters. So, take your current bike out on what you plan to be one of your more difficult (hilly) rides. If you ever need something easier then the the 30x19 gear, then stick with the triple. If not, then the double will be fine.

Personally, I have a triple (the hills in New Hampshire are beyond me and a double). I have friends who have doubles and avoid certain hills. I'd rather ride a triple and go where ever I want.

humbug

when i got my new bike, i was worried that it only had a double. since then, there have been several instances where i WISHED i had a triple, but never any where i've actually NEEDED one.

bigbossman 

Reminds me of a recent conversation I had with a friend:

Friend: "triples are for girls"

Me: "OK - you ride on up ahead, I'll stay back here and chat with the girls".

EatMyDust

You're lucky. I wish my LBS saleman told me about double set. I ended up with 1500 tripple and haven't
used small cog once in 1000 miles I did this summer. grrrr

blue_nose

I also have a triple. I rarely every use the granny ring on a regular ride, but do use it on recovery rides. It would be nearly impossible for me to ride near my home and get up some of the hills without elevating my heart rate during a recovery ride.

Ideally I would have two bikes – a double and an triple that would give me the best of both worlds. But alas, convincing the wife to spend thousands of bucks on antoehr bike is not so easy

I have been mocked by a few people with my triple at the start of the group ride. They usually end up watching my butt out climb them. Remember, the most important aspect of climbing and riding in general is the engine.

maximum01

this isn't about bravado....it's being practical. get a triple then....i guarantee you several months down the road you'll wonder why you bothered as you look down at your shining unused granny ring.

ManBearPig

My bike has an engine? Dangit! I guess I have wasted a lot of effort pedaling wherever I go...

miyata610

I doubt very much if a double shifts gears better than a triple if all other aspects are the same, i.e. same groupset components.

The weight difference for Ultegra in total (FD, RD and cranks) is about 170g. i.e. negligible.

The Q factor for Ultegra triple is the same as the Q factor for Ultegra double.

So what if you hardly ever use your smallest chainring? At least it's there if you need it one day.

99.999999999999999999999% of the argument for not using a triple is image. Triples are slightly more expensive of course, so maybe some people are just cheap.

manutd

Very good point!!!

john bono

You will rarely need that little gear... in Texas. In Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Colorado, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, etc, people might beg to differ.

rickkko

I dunno but I sold mine w/2,000 miles on them for $150.

Ju$t!Ce

Forget the triple buddy you won't need it after a few rides

CTAC

Sorry for the offtopic, but one can use google search:
whateveryousearch site:www.bikeforums.net

Basscycle

Haven't heard a lot about compact doubles in this thread. How do they compare to triples in real live riding situations? Seems like the best of both worlds.

jschen

My new bike has a compact double. I think a few months ago, I would have disliked this setup, but now that I'm a bit faster, it's not bad. Here's my take on it...

By the numbers, a 50/34 12-27 setup loses one gear on the top end and half a gear on the low end compared with a 53/42/30 12-25 setup. In terms of sheer range, you have practically the same range as a triple. The issue is where your typical cruising gear lies. Until recently, given my typical flat ground speed and cadence, the compact setup would mean typically cruising with significant cross chaining. Either a relatively big cog with the big ring or a relatively small cog with the small ring. Either would be inconvenient since it would mean shifting chainrings for minor inclines. On the other hand, until recently, I was pretty happily in the middle of my middle chainring in a triple setup, making it a very convenient chainring for gently rolling terrain. Now that I'm a bit faster and with a better ability to power over minor inclines, the big ring of the compact is a pretty good choice to put me in the middle of my cassette on flat to gently rolling terrain.

The other minor issue with a compact is that in order to get the range of a triple, the gearing on the low end gets more spread out. If those gears are there as bailout gears, it makes little difference. But if you use them routinely--as I do--it would be nice to get the somewhat closer spacing of a 12-25 cassette. Not an issue if you can give up one low gear and just stick a 12-25 cassette on in the first place, though.

I think it's a matter of not only the range of the gears, but whether the range of the gearing in each chainring makes sense given the rider's ability and choice of terrain.

Lucky07

I have a triple and rarely use the granny gear, but when I need it, I REALLY need it. Maybe a compact crank with a 27 on the back would make up the difference, but short of that I'd go for a triple over a double esp. if you're riding hilly terrain.

Retro Grouch 

So what did they tell you?

Installing a triple crankset onto a bike that has a double isn't difficult to do. All that it takes is money. To do it right takes quite a bit of money. If you're buying a new bike, hold out for the one that you really want.

don_lee103

Well, I've been working out on my lower body for a year now @ gym and I think I wont be needing the granny gear.
My LBS is just making up the words right now because they are too lazy to find out if they have the parts to make my bike a triple.
Like I've said before, I'm going to go with double.. no big deal for me.
Thanks for your help!

john bono

Well, I hope it works out. However, I still needed a triple even though I was doing 200 lb leg extensions with each leg. No matter how strong you think you are at climbing hills, you won't know until you actually climb one.

big john

Everyone is different and you will see 2 riders climbing together with different cadences, some mash, some spin. I spin (when I can) and like the low of my triple. I am over 200# and I do 10-12000 foot climbing rides and nobody makes fun of my gears, well, except my friends. Get what works for you and forget the macho crap. Triples shift fine and the weight difference is negligible.

don_lee103

Thanks for your reply but if you read my first post, I need to WAIT if I were to get the triple bike...
I'm a strong guy(I think so) who never tried the granny gear on my Trek 1000 so I will pass on triple.

Roger D

I'm 49 years old and 15 - 30 years ago I used to dance on the S Record 42/18 up hills - - - no more, for my Roberts Roughtsuff Lite riding the BIG Long Hills in Southwest Kerry, its 30/26 - - -I climb spinning, arrive at the top smiling AND shoot 50/13 down - - - thats fun - if the terrain warrants, go for the triple.

don_lee103

I dont know why you are bringing this back again but this thread is week old and I have already made my decision to go with double...

lennon2600

Triple's are going to become more and more prevalent. If you want one, get one. If you don't, that's cool too. Doubles have been around since...well...a long time. Mountain bikes actually were the first to receive the triple treatment - well, ever since the genre actually grew into it's OWN genre. They're handy on mountain bikes, and they're handy on road bikes. At first triples were heavy, but now the weight difference between a double and a triple is getting pretty negligible. The terrain argument is a good one, but how are you going to putt-putt comfortably next a trike rider (i.e., your little kid?) Unless your kid's well on his/her way to becoming the next Lance. In which case, forget I mentioned that bit. Ride on.