Living in Florida is a rather unique story. We really don't need triple chain rings down here. I use a 53/42 up front and a straight-block 12/17 or 13/18 on the rear. Five of my bikes are set up this way. My sixth, an Eddy M. Scandium SC is set up with a 53/42 (I swapped out the 39 it came with) and the 10 speed cluster is 12/13/14/15/16/17/19/21/23/25. I really don't use the 19 through 25 though. Maybe in the winter when it starts howling though...
Having said that, I did some riding in Colorado this summer out around Vail Pass (on a rented road bike) and was REALLY glad to have that 39 instead of the 42 up front. I used the full range of the nine-speed cluster too.