Niloc

This is a long and interesting thread. There are many ways to skin a cat but if you really want to do it right - THIS ^^. I've had regular doubles and compact doubles but last year I got a bike with a road triple 52/42/30. You get everything. The nice tight gear spacing of an old school standard double (52/42) and, if like me, you live anywhere hilly, are not as young as you used to be, want to save your knees (I've had two surgeries) you've got that inner ring to save your bacon. Trying all kinds of contortions to make some kind of double work just seems like you're trying to avoid the triple for image reasons. I think the OP said he didn't care about image and needing to appear the hardman. The regular double just does not have low enough gearing to get up the hills around here unless you are a true Cat 1 rider and even then. A truly elite rider can probably do it on a compact, but as many of have stated the compact has it's drawbacks in terms of the huge jump between chainrings which does not give you a good middle ground where let's face it you spend a lot of you cycling time. I know, I had one. I guess you can work on that a bit with 11 speed rear ends but those are finicky and expensive and you still have the cross chaining issue. Give me a triple with good old 9 speed anytime. I'll still have tight spacing, and better chainlines not too mention more durable and less expensive cassettes and chains.

Why would you want to limit your gearing? A top athlete can produce maybe 1/2 a horsepower. Sorry, but that's a puny engine. You want to have a good gear range and tight spacing in the transmission to make the best use of that power.

I often felt on my compact double that I was trying hard to keep it in the 50, and the 34 really was only for climbs, shifting down past about the middle of the cassette didn't feel right and then when you jump up to the 50 you've got to shift a couple times on the rear simultaneously to catch up. With the triple the middle 42T ring was a revelation - ahhhh I can pedal around all over the place in this ring and in the middle of the cogset. Going on a fast ride, feel like hammering, road tilting downwards? Push it up onto the 52 and away you go. Oh boy, starting up a long killer sustained climb? Down to the small ring and spin. Yes you can maintain a spinning cadence on the inner ring. I have ridden away (slowly) from riders by spinning in the inner ring of my triple on hills while they mash on their smallest gear on a double.

I'd consider a double again if I lived somewhere like Florida or if I somehow transform myself into a pro rider!