My bumper sticker will read: "Triples are for wussies and old guys. And your point is?"
My old Frankenbike needed a triple to get me through the Santa Cruz mountains when I was young and doing fully loaded touring. My new LaRaza roadie has a triple 'cause the price was right and I'm not the young buck I used to be. Knowing I was going to be taking it on the Houston-Austin MS150 (actually 182, they lie) made me want to have every advantage possible to finish. Didn't really need 'Granny' along for the ride, but it was comforting to know she was there if I needed her....
B'Dog
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2006 Gary Fisher Marlin MTB
2004 Salsa LaRaza aka "Mmmm, Blue Salsa" (853 steel is real, baby!)
2003 Kona Humu Humu Nuka Nuka Apua'A Singlespeed - Gone, but not forgotten
1998 Diamondback Outlook MTB
1990 Centurion Cavaletto 'Gaspipe Beater' Roadie
1978 Volkscycle 'Frankenbike' CroMo Tourer