I live in a hilly area and may have an extra 10 lbs of commuting gear - so I would choose the 48/38/28 triple front with 8-speed, 11-32 rear. I also like having the option to spin up a hill at the end of day if my legs are tired. FYI - I have replaced the 30t front chain ring with a 28t on my bike - it shifts ok but probably not as good a front crank pinned/ramped for 48-38-28. Good luck.