billyymc

I'm currently looking for a road bike for my wife, and really leaning toward a cross bike for a few reasons - 1 it's what I ride on the road so I'm familiar with it, 2 she will definitley want fenders on it, 3 it will get ridden on cinder and gravel paths at times.

I really want to get her a bike with a triple -- we live up a pretty decent hill (~1.2 mile 6% climb) and on the old MTB with slicks she's currently riding on the road, she's using the easiest or next to easiest gear. She'll get stronger, but I think she will always need a 30 or 32 up front.

Went to one LBS this past weekend and she rode a Tricross Sport with Sora triple, then for comparison a Dolce (not a cross bike) with Apex.

I had hopes for the Apex. She completely hated it - just didnt' like the double tap. So even though I"m sure she'd be fine with it after riding a bit, I'm going to stay away from SRAM.

But it seems like there are very few Cross bikes with triples out there, and the ones that do have triples seem to be Sora. She actually really like the thumb shifter over the paddle (she'd tried it on my Tricross Comp with 105), but at ~ $1,250 the TC Sport seems pretty pricey for a Sora equipped ride.

Any other suggestions (besides building from frame up) for a triple equipped cross bike?

Oil_LOL

It seems like a touring bike would suit you well. Unless you plan on racing, most touring bikes would be fine for gravel rides, and can obviously handle fenders. Also, almost all touring bikes come with triples.

Andy_K 

It seems like I recommend this for nearly everything, but in this case it definitely fits the bill -- Kona Jake.

billyymc

Andy - was looking at the Jake yesterday online. Nearest Kona dealer is about an hour away, and we could fit it in a nice daytrip (Syracuse NY) to ride and eat. Was wondering about the aluminum fork - harsh at all?

Oil - yeah, a touring bike might work. Haven't ridden a touring bike myself so I do'nt know much about them. She'll be riding this bike in a triathlon or two each year as well. Doubtful we'll ever do true self supported touring.

flargle

Sram Apex is better than a triple.

Barrettscv 

+1

These three might be ideal;

https://www.rei.com/product/816068/no...onee-bike-2012

or

https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebik...12_aurora.html

or

https://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/s...:SearchDisplay

Nashbar has a 20% coupon for the next 36 hours, use 41957 at checkout. a Shimano 105 3x10 Touring bike with brifters is one hell of a deal for about $575!

billyymc

You aren't married are you? She tried APEX this past weekend. She doesn't like it....did not like the double tap shifting.

Thanks for the links Barretcsv

flargle

Oops, didn't read your entire post. I still think there are options in other brands with a compact double and wide-range cassette. But also, others have good advice in looking at touring bikes.

P.S. Apex is the best implementation. And she'd totally get used to double-tap with a little practice. But I do understand it's not what she wants to hear.

billyymc

Flargle - I totally agree with you. I hopped on the bike she was testing with Apex, and I thought - wow, this is easy and very intuitive. But I'm riding a bike with 105, and I already knew how the Apex shifters work. For some reason it just didn't feel right to her, and the key here is that she's happy from the get go. I would never try to talk her into something like that, or every time she missed a shift in the future it would be my fault

As for other compact doubles - at her current strength and fitness level she'd have a really hard time pushing them up hills. She had a knee injury a cuople years back and is always concerned about her knees. I haven't seen a compact double with anything smaller than a 36 or maybe 34 up front.

broodwich

I recently test rode both the SRAM Apex and Shimano Tiagra. I preferred the the SRAM. I know, everyone likes what they like and I think if your wife prefers the Shimano setup, she's certainly entitled to her opinion. I'm just replying here to see if people generally prefer the SRAM double-tap setup over Shimano. I just don't like that the brake lever pivots and pulls with Shimano. I feel more confident with the brake lever action on the SRAM setup because I know the only action the brake levers have is for stopping the bike. I'm sure with time, I could get used to Shimano setup.

I'm shopping for cyclocross bikes and while some are offered with Apex others like the Kona Jake for example are offered with Shimano. I'm going to test ride the Jake if I can find one locally, but I think I'll prefer a bike with the Apex shifters.

Back to your original question, doesn't the SRAM Apex 2x10 setup with the 11-32 cog give you a similar range of gears as to what you would get on a 3x9 setup.

By the way, I'm asking these questions because I'm a noob, not because I think I know something any of you don't.

billyymc

Yep. But I know my wife. Her initial reaction was one that said - I don't like this. There are just some mechanical things that seem simple to some people, and tricky to others. To her, using the same lever for both up and down shift just didn't feel right. Probably enough that it would always bother her, and in a stressful urban riding situation become a problem.

Personally, I liked it and found it really easy to use.

flargle

Just to muddy the waters...the Apex shifters do come in a flat bar version.
https://www.sram.com/sram/road/produc...-road-shifters

ThermionicScott 

I like triples because you can get a little wider range, front shifts are less drastic, and the chainlines are better throughout the range assuming everything is set up right. But that's just me.

- Scott

billyymc

Scott - tend to agree with you. My Tricross Comp (2007) has a triple, and while I know they're looked down on in the road forum, I wouldnt' give it up for a double unless I was forced.

alex jb

What is the cassette on her triple?

The new Tiagra 10sp cassette is 12-30. Add this to a 34t front ring and it's a pretty small 1.13 ratio.
That cassette (about $35 on Amazon) on any cross bike with a compact would open up your options considerably IF it's low enough for her.

Andy_K 

I've got an older Jake with a steel fork (but 7005 aluminum frame), so I can't really say for sure. I'd suspect that it's not really a problem. I've got a Jake and a Cross Check (full CroMo) and the Jake doesn't feel any harsher than the Cross Check, maybe even a little better. Really though I think wide tires make a much, much bigger contribution to a smooth ride than even a carbon fork would.

Oil_LOL

Actually, if she doesn't like the Apex, you can just swap out some Campy ten-speed Ergo levers for the Double Tap shifters. With standard SRAM/Shimano cassette spacing, the combo works perfectly. Maybe look into that. You did mention she like the Sora style shifters, these might be a bit nicer, and you'd have A LOT more options. A bit more expensive, but it looks like you have a pretty wide budget.

billyymc

Well, I just got some new info talking with my wife. When she ride up our hill she is in the 34 / 28 combo....not the 24/28 which I thought she had been riding. I guess I should have known that from watching her pedal. But she's climbing that hill at about 4 - 5 mph too.

So I guess I can look at doubles as long as the cassette will work ok for her. I would still prefer a triple since it would be good for her on steeper hills than ours.

Oil - I'd really prefer to not swap out any parts. She won't like having to do that on a new bike. Budget - in my mind - is $1k to about $1.4k. She'll be a little sticker shocked...but the bike will last her for a long long time so I'm getting the best I can talk her into. Honestly I'd get her something even nicer, but she'd balk at the price. End story is regardless of the price she has to be happy with it -- and she liked the way Sora shifters worked. I'll take a look at the campy levers...she might not even notice if I swapped them out

alex jb

You can look at any bike with a compact crank then, 34/50 is the normal standard, 36/46 is often touted as cyclocross sized, but not as common as 34/50.

If the new bike has a 12-25 cassette, any shop that's worth while should swap you that out for a 11-28 or the Tiagra 12-30 for little or no on cost.
Then you can pick the bike she likes with the shifters she likes too.

Oil_LOL

Yeah, they are quite similar to the Soras, with the thumb lever thing, but are MUCH nicer and more ergonomic. You can pick up a set on Ebay for 100-200 dollars.

aztimm

I agree that a Tiagra triple would probably work--and that's what I have on my TriCross

I bought it 2-1/2 years ago during a year-end close-out sale for about $600. It is a great bike...but eventually I've realized I needed a road bike so recently got a Tarmac. If you were local, I'd say you could try it out...

Germanicus

I have a mixed group on my Tricross that has a Tiagra 9 speed road triple front end and a Deore mtn bike 9 speed back end. It actually works great and has a a really wide range of gears. However, the one thing I would mention is if you go 9-speed you don't really have a lot of upgrade options if she improves. Most of the components out there are 10 speed now so if upgradeitis sets in your options are limited. As I have learned.

That said it is possible to buy a bike with a 10 speed compact double setup and swap out the rear end with a 10 speed mountain bike derailleur and cassette. giving you all the gears you will need.

For example:
Choose a bike with Shimano 105 components and just swap out the 11-28 cassette and short cage rear derailleur for a Shimano 10 speed Deore XT rear derailleur (RD-M780) and cassette (CS-M771-10). The cassette options are 11-32,34 or 36.

Don't know how much work you want to do on the bike but you might be able to dial it in pretty close to her ability.

Drew Eckhardt 

You can buy a brand new set of NOS 2010 Campagnolo Centaur Carbon shift levers (Same as Super Record with a 10 speed index disc, steel rear ratchets that weigh 7g more, and inferior cosmetics like no red "11" or sexy cut-outs on the brake blade) from Shiny Bikes for $200 including cables.

Brand new 2011 Powershift levers can be had for $100 a pair from Ribble including cables but shift one cog smaller instead of up to five at a time. Escape levers with the same defects and second generation hood shape can be had for $80 brand new with cables.

Except when it comes to silver second generation or silver Ultrashift levers you can do about as well buying new levers (including a cable set) as you can getting used levers off E-bay, adding a cable set, and potentially replacing the right G-springs and carrier (about $20, no longer used in the third generation levers) if they've become worn.

NOS silver Ultrashift levers are sold out everywhere you'd think to look, and it's been a long time since Campagnolo made silver alloy second generation levers (although you can still buy brand new Chorus second generation levers in carbon for $220 or Record for $260 from ribble).

FWIW, all Campagnolo left levers will shift a front triple. With the SRAM long cage rear you could net the same range as Apex except tighter spacing using a smaller cassette and triple crank up front.

GaryinLA

Ive been riding close to a year as an adult to drop weight get fit. I need the triple to go up steep hills on some group rides i do. When i discovered this need, I first got two differnet used 1990's hybrid bikes steel framed with triple crankshaft (first the Trek Multitrak 720 than the slightly lighter Univega Carisma) then a few months later after looking on craigslist I found a 1983 Specialized Sequoia road bike with a triple. I could have just bought a NEW bike with a triple but i like steel frames and i like cheaper prices of used bikes. There are some new steel bikes with triples. Someone already directed you to the Jamis Aurora. Another option is the Surly Cross Check or Long Haul Trucker which I understand come with a triple crankshaft but only 2 cranks on it but you can add the third crank.
Other options are new hybrid bikes (almost all are aluminum frames) they generally all have triples, such as the Trek FX series.

n8b

+1 I just bought this cassette for my Jake the Snake (12-25 previously). Low gear (30 rear, 36 front) is pretty much identical to my sirrus elite tripple (8 speed). I'd imagine a bike shop would be willing to switch cassettes on a new bike. Great compromise with a compact double, I'd been waiting for a cassette like this to come out.

Edit: Speaking of which I used to run that Sirrus elite with drop bars as a cyclocross bike. It worked very well. It has a compact road geometry, tripple cranks, flat bar, v-brakes, and front and rear braze ons.