superslomo

Everyone keeps telling me I don't want a triple, and it's not needed, and on and on. So, that in mind, I'm trying to decide whether I want to listen, and if I DON'T listen, what I should end up getting. I have a 9 speed triple setup now, which I like, and want to go n+1 this coming winter or spring.

The Ritchey would probably come in $200-$400 less than the Roubaix with 105/Rival, but would be mostly ultegra, but for 105 cranks. The Soma would be in the neighborhood of $400 cheaper again with the same basic parts. I'd likely have wheels handbuilt either 32 or 36 3 cross open pros on the triple build, which might certainly come in a bit heavier than the Roubaix stock from the factory. This would 6700 Ultegra parts, while the Specialized would be coming into focus after the arrival of the 5800 or Rival22 bikes.

So, chime in, let me know whether I'm being stupid or smart, iconoclastic or just wrong-headed and stubborn.

txags92

Depending on what cassette you currently have on your triple and what range of speeds/cadences you like to ride, getting a new bike with an 11 speed drivetrain and a compact cassette may be a much closer match than you are thinking. I currently have a bike with a 53/39/30 triple and a 12-25 9-speed cassette. I am about to buy a bike with a 50/34 compact double with an 11-speed 11-28 cassette. At 60 rpm going uphill, the 30/25 will have me at 5.8 mph, while the 34/28 will have me at 5.9 mph. So there is no discernible difference on the low end. At the top end, at 90 rpm, the 53/12 is actually slower than the 50/11 (31.9 vs 32.9 mph). The only real downside is that if you ride mostly in the 15-16mph range, you will always be slightly cross-chained on the double...albeit not as big of a deal on a double as it is on a triple. With a modern group, that isn't going to be a problem for most riders.

superslomo

Do you find the gaps between the cogs manageable, or is the spacing an issue? My current 9 speed will run up to an 11-34 cassette at the rear, it's got a mountain derailleur, so it'll cover some breadth that I can't replicate with any of the above. BUT, with a cassette around 12-30, I think it'll still be a lower low, and a better spacing of the cogs compared to an 11-32 11 speed cassette, unless I'm mistaken. I'm wondering partly how the steel on the Ritchey would compare with the carbon frame on the Spec or 'Dale. Overall weight isn't as big a deal for me, but comfort and durability are a bit on my mind... would the steel be a longer-term investment? I'm not much for buying a new bike every couple-three years, and I'm chiefly doing longer solo rides.

halfspeed

With rare exceptions, bicycles are not "investments". Any bicycle will last as long as you take care of it and don't crash it. There's nothing wrong with a triple, but there's probably not a whole lot of difference between a nine speed triple and a wide range eleven speed compact setup. You might find that on a lighter modern bike you don't need the gearing to be as low anyway. And why on earth would you be building anything with Open Pros in this day and age? Aesthetics?

RollCNY

It isn't on your options list, but have you looked at the Genesis Equilibrium frame on Total Cycling?



Reynolds 725, carbon fork, clearance for fenders. Set it up with a triple and a 12-23 or 12-25 9 or 10 speed. Close spacing, full spread, dead sexy. The frame also comes in red and white, but this colorway is awfully nice.

superslomo

I just want a basic, strong wheel for normal day to day use. I have them on my current bike, and I'd rather pull an extra 100 grams up hill with me and not have to true my wheels more than very occasionally. I ride solo generally, so the risk of getting stuck 30 or 40 miles from home in the middle of the countryside is one I'd rather not chance, and I'm obviously open to suggestions on wheel components as well... for day to day use, though, I don't know that 100 grams less on Aksiums or something will be as dependable. I'm right under 200 pounds, so strength is a concern.

I would be doing this with 10 speed, though I have 9 now.

12-30 10 speed cassettes are spaced tighter than 11-32 11 speed cassettes, unless I'm mistaken...

I'm not saying anything is an "investment", but the question I was trying to mull over was whether (well taken care of, not crashed etc.) either material option will have a different lifespan for my own use... I'm not putting my kid's college fund or my retirement into this thing, just that I don't plan on getting another bike in the next few years, so this will allow me to take my current bike and keep some studded or gravel-friendly tires, fenders and a rack on it for more utilitarian use. I have an old steel bike, but while I can go and ride the spec or cannondale, I can't actually try out the ritchey or soma, and was hoping to get some user impressions of how they feel and ride...

halfspeed

The OP was designed as a light-weight race rim before the advent of high quality aero profile rims. The reason it doesn't come with fewer than 32 spokes is that you can't build a practical wheel with it in lower spoke counts. The reputation for bomb-proofiness comes from comparisons to other old school rims with single eyelets or, even worse, single walls. If you want durable, there are any number of other options that are much better. My suggestion would be something like H-Plus Son Archetypes with 28F/32R butted spokes on Novatec hubs. Even that might be a bit overbuilt, but you value security so the extra spokes are probably worth it.

Highly unlikely.

So why go with more of the same? "Ride quality" is subjective and highly susceptible to various biases so any opinions on that are suspect at best. IME, I've never ridden a steel bike that's as nice as any carbon bike I've ridden, but my opinion is no less suspect than anyone else's. Try some bikes and see what you think.

superslomo

I would have figured that a 30 year old gas pipe schwinn with downtube shifters (proudly advertising that part of the triangle is made of "CRO MOLY"!) is not the same as a modern, triple butted steel frame...

That's definitely food for thought... I had figured that the differences were pretty significant, but the chorus of people who like a modern steel frame made me wonder whether there was something appealing and compelling about it, along with the possibility of getting better component spec were swaying me in one direction. I was planning on going to the LBS to test a new roubaix demo and see what it feels like, compact gearing and all...

Lazyass

The Ritchey, no question. I want one bad. Nothing wrong with a triple.

halfspeed

I assumed you were talking about a good old steel bike. Yeah, a new one with quality tubing will be much better.

superslomo

I should have been clearer. It's a schwinn voyageur from like 1983 or 4 that I bought used when I was in college for $160, that served me well but is definitely not "vintage" or "classic"... just plain old "old." I got a lot of pleasure out of riding it, but it's no clear indication of what a new steel frame might be like... and also a reason not to say I've already got a steel bike with some slightly old school appeal and new functionality with modern technology and construction.

dtrain

Darn, wish you lived in Oregon. I have a modern steel-framed triple that I'm trying to sell right now.