Some of these triple vs double arguments have the same vibe of insecurity and defensiveness that you see on "recumbent vs diamond" debates.

Doubles are great. The problem is these things are marketed with overly optimistic chainrings. I blame this for turning off a lot of people to road bikes. "Cyclocross-sized" chainrings (48/38) on a road bike are more realistic for most non-athletes.

Of course, everyone is different, but more people should assess what they need honestly and then change their equipment as needed. Too many people are willing to suffer in order to conform with what's available in an LBS or catalog, rather than try to find what would work best for them.