Thanks all. I'll give you more info. I'm 61 and weigh 230 right now (I'm 6' 1'). I'm not that fit yet. I live between San Antonio and Austin - otherwise known as the Texas Hill Country.

My hybrid has the following gears; 11/26 9-speed cassette and 48-36-26 (2011 Trek FX 7.5). My new road bike has 12/26 9-speed cassette and 53/39 double (2005 Trek 2100).

Right now I ride 10 miles a day 6 days a week and I've been doing so for a bit over a month. My home is in a hilly area and 50% of my daily ride is climbing short steeps. On the hybrid I use the granny on at least 3 of those hills. I've tried making it with my 36/26 and am unable. I generally use my 26/18 or so.

I don't want to be clipped in and get 2/3 rds up the longest hill and have only 39/26 to get me over the top.

The Trek 2100 was available when new with a double like mine or as a triple with a 52-42-30 so I though of going back to that by going triple. The current crank is a Bontrager item. The brifters and FD are Shimano 105 and the RD is Ultegra.

I'm on a 10-day vacation at the coast and I bought the bike here. So, I've never even ridden it on my usual daily ride yet. I've been riding it here on the flats every day. They're very windy flats but I've done fine. Tuesday will be my first opportunity to try the road bike on my ride. I'll probably put some platform peddles on it and see how I do.