Originally Posted by
StanSeven
Because unless you are doing lots of hills and heavily loaded like with touring, a compact is less clunky and not as finicky. FD shifts are much smoother. And the bike has 20 gear combo's which is good for just about everything.
I've had several triples over the years and just recently got a compact double on my cyclocross - difference is large.
So far the only information we have about riding conditions is his statement that he is having problems riding crossed in big-big. To me that sound like he could be running out of gears on the low end and thus my suggestion that he go back to a triple. I ride 2 bikes, one has a triple and the other a double. So far I haven't noticed the clunkiness in shifting but the rings are apparently well matched for shifting.