Originally Posted by
slcbob
Why in the world would you want a triple for your commute? A compact double is a magnificent thing.
Really?
I want a triple because with a compact double I'm constantly shifting between the big and little rings as I start and stop, whereas with a triple I can leave it in the 39T ring for almost everything, just using the 50T in the rare cases where I feel like pedaling downhill and the 30T in the one case where I need to go up a very steep hill. A 50T ring isn't suitable for starting from a stop, and a 34T ring isn't suitable for my normal cruising speed. Not to mention, 34x28 isn't really low enough for that one hill I've got.