I like my triple. 3 x 9 Tiagra shifters from a few years ago, Sugino cranks 48 - 36 - 26 with a 12 - 27 cassette. There are rides where I never use the big or little chainrings, but that is OK. Long flat rides at speeds up to 18 mph, I have plenty of gears using the middle chainring. But when I need the small chainring, I am glad I have it, as it has saved my legs, and my knees more than a few time. And on rides with rolling hills (not much in my immediate neck of the woods, but there are group rides that have them), the Triple is really useful as I find myself shifting from the small to the big chainring as I crest a hill, then reversing the process as I get to the base of the next hill.