The reason is simplicity. My wife is currently riding a 3x8 setup. We are nearing 60 and we do 90% of our riding on paved Rails-To-Trails trails. So we ride slow over consistently flat terrain. I used to race and have been riding seriously since my teens. She has been riding for about 10 years but the still has trouble shifting -- especially knowing when to shift her front derailleur.. Also since this will be her travel bike it's one less thing to mess with when assembling/dis-assembling in hotel rooms.
