I think triples are great. I've been using an Ultegra 52-42-30 with 12-25 cogset for five years. I love to spin and transitioning from the middle to the granny (I forget the combo) is as seamless as it gets. There's a bit more weight, but if you ride lots of hills, worth it. I've been on monstrous hills spinning happily (still hurting) at 6 mph while others in standard doubles are doing all they can not to fall over. Never mind that they're slower! I'm currently using a compact double. It doesn't go as low (34x25), and I haven't found the sweetspot yet for switching rings. Still dunno if I made the right move...YMMV