Originally Posted by bigbossman

It isn't true.

I'm with you - if you already have a triple, there is no reason to change and no penalty for keeping it. Just don't shift into the small ring if you don't want to. If I were crit racing, I'd probably run a double - but I'm not, so I don't. If I lived in a flat area, I'd probably run a double - but I'm not, so I don't. But in both cases, a standard would probably be the way to go, no? I don't get the concept of a compact. It is a compromise - neither one nor the other. "Almost the same as" is not good enough for me.

Bottom line - a triple gets me places that a double (compact or otherwise) will not. That makes cycling more enjoyable for me, so I ride more. That's all the justification I need.