FarHorizon

Actually, if you live in the flatlands, as I do, there's no need for even a double! Triples are poorly-shifting, wretched excess for my part of the country. They are Heaven-sent for those who need them, though..

flyingasics

Yeah, no mountains. There are some pretty nasty hills if you look for em though I guess if you were climbing for 45 min straight It would come in handy though.

jlin453

Living in hilly Austin, I didn't mind that my bike came with a triple. I've found that I've never actually need the granny ring though. I shifted to it a couple of times going up hills just to see if I needed it and I didn't; the 42x25 was plenty. I'm pretty athletic from other sports I guess.

I'm considering switching to a double once I graduate and move back to Houston. I don't even remember of any hills in Houston. I hope no one on this forum sees me riding around Houston then, thinking I have a pride problem or something. :noplease:

roadgator

i geuss those guys who were worried about having fresh legs at the END of the ride are also the ones who didnt train hard enough to "deserve" a double. if your legs arent tired by the end of a ride where you dont have a sprint finish, you didt go hard enough, regardless of gearing.

SteveE

I ride with a bunch of very strong riders and I'm the only one that rides a triple. Then again I'm the oldest guy that regularly does these rides from start to finish, too. I'm not the strongest hill climber in the world and I get kidded now and again about the triple, but at least I'm out there riding with the group and I'm there at the end of the ride. Most of the time I don't use the 30-tooth chainwheel but it's my only road bike and I like to have it there for long rides or rides when I still want to do some hills but want/need to take it easy.

I use the same bike on the occasions that I race, except that I set the limit screw to prevent accidentally shifting into the small chainring during a race.

Oh yeah, we don't have hilly rides... we have mountainous rides! ;-)

sestivers

It doesn't matter who makes it, triple cranksets are ugly!

But when I lived in Seattle sometimes I wished I hadn't switched mine for a sweet looking Sampson double.

Murrays

I've never run across any such people...Have you?

Save your ragging for people in FUV's!

-murray

Murrays

FWIW, I don't have anything against triples. My problem is with people claiming that very few people "deserve" a double and it's a matter of "pride".

Depending on terrain and rider power, three rings might be necessary or they might not. What’s the big deal?!?

-murray

53-11_alltheway

That sounds so common sense it's almost funny.

biker7

Speaking of common sense...one advantage of a triple is the middle ring, in my case a 42 is less of a compromise when riding on the flats and changing speed a lot. I love that gearing with 13-26 10 speed cassette on windy days. In 42-13 I can still hit 25 mph at an acceptable cadence without bailing to the big ring and if going up near the 26 cog or next to it staying on the middle ring without cross-chaining...plenty of grunt up mild inclines into the wind or for aggressive acceleration. If not a real strong cyclist, you can accomplish most of what you want with a double by simply choosing your chain ring sizes in accordance with your rear cassette ratios. A compact double is a good alternative for a recreational cyclist as well. The debate will never end...lol.
George

Corsaire

[QUOTE=Murrays]FWIW, I don't have anything against triples. My problem is with people claiming that very few people "deserve" a double and it's a matter of "pride".

IT IS a matter of pride or you wouldn't be jolting as if poked with a needle.


Depending on terrain and rider power, three rings might be necessary or they might not. What’s the big deal?!?

Now, this makes more sense. That could very well you when hitting a 'hors category" climb after some serious miles behind you, so what's the big deal, right ?

Corsaire

Murrays

I’m not jolted, just annoyed that I’m being judged by someone who’s never even seen me on a bike



Absolutely! If I was going to ride over some serious mountains, I’d gear my bike appropriately.

OTOH, you wouldn’t pack a parka to go hiking in 70 degree weather, would you?!?

-murray

bluebottle1

My thoughts exactly. I ride with a bunch of folks who have triples, but I've never bothered with one myself. The day I try to ride some place with real hills, I may regret it, but so far, I've managed to hit everything locally and in the vicinity without resorting to anything else (or walking up hills). Granted, I keep getting told that when I'm a little older, I'll appreciate a triple, but one of the guys I ride with is 56 and he can drop just about anybody in a heartbeat. And he does it all with a double.

Corsaire

[QUOTE=Murrays]I’m not jolted, just annoyed that I’m being judged by someone who’s never even seen me on a bike

If the glove fits......but if it doesn't fit we must acquit. LOL
Corsaire

good dog

It's really flat around my neck of the woods - no seious hills. I had a triple on my hybrid and never used the small one. My road bike is a double because I really do not need the triple. Not because I'm so strong - there just aren't any hills that desrve it.

Cheers

ggg300

agree

baj32161

I am 44 years old and back into road biking after many years. I had followed the forums for awhile before making my purchase and I decided on a triple. I plan on getting strong enough not to need one, if only for the better shifting, ehich I DID notice on some of my test rides.

In the area of NJ where I live, there are quite a few nasty hills and I know I am not ready to tackle them with a double...HELL I may not be able to on a triple. As it is I havent been in the granny ring yet, and I have only been in the big ring a half dozen times, and even then not for long.

Bri

53-11_alltheway

LOL...

The compact has nothing to do with being more "macho" . If I needed a wider range of gears I'd rather do it with 1 chainring shift than 2. Mechanical simplicity is nice.

sorebutt

You aint kidding....

markwebb

I was riding a double last year with best hill combo being 42/22. That's the kind of ratio I used when I raced and was 20 years old. At that time I thought the ratio was a good one for racing and I climbed most major climbs in the 42 and 19 or 20: 21 or 22 if it was a very steep grade with no opportunity to start rolling fast at the base (like out of a sharp tun and then starting up a steep 10% grade). So for racing or strong club riders a double is perfectly acceptable.

But I am now 40 years old and I quickly found out last year that a double combo like that was no longer appropriate for me. I changed to a triple and am very happy now.

I think a double or triple works for you if you match it to your needs and strengths.

K6-III

Given that I've become quite the climber...no triple for me.

Terex

Yah, Meenasoota, hills, yah. I speet on your Meenasoota hills - p-thootie!

On a lighter note, last time I was in CA, I drove over the "hill" from Cupertino to the coast. Yikes! Passed a couple of bikers riding up, but THE most unusual thing I witnessed was a high wheeler, coming downhill, with his feet crossed on the back side of the wheel, using the top side of his shoes as a brake! Double Yikes!

Personally, I view my brakes as speed modulation devices, and I view my shoes, as, well, shoes.

Triple, indeed. And another thing about releases... (nevermind...).

Dchiefransom

Isn't making it to the top, and shifting a couple of gears to stand up and power over the top ALWAYS a matter of pride, no matter what we're riding? I love it when I crest the top and see others suddenly shoot out away from me.

Sigurdd50

gosh, this is refreshing... some one who knows the potential of his ride but changes gears when he 'feels' ne needs to shift not necessarily based on some mathematical equation. Like, you could drive a stick shift car w/a tachometer, but none of the standard trans cars I have owned had tachometers (curiously, my new AUTOMATIC Toyota does... which is useless). To me, shifting is 98% feel.

Maybe I'm completely out of it, but at any given time, I couldn't tell you what gear (#) I am in, but I could tell you that as I am approaching a hill or stop, I have X number of changes (up or down) to make prior to being where I want to be so that my speed/cadence remains consistent.

By the way, my Felt has a double chainring; I bought it because it was the best bike available for the best price and I liked it... and I think I will stick with it -- despite being more of a casual, fitness, light touring profile. I manage to get up and down with the available gearing options... then there is always get off the bike and walk if I run out of gears. *shrugs*

ggg300

Let me Troll for a second…..but for all of you guys who “out grow” of your triple….and never use you the granny….

Get a f-n small cog set….if you can out grow an 11-21…that is impressive….it is cheaper than going with a double.

Ok I’m done as a Troll….and will go back to my normal self…..