spingineer

So, I have a Titanium Seven, but my gearing has a triple. Ok, I admit it now. So the next question is, how many will scoff at me, and accuse me of not be a "real" rider. Why ride a triple? Well, a combination of older age, and bay area hills demanded it. So, am I a wimp or not?

ovoleg

I used to ride double and I have to say that tripple is much more efficient.

No more mashing at 60rpms going uphill. I can be nice and comfortable shifting into the tripple and doing 90rpms at the same speed

Hills will need lower gearing to keep cadence and control. When I have to start mashing for long periods of time, I get annoyed

Plus who cares? Double, Tripple, Quadripple...its all the same

rmwun54

If it doesn't kill you then you can only benefit from less stress and strain on the knees. Is it a 53/39/30, this way the gearing will alow a comprable gearing to all those doubles out there.

duckliondog

Hey there. I have a triple on one of my road bikes too. Some ignorant elitist guys will probably underestimate you. You have a nice bike though, so maybe not. There definitely is some discrimination against triples. I consider it my job to make people reconsider this bias by beating them up hills. I'm okay at this, after all, I have a triple for the same reason you doL I live atop giant, steep, hills.

Patriot

You should be ashamed if it is a Nashbar brand triple crank on a Seven frame. Shame on you!!!

Otherwise, no biggie.

Elvish Legion

Theres no shame in a tripple! The bike I have right now is a double, but a graduation present thats in the works is adouble but then again its a tri bike

Starclimber

Bay area hills can be utterly BRUTAL. Spirit sapping adventures in pain and misery. Yes, you're a wimp. No, no you're not. Be happy, go riding. You live in cycling paradise. I'm bitterly envious. No more family to spend time with in the East Bay. Sigh. Whine...

ed073

Nup.

SSP

I've ridden 4,154 miles, with 247,000 feet of climbing so far this year on my triple-equipped Trek 5200. This includes a weeklong tour in Colorado (475 miles, 31,000 feet of climbing, and elevations in excess of 12,000 feet), and the Markleeville Death Ride (129 miles, with 16,000 feet of climbing).

On the Colorado trip, I hooked up with 4 friends one day, and we all set our fastest century times to date (105.1 miles, in 445, with 5400 feet of climbing - avg. speed: 21.7 mph...in the Rockies! ).

It's actually pretty rare that I'm on the small ring, but when I need it, I really need it, and it's nice to have that option (e.g., a couple of weekends ago, I was on a 22% grade for about a mile ).

It also allows closer gear ratios (I run an 11-23), but with a bailout for when my 52-year old legs cry "Uncle" on the really steep stuff.

I don't much worry about what others think of my triple. I might go with a double if I was putting together a time trial bike, or if I lived where it's flat, but around here triples are fairly common, for all but the young racer types.

Trekke

A lot depends on the kind of riding you do and want to do.
Just talked to a friend of mine this week that went to the Tour de Georgia this year. He told me, to my surprise, that plenty of the riders had triples. Shocked him too but I really don't see why not. He says he has pics. I'll see if he will email them to me for future reference.

ViperZ

Nothing wrong with having a Bow Low gear Especially if you can use it.

Besides, 20 speeds...? Phtttt!, You have a 30 Speed Road bike

lilHinault

I want to take my biggest gear off, I only use the two smaller ones! Heck I can do 40 going downhill on the highest gear using the middle ring, I really don't need the biggest one. But I was told bad things would happen if I tried taking it off.

Patriot

If that's the case, you could just get a 50/34 compact double with a really big cassette, like a 13-29 to give you lots of low gears for climbing. A 34/29 has a lower gear ratio than a 30-25.

Other than that, I wouldn't bother. Just keep the triple.

SilentShifter

I too have a triple and feel there is nothing wrong with it. Sure it isn't the 'true roadbike' setup, but really, who cares. It offers more efficiency and a larger range of gearing to use.

My favorite training loop is full of steep hills and that triple comes in handy at times! I am getting stronger, so my dependency is waning; however, it is still wonderful to have.

Don't pay one bit of attention to some elitelist ass who makes a comment - if they were so great, they would be on a pro team - not cruising around the neighborhood.

Keep riding and show that triple proudly.

Geoff326

i was so greatful that i'd gotten a triple when I first started climbing bay area hills

and it's nice to be able to spin while climbing

baj32161

At my age (44) and just getting back into the lifestyle last February I decided on a triple and have no regrets whatsoever. I have been to the Bay Area and have seen those hills. I sure couldn't ride there without a triple. Don't worry about it and to heck with those who would scoff at you.

Cheers,

Brian

Az B

I've had a triple since '82. Since I love to ride in mountains, it's always nice to know it's there even if I only use it once or twice a year.

I've never understood the triple hate.

Az

Matt Gaunt

I rode MTB most of the time until this year. I was just used to using triple cranks so I got triple on my roadie too. Now I can breeze up steep hills (most of my rides are designed to get in as many hills as possible) while those in doubles get off and walk. I don't see the point of being so proud that you can't get up a hill. What's the big stigma about it anyway?

Be happy on your triple!

Lucky07

Triple?!?! You should be ASHAMED!


Seriously, who cares? I've got one and don't think twice about it (heh). If pro racers are using them, why should you give it a second thought?

biker7

A good cyclist isn't going to beat a racer anyway so it really doesn't matter what you run or what people think. There is elitism in every sport and many different levels. At the end of the day it is how fast you are anyway...what you can do out on the road that matters...if it even matters at all in the grand scheme. I have been riding a lot lately and love my triple...did another 40 miles with a buddy last night...used all 3 rings quite a bit and was glad to have them. Passed a lot of guys on doubles and got passed by some racers that I likely couldn't run with for the long haul...they were flying. I ran a std. double earlier this year and honestly much prefer the triple...mostly for the ratios and the 42t middle ring which I can ride comfortably between 13 and 25 mph which encompasses most of my riding. My riding buddy who rides a double will be getting a new road bike this winter and we have about the same strength and endurance and based upon the cadence I can achieve in the hills, he can't wait to get a triple.
HTH,
George

Lectron

There's no shame in triple. As biker7 said I'd say it's the compact guys that don't get it. While you can do most of your ride in the middle ring, they'll have to shift chainring much more often.

tlupfer

you have a seven and you're asking opinions on your bike. that's a far greater offense to mankind than riding a triple.

operator

Hahha a triple haha!!
Just kidding.

Olebiker

I rode fifty miles in the mountains around Dahlonega, Georgia a couple of weeks ago. I was really grateful for the triple. I don't need it while riding around Tallahassee, but my 54 year old knees sure appreciated it on Wolfpen Gap.

nova

Id like to get the 3rd ring for my crank realy. Its not so much that i cant climb the bigger hills here in 40 25 or 28 depending on the free wheel i have on. Its that i could do them easyer when i just want to get to the tow path and ride. Id say on cleve mass road theres 2 maybe 3 places where a tripple would come in very handy. Its only a grade 3 avarage hill with i think 3 short grade 6 to 8 areas. The road is almost identical in profile in climb and desc elevation and total distance to the trail head is 5.5 miles. I say you want a triple get a tripple and to heck with elitists racer. Dont let some one tell you your cheating or your bikes not legal to race or the like. Unless your a racer or plan on raceing who realy cares.

My old ride logs dont include avarage speeds just distances i simply dont care much about logging speeds. The way i see it the only use i have for avarage speed is to see how much i improved. Sence i always had the avarage speed on my comp i didnt need to log it. Distances i did because i would reset my tip odo once a week as i wanted to track how much i had increased my milage on a weekly basis.

Bit ot but curious for those her like me who cant afford trainers and or ride in the winter do you start tapering ff your milage as the season winds down to avoid aches and pains from the suddent drop in milage from just stoping totaly? I have realy bad knees and if i have to stop suddenly with my riding i suffer bad pain in my knees and it seems to not be as bad if i taper off instead.