I wouldn't choose to ride a double if I wasn't strong enough to handle a big cog that let me have one tooth jumps up to the 19.

With 10 cogs and 11 starting that allows for a 21 large cog, 23 with a 12 first position, and 26 with a 13 starting cog.

With only 9 in back the numbers are 19, 21, and 23 respectively.

Even then the double isn't necessarily better - although 50-34x13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23 has the same range and gear spacing as 50-40-30x13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21 disregarding the fully cross-chained combinations only 50x21 and 34x14 overlap so there's a lot more double shifting with the wrong terrain/wind/fatigue or rest day combinations and both gears near the ends of the cassette are noisier than the equivalent 40x17 in the middle.

Standard double rings are 53-39. Road triples are often 53-39-30. You can have the exact same gears as on the double plus a lower set. Or ride a cassette with a big cog two sizes smaller to fill in the gaps if you want to ride exactly 80 RPM; although with a little training you should have no problem spinning 100 RPM for as long as it takes.

My triple (50-40-30) shifted better than the compact double (50-34) I replaced it with after wearing out the big ring. Apex sucks putting 2 of 3 rings from a hybrid or mountain bike on a road frame so you rarely have the right gear for hard road riding.

It might suck but it's selling very well. I compared it to a triple and it shifted better; but then again I'm a more casual rider so your mileage may vary.