I have only one suggestion if you go with a triple, get one where it is easy to change the granny to different sizes. And I think 98 percent of the cranksets out there meet that criteria.

For example chainrings for a five arm 74mm BCD crank in a variety of sizes from 24 to 30 are easy to find and put on for minimal cost. As I noted above, my rando bike has a 30T and my Sherpa has a 24T, both are 74mm BCD. If I was going to do some unladen road riding on my rando bike in extremely hilly areas, I could switch the 30T to 24T very quickly, and restore it later when I got home. I have a spare 24T or maybe two of them in storage waiting for use.

i'm sure the Stronglight impact triple is easy enough to change combos heres a link to spa cycles
Parts & Accessories :: Components - Gears - Chainsets :: Spa Cycles, Harrogate - The touring cyclists specialist.

They list two Impact triples on that page, one says 110mm, the other 110/74mm. (One has a sale price, one does not.) I assume both are 110/74 and that one of them they simply forgot to list the smaller ring specification, so yes it would be easy and cheap to buy different chainrings. Looks like a good crankset to me. I am partial to square taper, it is easy to work with and easy to find bottom brackets for it, I would certainly use that one.

yeah nice looking cranksets i had one on my thorn audax, yeah kinda makes sense to go triple and 32 on the back makes for easier cycling. i'm to old to go chasing big climbs the easier the better.
i'm a geek for changing my mind but i like to get stuff thats quality and works to perfection,i think i'm getting close with the choices so far .
thanks guys for the help.

I've never had a half-step geared bike, but I can see how well they'd work. :)

Brad

If you get those stronglight cranks, since they are 110mm BCD, that is what a compact uses. You could start out without the granny gear, instead use a 34T ring in the middle position, but use it as a compact double. Then later if you decide you really want a lower gear, put the third ring on at that time.

There was a company here in the US that sold a bike for touring several decades ago, had two chainrings, but the crankarms were for a triple for those people that might want a lower gear they could add it themselves later.

I did just that on a road bike I love to ride. I left the granny off and used a mountain triple to get a low double gearing. What I like best about it is the small ring is right in the middle of the cluster and the big ring is a straighter line with the smallest cogs. It gave me a nice tight set of mildly low gearing up to about mid high gears. Not having any high gears and having to coast down hills was a good tradeoff for being able to get up the hills in the first place.

Sorry, but I am confused!

I'm no longer confused i know exactly what I'm going for.

Groovy custom.

A customor walks into a bike shop. "Do you need anything?"

Yes, a crank with 50/48 on top 38/36 mid and 24/22 small. I ride friction freewheels so my gearing starts at 13 or 14 and tops at 28. Oh, monster q-factor cranks are a no go.

On my touring bike I run a 12-34. The middle steps are a little wider than I like for fast around town jaunts. I could move to 9sp but all my bikes are 7/8 and gosh darn it I'm becoming a retro grouch.

You're right, in my defense, this is an enthusiast website/forum. If anyone ever asked me how to do it, I'd share :)

And I ride any q-factor without any complaint, my mamma didn't raise no q-factor *****....