Is it true nobody makes triple cranksets anymore?

[awm03]

My DH surprised me with a new bike for Christmas, a Cannondale Synapse 5 carbon. It's currently on order, and I'll go in for a fitting when it comes in.

BUT...it's only a double chain ring. I've needed a triple to handle the hills of Connecticut with my old bike, plus I'm pretty overweight which doesn't help in hauling up hills. The sales lady convinced my DH that hardly anybody makes triple chain rings anymore, and that the Synapse's double chain ring would be perfectly adequate to handle the hills here.

It's been 8 years since I last bought a bike. Is it true that double chain rings these days are just as capable as the old triples? I don't have a good feeling about this. Maybe if I lose 50 pounds, the double would be adequate.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[ny biker]

It is not true that no one makes triples anymore.

I'm not familiar with the Synapse, but I think that Trek only offers a triple on its lower-end Madones. The higher-end bikes have compact doubles.

Fwiw, the lowest gear on my road bike with a compact double is the equivalent of the lowest gear on my old bike, which had a triple.

[salsabike]

Right--you can get a mountain bike compact double, and when I did that, my lowest gear was similar to what I had with a triple. And I live in a very hilly place--a mountain bike compact double works fine here. A standard road compact double would not.

[Penny4]

When I bought my roadbike this year, I went about 5 rounds with the sales guy, insisting that I needed a triple (I had one on my old hybrid/flat bar bike). He kept telling me I didn't because the double is more efficient, etc I trust this sales guy, and listened to him in the end, and got the double.
He was sooo....right. The doulbe is fine. I've actually grown to really like it. In the beginning, I was a little freaked out, because I would drop into the lowest gear pretty quickly on some hills, and I would panic thinking I would need another gear. But so far, no problems.
I am a very beginner/intermediate rider, and not in great shape.
Whatever you choose, hope you love your new bike!

[awm03]

OK, thanks everybody. I'm feeling a little better. I'll keep in mind a mountain bike "compact double" .

[Owlie]

Triples, for some reason, seem to be only available on the low-end bikes. (Mine is a *very* entry-level bike from a couple years ago, and it came with a triple). They certainly still make higher-end triples, but it's getting hard to find them. I live in southwest Ohio--pretty hilly, and a triple is certainly helpful. I don't think I've ever used my small ring, apart from one particular hill, but it's nice knowing that it's there!

I don't know why they're no longer making triples widely available. Weight savings, perhaps, combined with the fact that cassettes are expanding (widely available 10-speeds, and I believe there's an 11-speed out there). I have no idea. (If anyone wants to enlighten me, feel free!)
NyBiker, last time I checked (this summer), you could get a Madone with a triple, but you had to do it through the Project One thing...

Anyway, try it. You may surprise yourself. If you find yourself missing those lower gears, consider the mountain bike double. (You'll have to replace the shifter if you want the triple. That gets pretty pricey!)

[Susan]

My mtb has a triple chainring, DHs mtb a double. I can feel no difference in the lowest gears. His highest gear is a little less strong than mine, but honestly I seldom use my highest gear, only downhills (where it doesn't really matter anyway).
The double is easier to handle (and easier to keep clean), I like it better. If I could choose, I'd go for the double.

[OakLeaf]

Actually the alloy version of the Synapse 5 comes with an optional triple. So I'm sure your LBS could swap it out for you. Most LBS will do that for only the difference in cost between the components (though a few will charge you full boat ).

I'm one of those who can't handle large jumps between gears. That, rather than your low gear, is the real reason to choose a triple over a compact. If you're comfortable with sudden large changes in RPM, then you should be fine with a compact. If not, think about the triple.

[Catrin]

I love my triple, and it is on all of my bikes - including my custom bike. I understand some LBS staff will try very hard to convince you that triples are no-longer needed, but I disagree with that. My own LBS disagrees with that, which is nice. We all have different needs - I don't like the long jumps between gears, and my legs really like the triple. My 2011 mountain bike has a 10-speed triple, not that I can actually use all those gears just yet

It is nice there are choices, choices are good

[Sky King]

I am a triple fan, I am not a racer but enjoy riding over hill and dale, sometimes with a load and hate running out of gears. Of course we aren't even discussing gear ratio here. If you feel the double doesn't have the correct ratio, do ask for a different gearing. perhaps it can be done with another double but if not put on a triple - I am not familiar with the bike so just a note switching to a triple may involve a new bottom bracket, etc. Most important, if the gearing doesn't work, you aren't going to enjoy riding and that isn't an option

[pll]

OakLeaf is totally right. The Synapse 5 can ship with a triple (see the specifications on the Cannondale page: it ships with a 50/39/30 crank from FSA). What a nice gift! What color are you getting?

[awm03]

I think the color is light blue (color accent, rather). Wonder if the LBS will let me test it before committing? It's already paid for.

The other concern is being slightly more upright on the Synapse. "They" are always trying to get me on a more "comfortable" bike -- "Here, sweetie, you'll love this!" But I find that I lose power when I sit more upright, especially when climbing hills (I may be a fat ol' grayhair, but I don't shy away from climbs). I rented a Cannondale CAAD last year to ride around Tuscon and liked it very much. If the Synapse doesn't feel right, I might swap it out for an equivalently priced CAAD.

[Koronin]

My old road bike has a triple, my new one has a double. I love my new bike, but would prefer to have a triple. My LBS has said that they can and will convert it to a triple if I want. Right now since we live in a flat area (coast) and don't have plans on riding the road bike in the mountains any time in the near future we're looking at taking the smaller chain ring off and getting what would be similar or the same as the middle chain ring on my triple to put where the smaller one currently is. That's the ring I typically ride the other bike in and would be much happier with right now on my new bike.

[Owlie]

Actually the alloy version of the Synapse 5 comes with an optional triple. So I'm sure your LBS could swap it out for you. Most LBS will do that for only the difference in cost between the components (though a few will charge you full boat ).

I'm one of those who can't handle large jumps between gears. That, rather than your low gear, is the real reason to choose a triple over a compact. If you're comfortable with sudden large changes in RPM, then you should be fine with a compact. If not, think about the triple.

This is me. I have difficulties enough with the 8-speed cassette. (It's got climbing gears and gears for going really fast, and (to my legs) nothing in between.)

[pll]

I think the color is light blue (color accent, rather). Wonder if the LBS will let me test it before committing? It's already paid for.

The other concern is being slightly more upright on the Synapse. "They" are always trying to get me on a more "comfortable" bike -- "Here, sweetie, you'll love this!" But I find that I lose power when I sit more upright, especially when climbing hills (I may be a fat ol' grayhair, but I don't shy away from climbs). I rented a Cannondale CAAD last year to ride around Tuscon and liked it very much. If the Synapse doesn't feel right, I might swap it out for an equivalently priced CAAD.

If you like the CAAD, swap it without giving it a second thought. The Synapse has a more upright position (I have one and love it; my back cannot handle a racier position, unfortunately).