compact double v triple? (my new bike!)

[roguedog]

Hey RHG!

Welcome to the Giant club.. and welcome to the Bike Nut one. Guys there are really, really nice and patient. It's how I ended up with my baby.. also a TCR.

I love my bike.

I bought it used from Huseyin since I didn't really want to spend that much on a bike.. and frankly cuz I think he just wanted me outta his store. I was standing there for hours trying to decide on a bike (and on whether to go with him or another bs).

Tell Huseyin that my black 03 TCR is doing great and that I've doubled the mileage on it since he sold it to me!

My bike did come with a double. A normal double... ok, ok, with a big honking cassette on the back that Huseyin put on for me. I don't know what a triple feels like..

I think as someone similar to your profile.. I'd go for the triple. And having grown up in Marin.. uh.. ya.. go for the triple. Gives you options. When you toughen up and have more mileage under you, then you can convert back if you really want to but I think for now, it's better to have options and to build up that confidence than to worry about weight (50-100 g) or whatever.

My newbie, unknowledgeable, .002

[lacyliz]

I went through what you're going through - what gearing to get- did all the research, asked new roadies, old roadies, my LBS etc. I ended up really learning a lot about gearing/gear ratios from various websites.

I ended up getting the TCRw with the compact (34/50)- and swapping out the cassette to a 12-27 (instead of the standard 12-25 that comes with it). This gave me all but the very lowest gear from my old triple (I had a 30/39/52 with a 11-28 cassette). The compact shifts gears easier and supposedly does not wear out so quickly. It is, as others have said, lighter.

Conrats on your new bike - it's beautiful!