By George, I think she's (almost) got it! Compact Vs. Triple

[Thorn]

I built up my custom bike with a triple. I'm a recreational rider (100-150 miles/week)--a plodder, not a racer.

I'm no longer considered young by most and while I may still get stronger, I may not. Having the triple means that when I'm tired and the wind is strong, I have a gear I can sit back, enjoy the breeze and spin. Having a triple means that when I see that long hill and my energy levels just aren't where they should be, I can sit up, drop into a low gear and climb.

I know I could get the same low gear with a properly designed compact, but, you know, I like having another gear close to the whatever is the current so that on long flat or false flat stretches I can find the perfect happy gear. Call me old fashioned or just call me not-quite-in-shape, but I like my triple.

Oh, and I put on a 30-39-50 with a 13-26 in the rear. And, for me, I've yet to run out of gears, but a lot of women on this board are a lot stronger and would probably never consider such bizarre gearing. I love it. Do what your body and legs need and enjoy your ride.

[Thorn]

Oh, and if you decide to go triple, consder Campy. With Campy, the front derailleur has "infinite" trim. That is, you have lots of little detents where the cage will stop. For me, this gives a better feel on the front derailleur than the Shimano where you only get 2 positions (one, if your mechanic isn't very good) Others, of course, will think differently, but it is worth checking out if you lean triple--Shimano and Campy work differently in the front.

[Aggie_Ama]

The only downside I can think of is it seems to be easier to drop the chain on a triple. On my first bike with low-end Shimano Sora I experienced this with some regularity. My current bike is a triple with Shimano 105/Ultegra and I have only dropped the chain one time that I can remember in 4,500 miles. Keeping the bike tuned and the chain lubed has kept the triple working just fine for me.

Of course I didn't have the budget to get my bike any other way, the next choice was full Ultegra with only a compact double and a $400 price tag increase.