Compact vs Triple

[Miranda]

My knowledge of switching the parts out is humble, but I do know that anything doesn't feel good to do ends up being something I don't look forward to doing.

My road bike has a triple. While I don't live in mountain land, I know my body could not probably take just having a double. Regardless of how strong my muscles are, I have some medical issues with weak facshia. Anything that causes me to torq on that tissue more than it can take, means pain = don't do it. My heart rate typically can take a lot more that the body parts, and recover.

Now, my situation is a bit unique, but the same principle still applies. With only having the double on the bike, will you look at a hilly route and think "ooohhh, dread/groan, grumble (maybe even avoid it)..." in time because the tools you have (a double vs a triple) to do it with make the activity a PITA, vs generally enjoyable (what the ride should be).

Just some food for thought.

[Bluetree]

Changing cassettes is a very easy way to get a wide range of gearing on a compact. Once you get the hang of it, it's very simple. I have compacts on both my road bikes and change out anything from an 11-23 to a 13-29!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a triple. But the reasons why I gave up a triple is twofold. First is size/weight. I admit that I'm a weight weenie and I get a perverse sense of satisfaction getting my bike down to 14 lbs. Plus, shorter carbon cranks (sub 170) don't come in standard sizes very often.

But the biggest reason is quicker shifting. This may not be an issue with non-racers, but riding a triple turned out to be a big problem when riding hills/rollers with my racer-type friends. Upon cresting a hill or roller, the (bigger) guys can cruise for a few seconds and let their momentum caryy them as they upshift. With my lesser weight, I don't have the luxury of those few seconds as I would be dropped immediately. I have to get in my big ring quickly and immediately, and start mashing down the hill as hard as I can. Same as whwn the downhill suddenly becomes an uphill. That was cumbersome with a triple, and more than once I dropped a chain, and got dropped by the ride. When I got a compact, those issues disappeared. Two chainrings instead of three def. made my life easier.

[Crankin]

I'm like Miranda. I have always had a triple; right before I got my Kuota, I was actually thinking about switching out my 11-25 triple on my Trek 5200 for a compact double. I'm glad I didn't because about a year later, we moved to our house on a 10-15% grade hill. After about 2 months with my Kuota, we switched out both of our bikes to 11-27s.
I spin every chance I can get; mashing really aggravates my fibromyalgia. I've also lost a bit of strength in the past couple of years and I like the option of having lower gears. I am an OK climber for an "old lady," but I am not getting any younger...
Now, I am not a racer, but I do regularly climb steep grades. They are not usually long, but they are grades that a lot of people might walk. I definitely could not get up them without my triple. This summer was the first time I EVER got off my bike and walked up a very steep (18%) climb that was very long. At that point, I was thinking about Lisa's mountain gearing I had seen the day before! But, I was able to get back on the bike and finish the climb, which was not very easy, even after the steepest part.
And btw, my bike weighs about 15.5 pounds (without my bag).
If you are not racing, you need to think about the type of riding you do and not care what anyone else thinks. I've never had any trouble with my Ultegra triples.