Quote Originally Posted by bikecanada View Post
I am considering the triple right now, just because I might need it if I do load it up with a couple of panniers. However, it's not too hilly where I live. Do people go with compact cranks just because it looks better?
The advantage of a compact is that it has only two chainrings, so there's less shifting involved to reach the higher and lower gears. People who have no experience riding a triple sometimes find them finicky. (I always had a triple so I never noticed.) Compared to the regular double, it also replaces ridiculously high gear options (52X11) that most people don't use all that much, unless they go very very fast down hills, ride in 40kph + pelotons, or time trial, with somewhat easier gearing options (like a 34X25) that will help going up hills.

By the way, I was looking at the Giant bikes and there's a difference between the xs and small women's frames in top tube. Would a jump to 51cm from 52.5cm make a big difference? The shop I went to only has a small and would have to special order a xsmall (but then I have to put a payment down). I was thinking of the men's xsmall (ttube=51.5) but then I like the women's short reach shifters on the Avail1.
1.5 cm int he top tube is a BIG DIFFERENCE. Even as little as 1 cm can make the difference between tendonitis and no tendonitis.