looking to upgrade...

[ZenSojourner]

Some people think that you lose too much in the upper gears (read: speed) by having the really low gears.

In reality, it depends on the particular triple, and it depends on the particular double. Well actually it depends on the chainring in combination with the rear cassette.

If you want to know more about how gearing affects the ride of your bike, go here:

http://sheldonbrown.com/gear-theory.html

He explains all about gearing, crossover, shift patterns, etc. in a way that's comprehensible to those of us who are not gearheads. (Unintentional pun, btw)

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Above is Sheldon Brown's gear ratio calculator, just plug your particular bike info in there and it will tell you how many gear inches you have in each gear. He's got about 30 or 40 standard sprocket combinations in the drop down for the rear cassette plus a custom setting. You'd need to count the teeth on each sprocket in your rear cassette (and ditto for the chainring). It's PROBABLY in the user's manual that came with your bike, if you still have that stuff or know where it is.

Heck, include your crank length and he's got it set up so you can even figure your speed for each ring/sprocket combination at a particular cadence.

The highest gear on a road bike is usually something like 108", and I think the highest gear on my triple is like 104". Unless you want to get serious about racing I don't see that there's much to be gained by going to a double from a (good) triple.

The weight of the bike is probably a bigger concern for a recreational rider who wants a bit more speed. Truth be told, for many of us it's the weight of the RIDER that's the biggest concern, LOL!

I don't think a triple is something you have to "grow out" of is all I'm saying. Of course all triples are not the same, I can't say what yours is giving you in those upper gears, but I've never maxed my 3rd ring out and I use those low gears all the time. Wouldn't give 'em up for love nor money.

I don't know how long Sheldon's site is going to be up, but I would strongly encourage people to browse and save all you can from it. The cycling world really lost something when we lost Sheldon. He explains all sorts of technical things in ways that are easy to understand.

You might be able to get a bit more out of the bike that you have just by swapping a sprocket or two out, or by changing one or more of your chain rings. There are technical issues that need to be addressed when you do something like that but a good mechanic should know what is and isn't feasible.

[Crankin]

Thinking that a triple is a weakness that you need to "grow out" of is just a false assumption. For example, I love the feeling of pushing the big gear on the flats, but when I do, my knees don't love me. Hence, if I was mashing up the hills in a bigger gear, the same would happen.
I guess I am not that strong, since I am small and short. Not getting any younger, either! I spin up everything. That said, I live on a fairly big hill that people train on and most rides I do have climbing. At one point, I considered getting a compact and then I ended up buying a new bike with a triple. I don't regret it. In fact, I love my granny gear and although I use it less as the season goes on, I do use it.
My husband, who is a very strong rider has gone from a double, to a compact, to a triple. He doesn't *need* it, but you can be sure he uses it.

[ZenSojourner]

Actually I just went and calculated my triple/cassette combination and my upper gear is actually 115.1".

Not bad for a triple.

And I went further and compared it to a double with Ultegra components, 10 speed 12/27 cassette and 34/50 double chainring, and that bike has a range of from 33 to 110 gear inches (bigger is faster, that's the small sprocket big chain ring combination)

20 to 115 for my bike and it's granny gears compared to 33 to 110 - I've got 'em coming AND going

[ZenSojourner]

BTW, if all you want is your gear range, you don't actually have to count the teeth on each and every sprocket in the rear cassette, just the smallest and the largest. Then pick anything from the dropdown on the calculator that matches the big and little sprockets on your bike, and plug in your chain rings. Or just fill out the first two spaces in the custom cassette with the smallest and biggest sprocket.

Ignore everything in between the biggest and smallest number this spits out.

You only need to know every single sprocket if you want to use the shift pattern table this generates.

[anablanco]

Thanks for all your advice

The bike I'm looking at is a '08 Trek Madone 5.1 WSD.
Crank: Shimano Ultegra 50/34 or 52/39/30
Cassette: Shimano 105 11-25 or 12-27 (triple), 10 speed

My current bike is a '07 Fuji Professional 2.0.
Crank: FSA Gossamer Mega Exo, 30/39/53 teeth
Cassette: 10-speed, 12 - 25 teeth

I was happy with my Fuji until I got up off the seat the other day as I was going up a steep hill and almost lost it. I was in low gear and the crank just gave up. My husband fixed it and has ordered me a new crank set because the one I have is marginal.

I think staying with a triple is probably a good idea!

[andtckrtoo]

I have two bikes - one with a triple and one with a compact double. If I had to do it over again, the Surly with the compact double would have a triple. I'm getting used to the gearing, and I don't really mind riding the hills with the compact double, but it's more the spread between gears. With a triple I can always find that perfect gear, with my double, I end up shifting more often trying to get it just right - and sometimes I just can't. Weight is not a concern to me (well, at least weight on the bike ).

One thing I do love about the double, though, is the larger gearing. I can get going much faster on the flats because of the larger gearing and I enjoy that. But, I live in California and flat is not what I usually ride.

[Grog]

No weight to lose here, in decent shape, but I don't plan to ever buy a road bike without a triple crank unless I move to, say, Florida (which is unlikely as I like the mountains). I have a 52X11 which allows me to stay on a 50 km/h paceline on the flats if needed, and a 30X25 to go up a 20 km-long, 7% hill on the same day.

I also do not think triples should be "outgrown." I don't know how many times I have passed people on hills (men especially) who went on to say things like: "You could pass me because you have a triple!"

My father-in-law - an avid cyclist - could never get used to a triple. It does imply some different constraints with regards to shifting. But if you're accustomed to it already, embrace it!

Really, if there are substantial hills anywhere near you, do not feel like you have to change to a double. Unless you can climb any of those hills comfortably and enjoyably in your triple's middle chainring and NEVER use the 30-teether.

[ttaylor508]

I wouldn't give up my triple for anything. I tried a compact double, but found I was gearing out on my top gears. I don't use my granny gear much, but I am really thankful it is there when I need it. DH has a triple too and is a heck of a climber. He can spin an incredible cadence and rarely gets passed even on the steepest hills. My knees just can't take mashing especially on a hilly century ride. The only thing I would suggest if you do go with a triple is to make sure it is higher end. Lower end triples won't shift as nice. I have Ultegra and it shifts beautifully.

[ny biker]

The only thing I would suggest if you do go with a triple is to make sure it is higher end. Lower end triples won't shift as nice. I have Ultegra and it shifts beautifully.

Agreed. My bike came with a Tiagra derailleur on the front, and I had shifting problems that needed regular adjustments. It broke last year (while the LBS mechanic was adjusting it yet again) and he replaced it with an Ultegra, which is working much better.

[sundial]

The only thing I would suggest if you do go with a triple is to make sure it is higher end. Lower end triples won't shift as nice. I have Ultegra and it shifts beautifully.

I agree also! I had a triple with Tiagra and experienced ghost shifting from the middle to small front sprocket. I vowed to go with better components next time.

Funny thing....my riding partner has a triple and she vowed to never give up her triple.

And yes, I am an enabler. But one should *always* have a back up bike.