Yet another 'which bike should I get' question

[buddha_bellies]

I talked to my chiropractor the other day about the same thing: compact vs. triple. He does ironman so he uses compact. But he said if all I am doing is leisure rides, then triple makes a lot of sense. I live in Vancouver and like you, we have hills everywhere. If I were to do more mountain climbs, and not just my daily commute/ ride out to Delta where it's flat, I probably would've got a triple too. I also have a Ruby and I love my bike.

[tzvia]

I ride a Ruby Expert compact, and compared with the standard cranks of my past bikes, it's like a whole new world. On the Ruby, the rear cogset has a low 27t gear and unless your hills are killer it should work ok with the double. I'm 49 and carrying an extra 15lbs that just won't go away- but I've been hitting the local hills and am getting up hills that I had to stop on a few months ago. So I would say a compact is doable, and they weigh less too. Just be honest with yourself and your abilities and you will end up with a bike that works with you and not against you.