Quote Originally Posted by chicagogal View Post
If I do the Hilly, it will most likely be with a compact, so am I am glad to hear that you didn't have any trouble. However, would you say that it is generally inadvisable? I have a spare triple that I could theoretically install, but I was thinking of putting that on my friend's bike to convince him to ride with me. But do you think that we should both have triples? (I climb a little better than her does) My compact has served me well on the few hilly rides I have done this year, but I just don't know what I will need for this ride.
It really depends on the gearing of each and the strength/fitness of the rider. My compact is set up with a 13-26 cassette (while my triple has a 12-25 cassette). I have one more smaller gear on my triple, but I've never really missed it when using my compact, even on steeper climbs. Now, there are a couple of hills on the Hilly that I wouldn't mind having one extra small gear, but that doesn't mean that I absolutely need it. If you like the added insurance of the triple, then by all means use it.