What a great story! Your friend is lucky to have you to help her figure things out. More power to women friends. Personally, I always feel like what does a bike shop sales guy know about my biking needs, the needs of a 57 yr old 'slow but steady' biking woman? I have no use for either a double or at the other extreme a 'comfort saddle'.
Anyway, as we here on TE all know it's totally possible to be a 'real cyclist' and have a triple, and clipless aren't strictly required either.
This morning I did my errands in town on my trusty steel Rivendell (with a triple, PowerGrip straps, a brass bell, AND (oh the horror)...a rack with bungee cords!, LOL), then I took a nice 10 mile ride with a couple of hills before heading home.
Now let me tell you, that felt really GOOD.
No salesboy in a bike shop can tell me what I need to be a 'real cyclist'.