Quote Originally Posted by ivorygorgon View Post
FWIW, I don't think the triple is a pain. It doesn't bother me to shift at all. As a matter of fact, I am 90% sure I want the triple. I ride most of the time in the middle, which right now is a 39, I can't imagine using a 50 for most flats. Right now, I just use the 50 for some small downhill. I am really the most concerned about losing my granny. I am not a good climber (and we climb a lot), and I need all the help I can get. I am not too concerned about weight. If I could lose some weight off my body that would make a bigger difference than moving to a compact and saving a few grams there.

My dithering is mostly because I think, as I become a better and faster rider, I will probably want the compact, and I am intrigued by the SRAM. But where I am now, I think I need the triple. Maybe in a few years I can change to the SRAM.

I don't know why, but there does seem to be some kind of prejudice against using a triple. It befuddles me a bit. I have a actually been made fun of for having a triple. I can't figure out why it would matter to someone else what I have on my bike, but there you go.
There is absolutely nothing wrong about going with a triple. Two of the three bikes I own have a triple and I managed to get along just fine for over 20 years with them. I think people look down on them because they view them as "normal gearing plus a granny" ...and using a "granny" gear when the hills get tough just doesn't quite fit the macho/macha image that those people try to project.

Get what you feel comfortable with. Get what you are confident will give you the gearing you need for the type of riding conditions you are likely to encounter. And if you choose a triple, I'm sure the compact double design will be around in the future if you ever decide you would like to try it out.