when i was still in the planning/looking process for my new bike.... hubby looked into a compact for me... did the calculations, etc... and determined that i would loose too much off both the top and bottom.... just like you said! i already "spin out" coming down hills... i would have started spinning out sooner on a compact! and for several of the climbs... i go to my very easiest gear.... i think they could have gotten me there.. but at the expense of my higher gears... so we decided on the triple.. then when i changed my mind from a custom to a ruby.... the bike shop tried to convince me i needed a compact... fortunately they weren't that pushy (not that i would have changed my mind! lol!) cuz i KNOW i woulda been uber disappointed with a compact!