Triple or double – what do I need?

[Over The Hill]

To me it is a no brainer.
Advantages of triple... Greater range, more flexibility in range, more gears overall, etc etc.
Advantages of double ... save a tiny amount of weight that you will not notice. Join a silly club that looks down on triples.

Bikes are for riding, not pushing. I have a nice touring setup with a small third ring which will get me up anything. Never ran out of gears at the other end. Job done.

 

[Hip Priest]

Go for the triple.

A compact is alright, if you're very fit. I had to walk up a 20% hill on a Sportive last year, and there were fellas cycling alongside me at the same speed using very small gears! They weren't going any quicker, but at least they had the satisfaction of not walking.

 

[TheDoctor]

As someone who once got up Ventoux using a 48/38/24 (!) triple and a 13-26 cassette, I can relate to the whole low gears thing...

 

[DTD]

Thank you for all your help. Will have a good 'thunk' and digest all your sage comments and report back.
Just by chance, today saw me lose the last few ounces to reach 4 stone lost since New Year, so I may be able inclined not to worry too much about the 100g extra of the triple.

 

[DTD]

If I've understood what's been said, It looks like the compact even with a 13-29 on the back wouldn't get me two or three gears lower than I've already got. I suggested a double to keep things as simple as possible, but the comments about triples have persuaded me to go for one.

Thanks once again for all your help. Now about wheels…

 

[jowwy]

If I've understood what's been said, It looks like the compact even with a 13-29 on the back wouldn't get me two or three gears lower than I've already got. I suggested a double to keep things as simple as possible, but the comments about triples have persuaded me to go for one.

Thanks once again for all your help. Now about wheels…

very good choice on going with the triple

and as far as wheels go, get yourself a set of handbuilts from dcr wheels - you can get a very good set of handbuilts from them for approx £260

 

[DTD]

Funnily enough hand built wheels had popped up on my radar – I used to assume they were very expensive, but I understand they can actually be cheaper and more 'suitable' than many a off the shelf pair.

Having a look around for a decent price on the group set (MUST be silver finish).

 

[andrew_s]

the progression from 50/36 & 11-28 to proper low gears goes like...
a) fit a 34T chainring, to go one gear lower.
b) fit an 11/12-30T cassette to go another gear lower
c) fit an 11-34 MTB cassette and a 9-speed MTB rear mech to go another gear lower
d) replace the whole transmission for a triple, which has the potential to get you quite a lot lower. However, changing to triple is fairly expensive, involving new chainset, new front mech, and new shifters.

I'm using 46/36/20 to 11-32, being of the view that anything higher than 46/11 is a waste of time and thet I might as well go as low as possible. The bottom gear (17"), used with camping gear up a 1 in 4 or 5, may be no quicker than walking, but it's still quicker than pushing a loaded touring bike would be.

 

[DTD]

Cheers. Mind you this will be a whole new group set for a whole new bike, so although a triple will be more expensive than a compact double, it won't be too much more as I'm getting it from scratch.
And unless I'm going downhill I never get into any of the highest gears I've got on my current bike.