Where's the harm in a triple...

[WadePatton]

Besides the obvious fashion faux pas? (davids alluded to this and I didn't want to hijack that thread)

Lemme narrow it down--for semi-serious to full-serious riders in good shape on a club/century/trainer type bike?

Personally I'm sure I could analyze my (trip) gearing range and make a conversion, but I'll save that for when the parts are worn out. And I only have one bike with gears, so may as well have lots of 'em. But this ain't about me. Seems like the general consensus is that trips are for tourers, atb's, cargo bikes, and wimps.

I forgot my flamesuit--will this work?:

[Bike Rider]

... Seems like the general consensus is that trips are for tourers, atb's, cargo bikes, and wimps.

And us Fatties!

The only bike a get FD rub on has a triple. Not sure if that is why I get rub.

My take:

If you need it you are a fool to not have it.

If you don't need it than it's a complete waste to have it.

I live in the flat lands so it is of no value unless I go to the mountains.

[GrantM]

My take:

If you need it you are a fool to not have it.

If you don't need it than it's a complete waste to have it.

+1

nicely said

[WadePatton]

Well, yeah, that's what I think too. Just not the "feel" that I get.

And I will make another concession to "necessary", methinks it's easier for a newb to learn to shift a double than to shift and trim a trip.

[davids]

Well said, BR.

There are a few things about a triple that didn't suit me: (1) The more I rode, the less I needed the last few bail-out gears. I find that, around Boston, a 39-25 is all the bail-out I need. And because I don't have the option of granny gears, I've learned I'm fine without them. Sort of a chicken-egg thing, I know... (2) I spent most of my time in the middle ring. That made me realize I had too many possible choices. I prefer the relative simplicity of the double.

And I'd be lying if I didn't say I think a double looks better.

I replaced the triple on my Seven with a compact 34/50. That gives me a few lower ratios for steep Maine roads (down to 34-25). I'm not completely happy with it - there's too many cross-chain combos on the flats, and there's big gearing jumps between the large and small rings - but I like it more than the triple. Again, I think it's that 18 choices seems like a better number than 27.

I think a more ideal set-up for steep hills for me would be a 36/50 with a 12-27 cassette.

[Archibald]

The harm is if it's used as a crutch to not push yourself. Seriously. I see it all the time, guys shifting to their granny at the first rise in the road. We're talking road bikes here. On roads. I'm not that fit, weigh 200'ish, and I still ride a climb fairly regularly that's bigger, steeper, and longer than the Alp d'Huez with a 42/25 low gear. It hurts sometimes, but it's a good hurt, and every time I ride it it makes me a better cyclist.

[flick]

The harm is if it's used as a crutch to not push yourself. Seriously. I see it all the time, guys shifting to their granny at the first rise in the road. We're talking road bikes here. On roads. I'm not that fit, weigh 200'ish, and I still ride a climb fairly regularly that's bigger, steeper, and longer than the Alp d'Huez with a 42/25 low gear. It hurts sometimes, but it's a good hurt, and every time I ride it it makes me a better cyclist.

you said it for me, +1,

[Greg Costello]

One other place they make sense for some riders is for unsupported tours in places like the Dolomites, Alps etc. The repeated days of climbing on a two week period can break you down some (at least me, as I get older don't recover as fast as in the days of my youth). Glen Erickson runs a triple on his bike on his tours and Glen is quite an accomplished cyclist. I did his Alps tour with a compact which was fine for me, but on a few climbs a triple would have been welcome. I agree with Archibald though - the best way to not need one, seems to me, is to build power without one.

[Ray]

The harm is if it's used as a crutch to not push yourself. Seriously. I see it all the time, guys shifting to their granny at the first rise in the road. We're talking road bikes here. On roads. I'm not that fit, weigh 200'ish, and I still ride a climb fairly regularly that's bigger, steeper, and longer than the Alp d'Huez with a 42/25 low gear. It hurts sometimes, but it's a good hurt, and every time I ride it it makes me a better cyclist.

Assuming you want to push yourself - that's not what riding is about for EVERYone. I have a compact double with VERY low gears and I haven't found its a crutch at all. I rarely use the lowest three and almost never use the lowest two. But not quite never, just almost never. But on a multi-day tour or during the winter or when I hit an unexpectedly steep hill on a recovery ride, I'm happy to have 'em.

I say there's nothing wrong with a triple for folks who don't want to push themselves all the time. If you do, you and I just have different sets of problems ;)

-Ray

[taylorj]

you said it for me, +1,

I live at 5,500' and climb 9,000' climbs on a very regular basis. My standard bikes have a 39x27 and my compacts have a 34x25. I never need the bail-out, but it is nice to know it is there just in case. There are no flat rides here. That said, when selling bikes, if someone wanted a triple, I sold them a triple. If they asked for my advice on the subject, I would go over their riding agenda, see what gear combinations were needed and sell them what made sense. That you are riding is the big win. If a triple gets you out there, then it's perfect. If you are doing any kind of loaded touring, a triple might be just the thing. It depends upon your own goals as a rider. I'm too much of a snob to have a triple. 2x9 even on my mountain bikes these days. But I ride with this 80 year old on occasion who has a triple and when we climb he spins like hell but can roll better. Ride what you love and love what you ride. I know this has been said before. Heck---Fixed has one gear and rolls everyday just fine.

[flick]

use them on one of my bikes if I were going out west, and maybe in a few years my knees will need em round here, I've debated a triple in the past but decided that for the type of riding I do it wasn't really nescessary, Also a cool triple would be better than a compact overall, 53-42-20 vs 50-34 allowing for more efficient gearing

[mschol17]

I no longer have a triple on my bike, but last year during brevet season I have to say that I appreciated the 30 x 29 after 20+ hours of riding...

[Gone 'n POP]

I mounted a triple on my last commuting build for the one hill in Sea Cliff NY that I had to climb at the very end of my ride. Glad I did it and I'd do it again were I to build it again. Spend almost my entire time riding in 23rd or 24th gear (makes me laugh to write that. I'll forever think of that as seventh or eighth)..

[arik]

In italy, if you need a triple it's time to hang it up and pick a new sport like bocce ball or betting at the dog track.

[Greg Costello]

Arik,

Go ride the Dolomite passes from the Giro and tell me that. Did you see the gearing on some of the pros bikes this year?

[hupomone]

The harm is if it's used as a crutch to not push yourself. Seriously. I see it all the time, guys shifting to their granny at the first rise in the road. We're talking road bikes here. On roads. I'm not that fit, weigh 200'ish, and I still ride a climb fairly regularly that's bigger, steeper, and longer than the Alp d'Huez with a 42/25 low gear. It hurts sometimes, but it's a good hurt, and every time I ride it it makes me a better cyclist.

+1

I normally switch to a 34/27 from 39/23 when I go to the mts,but got in a hurry this past time and only had the 39/23 and it was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be, accept on the longest ride I really felt it at the end. But did come tot he conclution that my extra gearing was just that and I could do it with out them.

hup

[WadePatton]

I'll chime back in. I only ride one gear off road, have a fixed and geared roadie. I don't know what my gears are (42x15 fixed), but I haven't used the lowest three or four in a long time. If I get down that low, it's time to walk or rest.

I was going for range, do-all gearing when I set that one up. I see the smarts of a double with a couple of cassettes now. Yeah a double--reserve those sneers for my ATB shoes.:hahaha::hahaha::hahaha:

I unnerstand about the aesthetics, but I think still there's an undercurrent of "not racey-not cool" about it.

But great conversation here, the big guns weren't necessary. NOW to go wear out that trip of mine...or at least jot down the nummers so I can snap up some 9-speed stuff before it becomes extinct. :D

I've long said it don't matter what you ride, it's how you ride it. And I don't care how you ride it. Just wait for me every now and then.

Problem is I'm taking delivery of a SS roadie (old conversion-cheap) tomorrow and if it rides worth a diddle, I'll be wearing it out and stuck in trip land.

[Watoni]

Arik,

Go ride the Dolomite passes from the Giro and tell me that. Did you see the gearing on some of the pros bikes this year?

Yup, though most of us do not have those kinds of climbs near us.

It really depends on preference and the type of riding.

I have done many of the climbs in the Giro this year (including the Giau and the Marmolada) in a 39x27 when I was a bit fitter after having done 3-4 other climbs.

On the other hand, I posted my best time of the Maratona dles Dolomites and the Terrible Two with a 34x27.

DiLuca used a 34x29 on the Zoncolan last year, and I used the same gearing doing the Gavia/Mortirolo/St. Cristina. The Zoncolan is tougher than the Mortirolo, but I should have had a 30x29 really. Many riders with a 39x29 fell over in front of me on the Mortirolo ... They were Italian, and looked like asses riding in the Pantani GF jersey (as were we all) and biffing it


I have been very interested to see me slogging away on a climb this year using a powertap, then shifting down, upping the cadence and watching my average power on a climb increase.

So, lower gearing can be a good thing. Triples increase the Q factor, have many redundant gears, etc. Compacts involve gear compromises and cross chaining issues if you are not riding in the mountains. Compacts used to be called Alpine doubles for a reason ...

[Greg Costello]

Watoni -

Envious! You should post some photos sometime if you have them! Thanks for the history on the compacts - Alpine doubles - I like that and it makes sense!

[Fixed]

bro it is a wonder those old cats from the 30's ever got around on what they had
cheers
butch