Those must be big hills! I went with a triple for similar reasons. I am trying to bring my cadence up to 100-110, so I need the granny from time to time. Maybe my next bike will be a DA double 10.

as steep as I can find them:-)

__________________
Regards Michael

Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

Double for Road
Triple for Mountain Bike.
Could not bring myself to use a triple on a roadie unless I moved to somewhere like the Pyrenees.

__________________
In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.
Friedrich Nietzsche

Or here on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. I know a lot of people who ride doubles, but spend a lot of time out of the saddle on some of the steeper roads. A climb here can be a continuous one of 15 to 20 miles and a 5K ft ascent. When I was young and riding my Cinelli 10 spd (total number of gears) with a 11 - 21 rear and 47 / 52 front gear combination in the California Serria Nevada range I could grind up anything. Today I find the maximum advantage I can to continue enjoying the same terrain I did as a young man. At 60 I can tell you that you WILL someday gladly accept a triple...if you really love riding. DK

I just did my first Century with a triple and found it's a great help on the long steep climbs late in the ride. I was able to sit or stand on the steep sections, keeping below 90% HR. A lot better than just the old stand and grind it out with burning legs at max HR near the end of a Century.

The fact that LA uses a 39/23 to race up the mountains at 12 mph doesn't mean a thing to me, since he's got 500 watts of power to play with. If I can generate half that power on a good day, and climb at 6 mph, then "half" the gear, or 30/25, seems like just what I need.

Mountain: Double
Road : Triple

Original, uh?

Well, some times the world its up side down!!!

Regards

__________________
Sorry, English is not my primary language.

Triple- recumbent bike need them.

I had used to have Bianchi Shimano ulta
Ace triple and found it to slow. My new bike is a Orbea Lobular has Dura Ace doubles and I have found I can ride grades at a faster speed. Plus a longer grade.

I just switched for a 105 triple to an Ultegra double. I live in Minnesota after all . . . no hills!

__________________
Waterboy

Don't know why the triple would be slower than a double. I'm finding just the opposite with my new triple....catching and passing riders I couldn't climb with before.

Besides, nothing requires you to use the inner ring. You can always stay on the middle chainring and hammer as long as you want to. The triple only gives more options on the steep climbs; don't see how it takes anything away from your speed.

Triples are good if you're just starting out. After a year, learn how to put down the fries and pizza, eat a little fruit and fish, and suck it up with the double ring.

Sorry, but many experienced and strong riders around the Smoky Mountains use triples. I consider myself one of them.

Great diet tips too....thanks.

Double on my Road
Double (Middle Small) on one of my MBs
Single on the other (32/16 match up)
Single on my Cyclocross.

I don't get the Tripple thing on the road either, not because anyone is a wimp or not, Just simply because it's a Crutch. If you are getting your butt kicked going up hill, just keep doing it and one day you wont. Getting out of your saddle isn't always a bad thing. JMO

Jdawg

__________________
.......__o
.......\<,
....( )/ ( )

funny thing getting out of the saddle - it either feels better or it doesn't. It seems to make it harder for me. I climb better by lifting my cadence. The triple helps with that.

__________________
Regards Michael

Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

'Cept the fish.