richl53706 said:
I am in the process of building a new bike and the dealer has asked me to select my desired gearing. I asked what he thought of using a triple chain ring and he said he has never done this with Dura Ace components. Can any one give me the down side to this configuration?
Thanks,
Rich
Probably just snobbery. Most, if not all, the people with DA drivetrains use a double chain ring, because, well, the pros use DA. DA is also lighter and more .. durable (read: stiff). It allows for more efficient power transfer to the wheels when you pedal.
Really, let's look at it this way, if you need a triple, get a triple. And get whatever model you want. The argument against it could be that if you need a triple, then perhaps, all the "gains" you get with the DA drivetrain probably are an overkill for you: weight and power transfer for one. Unless you are super light, fit and race, then you won't notice the incremental difference; or you won't be able to appreciate. Kinda like a 250 lb person obsessing over saving 0.25 oz or thereabouts off a bike .. a bit of an overkill, if not pointless.
The rule of thumb should be: if you "need" a triple, then you don't "need" a DA chain ring. That said, get what you want. It will definitely up the "wow" value of your bike, if nothing else. And if you are already thin, race and are correspondingly strong .. then you fall in the don't-need-a-triple group. If it's lower gearing you want, with the triple, you could get larger cassettes and be fine.
By the way, what kind of frame are you building on (I'm curious for my own eventual project is all).