Triple on a road bike - yay or nay

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Bloke

New Member
Hope this is the right section. I don't really bother with racing - the longer sportives are more my bag.

I have a road bike and for the last year have been using a compact, which I find fantastic. Seems to me though that a high quality triple chain ring, with a relatively flat block at the back would offer the greatest flexibility of all - you could spin up all but the hardest of climbs and not lose out on top end gearing either.

How flawed or otherwise is my logic? Are they de rigeur on the UK sportive circuit?
 
OP
OP
B

Bloke

New Member
Hope this is the right section. I don't really bother with racing - the longer sportives are more my bag.

I have a road bike and for the last year have been using a compact, which I find fantastic. Seems to me though that a high quality triple chain ring, with a relatively flat block at the back would offer the greatest flexibility of all - you could spin up all but the hardest of climbs and not lose out on top end gearing either.

How flawed or otherwise is my logic? Are they de rigeur on the UK sportive circuit?
 
OP
OP
B

Bloke

New Member
Hope this is the right section. I don't really bother with racing - the longer sportives are more my bag.

I have a road bike and for the last year have been using a compact, which I find fantastic. Seems to me though that a high quality triple chain ring, with a relatively flat block at the back would offer the greatest flexibility of all - you could spin up all but the hardest of climbs and not lose out on top end gearing either.

How flawed or otherwise is my logic? Are they de rigeur on the UK sportive circuit?
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
There's no flaw in your logic. A triple gives you a standard road double (40 / 52) with a separate low ratio set of gears when you need them.

The compact is a compromise in every way. They work okay-ish for the big European mountain sportives as you ride to the foot of the climb in the big ring, change down with the front changer when you arrive at the foot of the climb and then leave it there for an hour or so until you change up at the top of the pass for the descent. But on the rolling terrain on UK sportives, with their much shorter climbs and changes in gradient, they are not ideal.
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
There's no flaw in your logic. A triple gives you a standard road double (40 / 52) with a separate low ratio set of gears when you need them.

The compact is a compromise in every way. They work okay-ish for the big European mountain sportives as you ride to the foot of the climb in the big ring, change down with the front changer when you arrive at the foot of the climb and then leave it there for an hour or so until you change up at the top of the pass for the descent. But on the rolling terrain on UK sportives, with their much shorter climbs and changes in gradient, they are not ideal.
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
There's no flaw in your logic. A triple gives you a standard road double (40 / 52) with a separate low ratio set of gears when you need them.

The compact is a compromise in every way. They work okay-ish for the big European mountain sportives as you ride to the foot of the climb in the big ring, change down with the front changer when you arrive at the foot of the climb and then leave it there for an hour or so until you change up at the top of the pass for the descent. But on the rolling terrain on UK sportives, with their much shorter climbs and changes in gradient, they are not ideal.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
If you over cook it on the first 2/3rds of a long sportive, as I have done, and the last 3rd has some tough climbs then the granny ring can make a lot of difference. On the other hand if you enjoy suffering.....
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
If you over cook it on the first 2/3rds of a long sportive, as I have done, and the last 3rd has some tough climbs then the granny ring can make a lot of difference. On the other hand if you enjoy suffering.....
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
If you over cook it on the first 2/3rds of a long sportive, as I have done, and the last 3rd has some tough climbs then the granny ring can make a lot of difference. On the other hand if you enjoy suffering.....
 

Rassendyll

New Member
I love having the triple on my audax / sportive bike. It just gives me another option when I'm not able to give it everything on a steep climb in the middle ring.

But... there is a tendency to use them because they're there.

I found that having a second road bike with a double meant that I realised I didn't need to go into the granny ring as much as I had been doing. I made more of a conscious effort to stay in the middle ring on certain climbs and was faster up them as a result.
 

Rassendyll

New Member
I love having the triple on my audax / sportive bike. It just gives me another option when I'm not able to give it everything on a steep climb in the middle ring.

But... there is a tendency to use them because they're there.

I found that having a second road bike with a double meant that I realised I didn't need to go into the granny ring as much as I had been doing. I made more of a conscious effort to stay in the middle ring on certain climbs and was faster up them as a result.
 

Rassendyll

New Member
I love having the triple on my audax / sportive bike. It just gives me another option when I'm not able to give it everything on a steep climb in the middle ring.

But... there is a tendency to use them because they're there.

I found that having a second road bike with a double meant that I realised I didn't need to go into the granny ring as much as I had been doing. I made more of a conscious effort to stay in the middle ring on certain climbs and was faster up them as a result.
 

Lovebadger

New Member
Location
Pontypool
Totally agree! A compact is a compromise. Get a triple, especially if you like riding in the mountains. I've used a triple on Audax, Sportive and for touring in the Alps. Some people frown upon them but when you are at the end of a long ride you have the granny ring waiting there to bail you out!
 

Lovebadger

New Member
Location
Pontypool
Totally agree! A compact is a compromise. Get a triple, especially if you like riding in the mountains. I've used a triple on Audax, Sportive and for touring in the Alps. Some people frown upon them but when you are at the end of a long ride you have the granny ring waiting there to bail you out!
 

Lovebadger

New Member
Location
Pontypool
Totally agree! A compact is a compromise. Get a triple, especially if you like riding in the mountains. I've used a triple on Audax, Sportive and for touring in the Alps. Some people frown upon them but when you are at the end of a long ride you have the granny ring waiting there to bail you out!
 
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