Buying a new groupset for my Airborne Carpe Diem (alu) and can't decide between a Sram Rival Compact or a Ultegra 6700 triple. Both are the same price.

I'll be using the bike for a couple of touring trips a year where the triple would be good, but the rest of the time the bike will be used for commuting or CX.

I ride Sram Force compact on my road bike, so like the Sram shifters but the new Ultegra looks quite nice as the lever hood shape has changed.

What does STW think?

I use a triple on my road bike to protect my knees (easier to have a high cadence on big hills).

If you're going to be touring and doing hills, go for the triple. It's good to be flexible.

However, if your commute is flat, you'll probably be in the big ring most of the time anyway, so be aware that that ring will wear out faster than the other two. Plus there's a bit of an issue with big ring / big sprocket usage – noise and wear will be slightly higher if you have a triple.

That said, keep your gears working properly and you'll be fine. I'd go for the triple if you think you might need it.

: P

I use my Tricross tripple for commuting with loaded panniers. The rides is hilly but not mountainous. I've never used the granny but it's not doing any harm being there. Still, if I didn't have the 11-34 cassette on the rear, I think the granny would have seen a lot of use.

When I built my Amazon (same as a Carpe Diem) I started with a compact but have since swapped it out. For cummunting, I'm never in the smallest ring, but when loaded, my knees thank me.

If you want a 6700 compact groupset, let me know. I have an almost complete one for sale. Some of the components are still new/boxed.

Another advantage of a triple over a compact is that you can use a close ratio cassette, so you still get a good upper to lower range, but with smaller steps between gears.

loaded with panniers on a tour or just one pannier after a long day at work, thats when i thank myself for a triple(commute home is all uphill with a short 20% at the end). might feel differently if i lived somewhere flat.

Could you go compact but fit an apex 11-32 cassette for loaded touring?

I have no road cred at all. Triple! Particulalry if you tour abroad where I've been in the granny ring for hours.

Scratch that any where hilly. As a teenager ended up walking up Wrynose pass with panniers as I was to weedy for 36×28. I'm even weedyer now

As I am unable to buy another bike for the foreseeable future I really wish my RB had a triple rather than the compact. If I was in a position to buy a new RB that I knew would be my only one I would now opt for triple. Too old to handle compact a compact all the time and to be bothered about the "cred" of a 2 ring crank.

As stated though maybe an Apex cassette mixed with the other compact group would suit.

26/36/48 on both my road bike and touring type winter cx type thing and an 11-32 cassette on the back. All the gears, no idea

i had a standard double on my audax but swapped for a compact tbh i would have prefered a triple but my shifters wouldnt work on triple. id like something like 28/38/50 tho really , the granny probably wouldnt get used too much but i often think up a big hill with panniers loaded that i granny ring would be lovely (not that type of granny ring , dirty boy 😉

26/36/48 on both my road bike

My bike has this on it, hasnt been ridden for three years but thats another story, but in the good old days I could keep up with the local roadie fast club run and chaingangs fine (well if I couldnt bigger gears wouldnt have helped).

Get a triple, otherwise on those future long climbs or short ramps, your calves and quads willwill be asking why.

I had a triple road bike last year in the Alps and Pyrenees and a had a 27 on the rear, this year my new bike had a 25, it made a difference.

Nick

Thanks for the comments all. The ultegra was miss priced, so it would actually be new 105 5700 vs Rival.

Looks like I'm gonna go for a triple…

I have a 2010 105 Triple groupset but FSA Gossamer Mega Exo chainset.

105 is good, smooth brakes and levers.

Well I ordered a Ultegra Triple from Merlin (bargain prices at the moment). Should arrive today! So building it up this weekend…

Triple on a tourer.