I think i’m turning into a wuss, but being relatively new to road biking, i think i need a triple chainset!! Has anyone else fitted one or is it just me and need to man up a bit on the big hills!! I think my current chainset is a campag 39 / 53. Would i notice much of a difference with a compact instead of the triple?

Also, my current set up is a 9 speed, i’m assmuing i’ll be ok with a 10 speed chainset as the 9 speed chain should in theory be a bit woder than the 10 speed?

My dad runs a triple. Here he is.

Get a compact if you need it.

50/34 compact and 12-27 at the back will get you up most hills in the UK unless you are carrying panniers or something.

Changing to a triple will cost a fair bit.

If you want a triple, get one. I love mine and in my day I flew up the hills in sportives, passing tons of blokes who were too worried about the size of their manhood being judged to be sensible about their gear ranges.

If the idea is to get up hills better and not knack your knees its the only way forward (if you can fit one on your bike that is)

A compact is not the same, and a compromise that satisfies neither requirement.

Spin to Win and all that.

But then I am a girl so am allowed to be unconcerned about being un-macho, don’t double standards suck !

50/34 compact with an 11-28 cassette isn’t far off the gear range of a triple. Triples can also be a pain for chain rub on the front mech.

My boss is the fittest bloke I know he does massive rides and always looks for the hills and he uses a triple . No one seems to mock him that said his legs do the talking and he is 6’5″ so that prob helps lol

Putting a triple on means getting a long cage derailler, chain and new front derailler, and possibly a new left brifter?

Makes more sense to put on an old MTB rear derailler and 32 or 34 cassette. If you calculate the ratios it works out about the same or better than a triple up front.

uponthedowns +1

Compact double and a 12-27 cassette equate to about the same range of gears as a triple with a normal (12-23 or 12-25) cassette. It’ll be a lot cheaper to swap to a compact too. If you get a triple, you’ll need a long cage mech, probably a new STI (tinribz – please don’t call it a brifter, that sounds awful!). You’d be fine with a 10sp compact. Even cheaper and easier would be to put a slightly bigger cassette on there, a 12-27 or 12-28, the rear mech will cope with that and it’ll have a bigger effect on the gearing than changing the chainset.

Personally I think the clue is in the first sentence – you’re relatively new to road riding. Unless you live at the foot of Hardknott Pass or somewhere in the bottom of one of the Hebden Bridge valleys, just get used to it. MTBers are (generally) nowhere near as fit as roadies and it just takes a bit of getting used to the gears and the way of riding the bike.

I’d go for a compact over a triple for the cost reasons above. You’ll need a new shifter and maybe a mech with a triple.

Your not going to get any fitter pissing about spinning away in the granny gear up hills. Where abouts do you live that requires a triple?

A compact sounds like it would be fine for you, especially with a 12-27 cassette.

Forget about the willy wavers on here, most of them will be baggy short doods!

A triple is perfect for a winter training bike. Get one if you feel like it.

I have a triple on my road bike makes the commute over whinlatter pass a realistic option everyday.
My knees thank me for it weekly.