Two Chainrings or Three?

Buying a new or used road bike can be a real hassle. The time and energy that goes into doing the proper research in order to determine what components and frames fit you best can be extremely time-consuming. Hopefully this article will serve to help you with one aspect of your new road bicycle, whether or not to buy a bike with two (known as a double) or three (referred to as a triple) chainrings and the benefits of both setups.

Having worked at a bike shop I can say from experience that most beginner bicyclists will benefit from having more gearing options. In order to maximize these options, beginners will likely want to purchase a triple chainring bicycle. Some of the gear combinations will likely overlap due to the wide variety of afforded to them by having three chainrings, but climbing hills and descending back down them are made easier through the increased number of gearing possibilities. A triple chainring is usually a little bit heavier than a double so if weight is an important consideration, you may want to opt for a double instead just to save a little weight. Another downside to a triple is the fact that many expert and wanna-be expert riders alike see a triple chainring as a bit of a red flag that the rider is a beginner or is inexperienced. This may or may not be the case with owners of triples but it often turns out that more beginners do ride bikes with three chainrings.

Double chainrings are a bit of a double-edged sword. They reduce the total weight of the bicycle and also serve to notify other riders that the person riding the double chainring bike is not just your average every day beginner cyclist. Often there is an air of elitism that goes on regarding this component alone. Strange, I know, but you’d be surprised at what can spark an argument between two seasoned riders when it comes to bicycle components and specifications. Besides the obvious advantages of weight and social standing, owning a double chainring can have its downfalls. For a rider who loves to experiment or have a gearing combination for every situation he or she encounters, a double chainring can be a disadvantage because unlike a triple, it allows for less gearing combinations. These fewer gearing combinations also translate to reduced weight and a more efficient bicycle.

It is an industry fact that cyclists that are used to riding long distances with gearing combinations they are familiar and comfortable with will likely not suffer because of this lack of gearing combinations, but riders that are unfamiliar with the terrain demands and the bicycle itself will likely experience a little bit of chainring envy when it comes to comparing their options with those riders that have a triple. Whichever way you go with the chainrings, at least you are better informed and aware of some of the advantages and disadvantages of both options. The expert at your local bike shop can help inform you further on this topic.