3 cranks vs. 2
 

My bike has 3 cranks and my FIL has 2 on his bike. I never use the 3rd crank because I feel like I'm cheating. Do a lot have road bikes have the 3rd?

It's called a triple. (as in 3 rings). I ride one. I rarely us the small ring. But it is nice to have a bail-out gear. You will probably use it when we ride the canyon.

Wusses. Unless you ride mountain bikes, real men don't use triples.

Hey and throw on a 11/21, not some whimpy ass 12-25.

FYI, cranks, or crank arms, are what the pedal attaches to. Three would be problematic except on a tandem for a team with a one-legged member. As Q points out, you are really talking about chain rings, and the more the better in my book. Weight weenies don't like triples but if you have knees over 40 those high non-hammerin' RPMs on a climb are good to have.

No shame in a triple pride. No shame at all.

You can get the best of both worlds in a compact crank, which blends easy to spin gears with power gears. My wife loves hers.

Are you really riding an 11-21? what are your chain rings? More evidence that I am the sag wagon for your Ulcer experience.

11-21s are hard to come by. I usually ride an 11-23, but I do it on any hill. Perhaps that's why my IT bands hurt sometimes. For a flat ride I'd love an 11-21, with a fiftyfive up front.

A triple. Yes... that's what I have! ha ha! I'm almost certain I'll need the small ring going up..

Whatever.. My bike just came with the triple. and I'd do it again! :) and what's the 11-21 and 12-25 crap?!... you can't just through out this mumbo jumbo to someone as slow as me and not explain!