A Lightning should be the lightest. That's what we have on our tandem. It is a light crank in a double, and the triple is only about 100 grams more. With Campy the new Athena, you can make use of 11-speed, for a total of 33 speeds. Wide spread of gears, but tight

The Lightning triple spider should fit on an S-Works crank. Thus if you have BB30, the S-Works is an option too.

I use a Praxis 53t outer chainring (for a double), and it shifts better than the TA that preceded it.

look online. most of the manufacturers disclose the weights.

It always amazes me people seem to take pride in advertising to the world that they know absolutely nothing about bicycle mechanics. Triple cranksets using a 74mm bcd inner chainring can take a 24 tooth inner chainring. 24 teeth results in much lower gearing than 33 teeth. Much lower. How big the cassette you use does not depend on the crankset at all. So the rear cassette can be identical whether using a 110mm bcd compact or a 130/74mm bcd triple. The triple will give you much lower gearing than a compact.

Exactly! Rightly stated.

Well said. And can I join the triple love-in and say the following?

I don't just use a triple for the gear ratios. No. Using something like a 26t chainring like I do means I can cycle with 'normal' cadences even on the steepest of hills. No more low-cadence-crawling up steep hills.

Certainly, you can put MTB components on a road bike and get still lower gearing. The small ring on most road triples is 30t. Since this is a weight weenie forum, I was suggesting a way to get a very decent low gear for climbing (33tx28t) without weight penalty or the fiddliness of a triple. There is no reason for rudeness. And yes, I do know a little about bicycle mechanics.

Hi tantra, what you have written is 100% correct. Using an MTB 11-34 10spd cassette, compact 50/33 crankset, and a MTB M772/M972 SGS RD will give you low gearing of 33-34. Which is very low. Yes, a triple can run a smaller chainring then a 28T, as suggested even a 24T, which will allow one to use a closer ranged cassette, such as an 11-25, 11-28, or even an 11-32. A closer ranged cassette, like 11-25T, will provide closer cadence between RD changes.

A triple is usually heavier and we are talking road not off-road. A compact has a better Q and is a little easier to setup. Road RD's usually come in S or GS not SGS, where the GS form will allow an 11-32 and have a max total of usually 37T for Cassette and Crankset combination.
Eg. an 11-32 cassette = 21T, which will allow a max Crankset range of 16T. That is 21 + 16 = 37T.

You will need an SGS RD, which generally allow a max total of 43T to 45T, to extend the range of the crankset.
Eg. an 11-32 cassette = 21T, which will allow a max Crankset range of 22T to 24T. That is 21 + 22 = 43T or 21 + 24 = 45T.

Anyhow, both will work, and there are pro and cons for each arrangement.
As tantra mentioned the compact setup should be lighter and a little easier to setup and maintain.
This is why hi-end MTB's now run dual cranksets with an 11-36 cassette.

Funniest thing I've read today. I had a triple once, so I could run a 55/42/39 (or something like that) then I realised I was being an idiot

_________________
Apparently my bikes were talking the other day & are undecided whether to upgrade the current rider or get a new one...

one of the schemers...

The biggest problem for people that use triples is that most of the current groups do not support a triple configuration.

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I'm not the sharpest of the weight weenies, but if you're interested in a light triple, and are willing to live with either a 34 or 36t as the middle ring, IRD offers a "triple-lizer" chainring that allows a 74bcd ring to be bolted to the 110bcd triplelizer ring.

http://www.interlocracing.com/triplizer.htm

So you can use any lightweight road compact double crank that uses a separate BB axle (BSA, ISIS, Cannondale, etc.). Because you'd have to use a slightly wider BB to get the middle ring to line up with the middle of the cassette (i.e. triple spacing).
The only cranks that might be off limits are ones with an integrated axle (with a fixed crank arm width). But even then, you might be able to live with the added 74bcd ring lining up with the 2nd or 3rd biggest cog on the cassette, assuming (a) your front derailleur could handle it,and (b) it doesn't rub the chainstay. That's where you'd be using that small ring anyway.
Otherwise just go with a variable BB crank.

Hey just suggestin'...

Old style centaur triple with royce ti bottom bracket was said by my mechanic to weigh no more than veloce ultraorque compact with cups even after large chunks had been torn from the veloce due to the rubbish ultratorque puller.