Nah, that was what we used to call a "touring rig". Need the gearing to haul touring gear up the hills.
When I was bike shopping, I used to do an annual double century ride. There was one memorable mile long hill. The triple chain ring was mainly for that hill and about the only time I used it.
I bought the bike three days before the ride and tied my 100 mile speed average. 17.8 mph. I had previously set it ten years before. I was in my mid-40’s so I was pretty excited.