Originally Posted by
Weatherby
SRAM, Shimano, and Campy do not make road bike gear ratios that fit many cyclist's needs. There is not a single 11s cassette on the market that meets my needs in conjunction with my compact crank. I never need the 11 or 12 cog and a couple hundred miles into a long ride, something more than 28 teeth might be nice on a 16% gradient.
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 28, 32 would be be better overall for many riders.
Sure, but triples also make loads of sense for many riders but not enough people are interested in buying them.
It's easy to get any gear ratio you want with existing cassettes -- that's what different ring sizes are for. 34/32 doesn't give you enough low end and not willing to get a triple? No problem, get a variable bolt crank (SRAM, Campy, and Shimano are not the only outfits that can put out decent product) and put any ring you want down to 24T. That will get you crazy low end you couldn't even match with a 36 tooth pie plate that weighs a ton in the rear.
The only reason people have any problems with gearing at all is either lack of awareness of options or insistence on using at least one component that is inappropriate.