Originally Posted by
Motorad
Thanks for your opinion, but I would disagree about the OP being out there. The OP had the intent, of receiving feedback from riders, on which bike would be better for extended rides based on the terrain they ride in.
The OP also had a possible goal of receiving recommendations of fitting the unassembled bike for extended organized rides ... before it is assembled. I have learned quite a bit from your input and from the others. For example: I will say, that had I received and had been riding the jeep before I purchased the gearing for the corvette, I may not have purchased a 50/39 crank for the Legend ... based on the 50/39's lack of low gears if doing a century in North Michigan. I would look forward to transporting a bike to different areas of Michigan in the future, to do extended rides on flat and on hilly terrain, and since the Legend is not assembled yet ... it helps to get recommendations that may impact how it gets assembled. In fact, I wouldn't mind if I was told (with explanation) why a 50/39 double crank would not be recommended for the Legend ... for doing century rides.
Sorry if I made my point a little too strongly. Obviously I value the exchange of opinions and information or I wouldn't be on here asking and answering questions. But I also place a high value on actual experience over theory and advice. Even making wrong choices is important in really learning what the best choices are. A problem with advice on a situation like this is that none of us know how these bikes will work for you. I'm not sure if any of us knows how hilly it will be on the rides you plan to do or how well you will be able to handle the hills with various gearing options. Only by riding different combinations will you know how they do for you.
For all I know, a 50/39 double may work fine. Every century ride I have ridden was on the same bike, either with the original 53/40 crank or the current 50/40/30. Only on the very hilliest of those centuries have I used the 30 tooth ring.
If you have not assembled the Legend and you are not sure about the crank, why not put on a compact double with 110 BCD instead? That will give you the option of changing the small ring to anything you like.