I know this guy who is in his late 60's and he was telling me about his training back in the late 70's and early 80's. Him and his buddies would ride give or take 98 inch ratios, around 51-14's. They would work 40 hours a week, four days a week, and three days a week train up and down mountains where they lived on the highest gears they could physically possible do. They did this for a few seasons. I believe it was in 82 or 84 they all competed in various world held competitions and won majority of their races. He's got the papers to prove.