Originally Posted by
knobster
One of the other things I've been playing with is using a big/big combo. I have a 48 big gear and a 27 on the cassette. This has gotten me up a large amount of local climbs here that are sustained. Not sure why, but it seems easier and I believe it may be due to the added leverage from turning a bigger sprocket. I'm sure I'm talking out my ass here, but it did seem easier on the miles of climbs I've done this way.
Yeah, you're talking out your ass...
I wonder if part of it is that it's a bit faster, but that also depends on what you'd use with the smaller sprocket. If you were to use, say, the 3rd or 4th biggest cog, the ratio would be close to the big-big combo you describe. But, if the big-big combo is a taller ratio overall, you're going faster and, literally, spending less time climbing the hill.
The bigger difference would be that you're simply getting stronger. I remember taking a particular hill in the big ring for the first time and being pretty happy about it.