New to biking overall I started mountain biking last year on a Motobecane Outcast 29 SS. I had to gear that down to 33:22 (3:2) for the climbs at parks nearby.

This year I picked up a Dawes SST AL (track/road). It came with 48:17. Roads nearby are fairly flat and climbs has been relatively struggle-free. However, I feel that I'm not moving fast enough on flats. Do I need a higher gain ratio or do I just need to shape-up?