Originally Posted by
clink83
Not true. With a 50/34 and an 11-25 cassette on rolling to flat courses you can stay in the big ring on longer/steeper climbs while still being able to retain your top end. If your honest with yourself and how you really ride, compacts are the best choice for 90% of people.
If most of the nonracing cycling population are even more honest, they'd probably find that a 46/36 would probably meet their needs even better. They neither have any hope of spinning out the top end nor being in conditions that would make a larger difference between the rings optimal.