Originally Posted by
vkalia
The big downside of a compact, for me, is that I always end up cross-chaining in the flats for most of my riding.
I find a 50 perfect for my riding on flats, short hills, and lesser grades. The 34 gives me a perfect range when going up a mountain. The 34 can also be nice if I'm quite tired or there's a big headwind, neither of which is as uncommon as I wish they were.