Originally Posted by
The Smokester
I don't accept the premise that higher gears are a free ticket to climbing faster. I haves noticed, surprisingly, that I climb at about the same rate within a gear or two. What's not surprising is that it takes the same amount of power to climb at the same rate regardless of gearing. The difference is in the pressure on the knees.
There are two limits to consider: Your cardiovascular system's ability to output power; and The maximum torque your legs can repeatedly impress on the cranks.
Give the 24 a go. It is equivalnet to about one gear lower than you have now. Get the 22 if you can.
That is why I like a 20. At my age, weight and medical condition, I prefer to keep my knees working at a slightly higher cadence to help avoid knee problems.