Up till this spring and after the winter layoff- I would have said a compact with 12/27 would have been enough for me but I have lost a lot over the winter. For that reason I am using the triple with 30/25 as my lowest gear. I also have wheels with 12/27 I could put on but so far I am OK. But there are a couple of rides coming up soon that with my current LOW fitness level I feel that I could just do with that lower gear. for me there would not be any betterment by going 11/28 as opposed to 12/27. In fact it may cause me a problem as the ratios on the 3 lowest on the 12/27 are too wide for me (Hence the preferred use of the 12/25) and the extra 2 teeth may cause a further problem. I will never use the 11t unless it is downhill and by that time I would be coasting. But the 12/30 Tiagra does sound the job for when I do get back to the really long steep hills. 30/30 on a triple will be enough for a few years and may even be OK with the compact.

I know gearing is down to personal fitness and the terrain you ride but it is not always down to just having a low gear. Wide spacing between the gear ratios can affect you in a different way that can be just as difficult.