also:
easier/harder isn't the same as gain ratios. easier/harder speaks to efficiency, which, like my last post hinted at, can be affected by subtle changes in geometry, and can also be affected by things like chainline and the state of your bottom bracket, hubs, and rims.

two bikes with the same gain ratios can have wildly different feels to the ride due to the efficiency, or lack thereof, of the bike--the amount of energy that's lost due to friction at various points in the bike.