There are also other factors like wind, especially while climbing.


The thing is, although granny gears may be recommended (but as I mentioned touring can be done on a fixed gear, so they aren't always recommended), no one is suggesting that anyone ride in the granny all the time. On this tour, I think I've been in my granny once or twice on the way up a couple steep hills in Scotland. And that's quite normal for me ... going into the granny a handful of times on a tour. Most of the rest of the time I'm somewhere in the mid-range of my gearing. But it is nice knowing I've got the granny there if I need it.