16 years of MTB's with 44/32/22 and 12/32 and I used it on the roads locally and the hills were hard. First road bike and 52/42/30 and 12/26 cassette and the hills were just as hard but quicker. Next bike and a compact 50/34 and 12/27 cassette and the hills were still hard but no harder than on the triple with 30/26. Now have a 12/30 cassette and although I "May" use the 30 occasionally- it is only occasionally and the hills are still hard. But that is what they are there for. Flat roads bore me.

I did have a 52/39 crank on the TCR at one point coupled to a 12/25 cassette but I was younger then and did find the hills too hard. So 22/32---30/26 or 34/27 and I found none of them any different. They all hurt on the hills but it does not matter what your lowest gear is for hills. You will use it at some point but you survive.