Originally Posted by
dgarzoli
Try ditching the 50/34 up front for a 52/36 and then put an 11/28 cassette on the rear.....this "mid compact" gearing has proven to be the holy grail for me. Lose almost nothin on top compared to a standard 53 for haulin ass in the flats or descents and give up only two teeth on the bottom. With the 11/28 out back, you will find the perfect gear ratio to get to the top quick!
Those pie-plate cogs come at the expense of spacing so you don't want them.
At decent climbing weight you don't need anything bigger than 34x23 or 39x25 as in 12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23 or 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-26 10 cogs. If you've picked up some middle aged spread loose weight and/or get a triple crank and keep the cogs.