Originally Posted by
5ofus
I just run out of gears on the large chain ring going uphill right now. Probably will improve as I get back into bike shape
In all probability - no.
Or at least not much. The big ring is nobody's climbing ring.
Oh, sure, a strong rider may choose to stay on it for a while to intimidate the competition, or you can have an incline that's so mild that it can be tackled at almost 20 MPH, in which case the big ring will "work". But otherwise, save it for tailwinds and descents.
Bike riding is a lot more about stamina than it is about strength. Cranking slow-and-hard as your regular riding style will only put you in the running for the "most messed up knees" or "bulkiest legs of the year" competition.