My Peugeot Vagabond was factory set up as half-step-plus-granny. I absolutely hated it for climbing.
But, there's climbing, and then there's climbing. For instance, I gain over 1000 feet in my 4-mile commute home. For this, it seems a big ring, middle ring and a small ring work best for me; not big, "biggish" and granny.
The 52-45-28 is now a 52-39-28 and it feels better for the kind of hills I'm doing.
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●