Originally Posted by
Barrettscv
+1. I'm running a 48, 36 & 22 crankset with an 11-32 nine speed cassette and 700xthirty-something sized tires. It's an enormous range. I can stay in the 50 to 100 cadence range from 3 mph to 35 mph. I can't imagine a touring cyclist needing a wider range.
I can! I run a 44/32/22 with an 11-34, 9 speed. It will spin out at 29 MPH on the top end(@90 RPM), and gives me a low for those really steep, long hills. It also keeps the jumps between gears smaller than the wider range setups, and I think it shifts a little smoother. That is why there are so many choices
All other things being equal, there is only a difference of 3.9 mph between a 50 tooth chainring and a 44 tooth ring on an 11 tooth rear cog: 28.5 vs. 32.4 mph. Not many folks whether on a loaded bike or not can sustain those speeds for very long on the flat.