Originally Posted by
Thadcorn
Nebraskas geography is kind of all over the place. It's hilly in the west, flat in the middle, and hilly once you get to Iowa (because of the bluffs). The hills are mid-level in their steepness but they are short, which is nice. Do you think that I should still stay with the standard crank and 11/28?
It all depends on what you're comfortable with. You can get up nearly anything if you're willing to grind it out, I made the mistake of visiting West Virginia with a standard crank and a 12-26 cassette. I had to do a lot of zigzagging up the road on a few mountains that were consistently 10-15% grades for a mile or two, but I made it up and didn't blow out my knees. I have a compact now and I've been racing on it/riding in the mountains with a 12-26 cassette without ever feeling like I needed a higher top end (I just tuck and coast when we're racing downhill at 38+ mph, which is about where I spin out with this gearing), so YMMV. Maybe borrow someone's bike with a standard to see if you like it?