Originally Posted by
Drew Eckhardt
Hardly. If you're fit enough to not need more than 25, you should have a decent spin and not need a big gear larger than the 52x13 Eddy Merckx used to dominate the spring classics, and may care more about having a 18 cog than one smaller on the end.
I'd tend to think the other way; someone who rides up 10% grades in a 39x25 is in a hurry to get up, and is probably in a hurry to get down the other side; as much as they can spin a 52x13, I'd say they'd be even happier for the higher terminal velocity of a 53x11.