Originally Posted by
Darth Lefty
I like to remember in these threads that a classic 10-speed Schwinn would have had a 40-34 low gear and a 52-14 high, about 40 to 100 gear inches with (sorta) six ratios. You can now get about the same range and up to 11 ratios with a single ring and an 11-34 cassette. The situation is even better for you if you were going to match a Campy setup which had both narrower rings and smaller freewheel.
I recently built up an '82 Trek with a 6-speed freewheel and a 53-42 double, and I have to say it was a revelation regarding the history of gearing. For instance, I used to think it was ridiculous that any non-racer would have a chainring bigger than 50 teeth. Now, I've shifted into my smallest cog while using a 53 tooth chainring. That still doesn't explain why anyone with an 11-25 10-speed cassette would want a ring that big, but it at least explains why it happened.
Similarly, I really believe compact doubles represent a wrong turn in the history of bike gear evolution and 1x11 setups are a desperate attempt to fix it. The fact that people think installing a cassette with a 42 tooth cog is a good solution to the problem kind of proves my point.