A couple of annoying oddities about 50/34...

...the 34 is simply too small of a ring to do any spinning for any period of time on flats/slight descents.

...the 50 ring is surprisingly noisy. It doesn't make a huge racket, but it's noticeably noisier than the 34. I wouldn't mind if I were in the 50 only occasionally, such as for long descents, but there aren't any long descents where I ride.


50/34 is just wrong.

I can't believe 50/34 has been standard for as long as it has. I say either go with 10 or 11 speed 50/39/30 to get smaller jumps between rings and to get a wide gear range, or go with a 1X 12 speed or better yet, 13 speed. I would find a 40 or 42 paired with a 10 - 40 or 42 might be nice.