Originally Posted by alan s

No, I'll have 27 speeds. "Mechanical torque multiplying" as you call it occurs on all bikes, no matter how many gears they have. Comes from the crank arms and gear combination(s). For the Alps, fully loaded, the more gears the better, IMHO. And one wouldn't describe my route as "hilly." "Mountainous" is a better description. The challenge of conquering a mountain pass will not be met with a motor. Kind of like climbing Everest on the back of a Sherpa.