Originally Posted by
AU Tiger
The FX 3 has an 11-34 cassette, and the 7.4 has an 11-32. This gives the FX 3 a very slight advantage if you will be riding a lot of hills. The 26-34 combination produces a 0.765 gear ratio, while the 26-32 produces 0.813. In reality, you may not even be able to notice that difference, but technically the lower ratio will make it more suited for climbing. The trade-off is that since they are both 9-speeds, there will be a bigger gap somewhere in the progression for the 11-34 compared to the 11-32, which would matter (again, very slightly) if you ride more on relatively flat roads.
I like the feel of an 11-32 vs an 11-34. All 11-34's I have ever seen cluster (see what I did there) the steps of the first seven (or eight) speeds and then you have a 10 tooth drop to the 34. The 11-32's are a smoother progression to the 32. FWIW.