Bicycle Gear Calculator not a whole lot of difference....

My main commuter has a 1 x 9 drivertrain with 44T chain ring and 12-36 Shimano cassette; my back up commuter has a 3 x 8 with a 28/38/48 crankset and a 11-28 Shimano cassette. Both work equally well for me. My main has 35-622 rear tire, the backup has a 40-599. I do end up in top gear a great deal more often with my main than my back up as expected. Another combination that works well for me is a 2x8 with 53/39 and a custom 14-32 cassette. Note: I have one hill that I need about 33 GI for: 39-32 and 44-36 are almost exactly that with a 35-622 tire.