The 42 - 23 low gear on this bike is by far the most stout on all of mine, though I don't have much interest in easing it up. I have other bikes for that. My area is flush with short, stiff climbs that add up over the course of a ride and this bike forces me to hit them with speed and to stand on the pedals as gravity does its thing. It's different in that sense from my other bikes that allow me to spin up the hills at a more leisurely pace. I wouldn't be able to hack this gearing on a 'heroic' ride with the big mileage + elevation changes that come with, but it's fun to get a taste. I did ride this on my first century, so that's something I guess. And I do have a matching wool jersey.
