Originally Posted by
paulriccio
On the same bike???
I am 41 and in great shape but would like my knees and tendons to not get injured. I die inside if I cannot stay active. At least with the lower gears, it's my choice to torture myself which I do plenty as it is.
Almost all my bikes have triples. I don’t see the point in trying to be heroic. Like you say, the triple has a 39T ring and you can choose that if you want to challenge yourself. If not, put it in the small ring and spin. Chris Froome has been known to use a 34-32 low gear in pro tour stages in recent years. I figure if he can use that, no gear I choose will be wimpy when adjusted for fitness level.