Originally Posted by
WhyFi
I've been running a 50/34 with a 12-25 for the last few years. I like it quite a bit for my terrain and strengths (we do have some steep-ish pitches, but they're short enough that I can torque it out). Going to even taller gearing in hillier country? Yow. I'd have to stop alongside the road to look for my patellae after they blow off and in to the shrubbery.
I run that now, but before I got the Habanero 12 years ago, I was running "old school" 39/53 and 12-21 and somehow was able to go up our killer climbs. I would NOT want to do it now with that gearing.