I've been rolling around with a 46/17 lately and it is a great all-around gear for me in my flat city. I rode it last week on a 51 mile ride complete with some decent hills and as long as the hill wasn't like a mile long, i was okay. Even climbed a few steep (yet shorter) hills no sweat (I did have to get in the drops and really mash it at times). 44 or 42 is not for me though. Too slow with a 17 in the back.