Since my big ring has 48 teeth, I spend a lot of time there. But I do try to stay in a gear that I can spin at 80 - 90 rpm at whatever speed I'm going, especially when riding in a group or on rolling terrain. The 36 tooth middle ring gets used a lot when the rollers come quick and steep. It is much easier to accelerate when the feet are spinning fast than when mashing along in a big gear. I never feel the need for a bigger gear than my 108 g.i. 48/12 top gear affords.