Originally Posted by
Canker
up your cadence. If you took 20 years off there is no way you are running out of gear on the flats. I run 46/30 cranks and that is good for around 32ish mph without blowing my legs out spinning on downhills.
Not everyone can really spin and for a reasonably strong person it might be a low gear. Personally if I'm riding the road where I average between 20 and 22mph except in the mountains area I find a 46/11 to be inadequate. But I like top speed going down hills to make up for the up hills and around here with the winds it isn't unusual to run faster then 32 on the flats with a tail wind but having to spin like crazy to do it is tiring, the turn around back into the wind can really suck but 46/11 is a limit. A 48 is the lowest chainring I prefer to have other then on the mtb or touring bikes and a 50 is more ideal. A 50/34 with 11-34 cassette is a good setup for decent hill climbing and plenty of speed, a 48/32 and 11/34 was my choice for a go anywhere ride anything bike though it does limit in the downhill.