Originally Posted by
HillRider
The real question is "how fast can you go?" Are you strong enough to turn an 11x52 or even a 12x52 effectively? For all but the strongest riders or those who insist on pedaling down hills, an 11T cog is wasted. You ain't Tony Martin (to paraphrase a famous movie).
Agreed. I set a course record in a flattish 10-mile time trial back in the early '80s and never got out of my 52 x 15. Most "need for speed" threads are "I don't like pedaling fast" threads in disguise.
That said, there are some powerful riders out there who really can turn over a big gear at impressive speed, although lighter riders tend to be able to drop them on climbs.