Originally Posted by
bikingshearer
Not so fast there. Back in 1973 or 1974, a friend and I made a barn find - literally - of what I eventually found out was a c.1961 Bianchi Competizione. As found, it had a triple crankset with a five-speed freewheel mounted on a 3sp IGH. 5x3x3=45 distinct gears. Beats 3x13=39. They may both be equally ridiculous, though.
I still have the frame. In fact, it was my ride at the first Eroica CA and the last they held in Paso Robles.
My old recumbent trike had a Sachs 3x7 in the back and a Schlumpf internally geared bottom bracket with two chainrings, giving me 3x7x2x2=84 gears. It did have three shifters and a heel-kick button though. Pulled some stumps out with that Schlumpf.