Originally Posted by
el_chepo
How is 32/34 for climbing steep trails? What size are your wheels?
imgur.com/a/8MnSjRS
40/50 on a 29 inch wheel should be the same effort as 32/36 on mine (26 inch). On 27.5 respectively 30/36. Is that really enough for trails?
On roads even the steepest here I'm very much OK with 3rd lowest gear and rarely use the second (24/21 and 24/25) and about never the lowest 24/28.
I have run a HT with a 32/34 low gear. Expect to stand and mash on steep trail sections. I was a pretty strong rider at the time and was riding single-speed as well, so I was used to it.
Consider that for most 9sp 26ers, a 34t cog with a 22-24t ring was standard for a low gear.
What I found was that when I was fresh, for short bursts I could climb anything with the 32/34 low that I could with a 22/34 low gear. The difference is that I could not do it as long. With a taller gear on a steep slope I was either out of the saddle and going 100% or I was walking.
It really just comes down to how fit you are, how hard you want to push yourself, and what kind of terrain you are riding.
I see someone mention they are fine with 32/34 on a fat bike. I am still a reasonably strong rider, and that would kill me where/what I ride.