Originally Posted by
pdlamb
But would you be willing to limit yourself to a bike that's geared for a two day tour?
[Edited to add] And would you be willing to limit yourself to gearing that would have you spin out below 20 mph if the wind was at your back?
Hell's no. As I mentioned, I am at 24x34 right now and wanting to go to 22x34 due to age, etc. High end is 46x11. Yes. The Race Face ring set I got a few years ago has a 46 large ring, not a 48. Works out well for commuting/errands. I use one cog higher with the 46 that with the 48. That "spreads the love" around the gears more than the 48 did.
My first touring bike came with a MTB front setup. 44 was the largest. 22 was the lowest. Can't remember what the middle ring was. 11x34 on the back. Never walked a hill in the U.S. with that. Walked a few sections in Andalucia when I encountered some steep grades. (I remember one street sign going into a town warning of 16%.)
This winter I will probably invest in a new crank that can take a 22 small ring. My 40th high school reunion in western Mass. is next June. For my 35th I rode there from northern Vermont and then continued home through the Berkshires, etc. Thinking about doing the same for my 40th.