Originally Posted by
Lazyass
A 34T is a tiny chain ring. It doesn't take an advanced level of fitness to go up some hills in a 34/28. I would have suggested an 11-32 but he said he likes a close spaced cassette.
He also mentioned a natural cadence of 95-100 rpm and steep hills. 11-34 has got to be the best bet for a spin climber. Sure it makes the spacing a little more lumpy, but only flat-landers would complain. I would even consider an 11-36 SRAM cassette on that setup if I wanted to make the climbs an easy spin at that sort of cadence.