The tricross is a cross bike with a triple, but I have 28mm tires and a closer cassette, and it's low is nearly 26 gear inches.
Any touring with any weight is tricky when hitting steep hills, but I don't tour on it like this.
The other bike with the mtb gearing was set up specifically for touring in mountainy terrain in other countries, with unknown surfaces and steeper gradients expected, and carrying more weight than usual due to circumstances of the trip, so it's really low nearly 17 gear inch low got used often, and boy was I glad to have it.
When not needed, you don't and shift up, easy peasy.
hope this gives an idea of what to look for in gearing setups.
Thanks! This gives me an excellent idea of what to look for in gearing. I recently climbed an 11% 0.4mile hill on my road bike with 29 GI naked (as in just me on the bike, with clothes). Had to stop once but didn't have to get off. The gearing I'm looking at now ranges from 115-20 GI with a GRX 2x drivetrain, 105 brifters and TRP brakes. I'd love to get it down to 99-17 GI with a 36/26t crankset but finding the corresponding front mech is a bit of a pain.
