toml,
may i ask what type of riding do you do, what are you aiming for in setting up your bike. i myself currently have been addicted to a place here that has many long,steep jagged rock and tree roots that ressemble stair steps.
i have set my gearing to climb with a slower wheel speed as i was just shearing knobs and fanning the clutch alot more then i wanted to. i currently have a 13/53 in place just for this issue. i use many other sprockets and change as desired.
** i had forgot that we were/are in a defanging the 500 section.
except for this one climbing section, i prefer the wildest hair-raising ride i can get and my k-5 with the 15/49 get's the job done just fine for me. jdv