Transitioning from hybrid to road/cyclocross

[north woods gal]

I agree on the gearing. The gearing a lot of manufacturers spec on their road bikes is too high for this old gal and I'm no beginner. Sometimes I see bikes with gear specs so high that it makes me wonder what the manufacturer was thinking. My road riding is in rolling hill country. None of the hills are nasty steep, but they come one after another with only a few flat spots in between. At the end of a long ride, it takes its toll. Flat this country is not. From experience, an 11-32 on the rear with a 50/34 up from is my cut off point on a roadie. Anything higher is a no go. Much prefer an 11-34 on the rear and these are becoming more common and available with the new 11 speed stuff.