first of all apologies for asking a rookie question about gearing here
when setting up a first SS, is it better to go with harder gearing then lower as needed? or the other way around
Also thoughts on 36T, 34T, 32T round vs 32T oval chainrings to start? went a little big with cogs and have 18-24, which gives me a range of 45 to 60 gear inches
I'd rather have a bike which can go almost anywhere and deal with spinning out in some downhills
Will be testing the other ratios but looking for advice on where to start
Most folks who have been riding SS for a while edge toward larger chain rings because it last longer. A larger chain ring and cog combination takes longer to wear out, without really impacting the ratio itself. For example, a 34:19 is practically the same ratio as a 32:18 (actually, very slightly larger), but with extra teeth it'll last longer. Also, if you are making larger jumps compared to 32T, you can even sneak in a few "in-between" ratios, although it's unlikely you'd be comparing differences that large (e.g., if you could go up to a 40T, you could fit a 40:24 between a 32:19 and 32:20 with no corresponding 32T option to line up with it.) But like I said, that's only if you'd ever think to compare a 32 and 40, which is unlikely.
I have a 34t on my Moots and my Sir9, and a 36t on my China carbon. I like the 36t, but mostly because I like running a big gear on that bike and since I have a full range of cogs from 15 up to 25, I can go pretty big on that for, say, when I have to hang on for dear life during the winter sufferfests in Wharton. A 34t is a good choice in general. There are 33t's available, but I see no point to those unless you happen to have one already and don't want to spend money.
As far as the ratio goes, that depends on two things: you personally and the terrain you most often ride. I'd personally opt for easier ratios on rockier terrain, and if you spend the entire day climbing. But you'd be surprised how used to a big gear you can become even with lots of climbs. I've ridden a 2:1 at Wiss plenty of times and while it's not something I'd recommend doing consistently if you'd like to have knees when you're 70 years old, you can usually find a nice rhythm even with a blow-out gear if you want to. My go-to gear for most terrain is 34:19, and 34:18 when I need to "get serious" about fitness for a while. If you want to spin a bit more, a 34:20 is a very nice gear that doesn't sacrifice much speed and allows you to build momentum into short steep climbs. But be aware of that -- you still need to build that momentum. A 34:20 is a lighter gear by most standards, but it'l still hurt on climbs unless you use it properly -- always rev up your rpms going into the hill and by the time you start to feel the slow-down, you'll be halfway through. If you think a light gear will feel "easy" on a short steep climb without that momentum, you're going to find out the hard way that's not the case. On a longer climb, you'll learn pretty quickly how to settle into a pace, and that entirely depends on you. I tend to climb in a slow cadence, which is why I prefer a gear that's a little bigger even on rides with long climbs. My legs are used to that steady churn. If I were more of a spinner, I'd run a smaller gear, but I'm not. You may be, so once you figure that out you'll know what gear you really want. Bit of trial and error.