Discussion: My absolute favorite gear calculator

http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_ratios

My bet would be you'd be better off with the 32t up front and a wide range in the back. You can cover the 2 tooth loss with a cassette that has an 11t at the small end....... assuming your current cassette starts at 12t.

I have 11-42 in the back.

Well then, you seem to be all set :)

I had thought that the 6.3 mph @ 90 rpm for the 34/42 might be too high, then the 32 would push it down to 5.9, or 5.5 with 30, or more likely since my cadence is too slow, 4 mph, which might be nice on the big climbs, if the big climbs are ridable. (With, I think, 30T being about the lowest for the 104 bcd on my stock triple crank.)

I forget what BNM is running; I thought Brenda has 30 or 32, but then she also has a pie plate 50 bail out, so she won't be worried! I thought I read Misovski runs...34? normally, but swaps to something lower in hill country, and he's a much better climber than me.