With regard to the efficiency / thrust of fixed-pitch props, I don't agree that the average prop is optimised for the cruise.
The average light aircraft propellor, which must be matched to the aircraft type, is a compromise for all-round performance, i.e. acceleration to take-off, climb and cruise.
If you wish to look at props optimised for the cruise, take a look at the old Schneider Trophy seaplanes. They were set to an extremely coarse pitch for high speed cruise, which gave the aircraft a very long take-off run and relatively poor climb performance due to poor efficiency at low airspeeds. This wasn't too much of a problem for them, bearing in mind they were seaplanes, but this situation would be unsuitable for the average club aeroplane.