Quote Originally Posted by IFjane View Post
I have considered the option of mountain bike gearing on my bike as well (I don't do well on hills) but have not done it. My first try at "helping" myself with the gearing (I, too, have a triple - 52/42/30) was with a 12/27 cassette on the rear. I swapped out the rear cassette last spring and it did help, though not as much as I would have liked.

This fall I rode a friend's compact double (50/34) with an 11 or 12/25. Climbing the same hills on that bike seemed easier - would someone please explain to me why?? I am confused but now considering switching to a compact double with a 12/27 cassette.

Kathi - you and I both have a lot to learn!
It's all about gear ratios. I doubt you're in the 30/27 much at all. Then, just keeping enough speed can be a challenge, right? But compared to a 34,36, or even 39, the 42 middle ring seems just HUGE on climbs, right? Plus, with compacts you're shedding weight. It's not THAT hard to crawl up a hill with a compact (even with a 25 cog), and it will feel easier, because it's going to take you fewer pedal strokes to get to the top.

I've got a 50/36 with 12-27, and it's pretty good. There are some places where a 34 would be nicer, but for most of my riding, I can stay in the 36 a long time more comfortably than the 50 (I've been trying to spin around 90-110rpms a lot of the time on flatter ground), but I'd run out of gears too early in a 34. I think if I were to do *serious* climbing, I'd go with a triple, but I don't like to do any serious climbing. Even so, I'd like to try a 34T ring first.