Different Cassette?

[Triskeliongirl]

The simplist thing to do is swap the 12/25 for a 12/27 but I don't think that will get you low enough.

As SK recommended, I also recommend replacing the RD with an XT or XTR, and putting on an 11/34 casette. (These are mountain parts, but they'll work just fine). I ride the hill country and I use a 50/34 in front with an 11/34 in back. This too is assuming you are running 9spd, but I know that terry is spec'ing their new Isis sport with a 10 spd 11 or 12/34 casetted by SRAM so it must also be possible for 10 spd.

If you do this I don't think you need to mess with your front chain rings at all.

[Aggie_Ama]

Not knowing the capacity of your derailleurs but knowing that you're unwilling to change your chain yourself tells me that you should put this in the hands of your shop mechanic.

Yes, I am just not very mechanically inclined. Cleaning my chain is about as technical as I can get, sadly. I will definitely be letting someone else do this now that I know it may be possible. I will have to consider my options.

Do you use the granny gear much? What type of terrain do you normally ride? A lot of flat with a scattering of hills?

When I get to longer climbs I use the granny gear a lot. The area around my house is a lot of rollers, but west Austin is steep and I enjoy riding there too.The problem is aspire to do mountains when I can get out to them and more in the Texas Hill Country but right now rides over 30 miles are killing me because the climbs are taking too much out of me. Last weekend we went out to the mountains and I was spent after the first climb and felt miserable the back 50 miles.

Trisk- It is a 10 speed. I was hoping not to spend the money on a new deraileur yet, but that may be my best bet.

[SadieKate]

but I know that terry is spec'ing their new Isis sport with a 10 spd 11 or 12/34 casetted by SRAM so it must also be possible for 10 spd.

Huh, it's an IRD cassette, but it still needs a long cage mtb derailleur.

Talk to your LBS and compare the budgets for each. A 30 chainring x 34 cog gives you 23.82 gear inches just a tad lower than a 26 chainring x 28 cog which gives you 25.07.

The chain ring swap is probably cheaper. The risk is you may still want to swap the rear cassette to a 34 someday. A 26 x 34 combo would give you 20.65 which I adore for really, really steep grades but pay the sacrifice of having big jumps in the cassette spacing.

[Aggie_Ama]

Thanks, I will talk to the LBS about options and pricing. Hopefully they will be as helpful and not try to stick me with the "norm". I find the shops sometimes do not want to think outside of the box, it is a shame.

I just want to climb easier, I am not trying to win any honors just complete 60-100 hilly miles and enjoy it. I like climbing rides, I am just not that good of a climber!

[violette]

There is a thread in the open topic (Double chainring - yikes). I had this problem and it was solved with all the advice. Take a look at it. (I changed my cassettte to a Mtn bike and love it!)

[OakLeaf]

Does a smaller puppy gear (with no change in the middle and big rings) increase the risk of dropping the chain? Or make shifting rougher?

[SadieKate]

You never want the difference in ring size to get too large - I think it's pretty universal that you never should go larger than 14. 50-34 compact cranks have the greatest differential at 16 and they've had their challenges with quick shifting and dropped chains though this is improving over the years. You can always add a Deda Dogtooth on the seat tube near the bottom bracket. A lot of the pros run these because they don't ever want to chance a dropped chain, no never.

The larger the gap, the longer to shift up and the greater chance of dropping when shifting down. This doesn't matter whether it is a double or triple crank.

[violette]

I changed my cassette and Ultegra derailler to a Mtn bike cassette. The difference is amazing, but I lost my higher end derailler. The gear shifting is not as smooth as with the Ultegra, they changed my chain and it works like a charm. I would seriously consider changing if you do steep climbs. The LBS told me that some of his customers go to France to try the Tour the France route and they change their deraillers and cassettes, because the mountains are so steep, they could never do it with their regular gears and they have the high end bikes.