Help! Low Gearing Advice Needed!

[ilima]

Oh, you're right. My Ultegra 9-speed shifters can be double or triple, but I think the 10-speeds are specific.

I think converting to a triple would require a new front derailleur and shifter....that may be where some of the expense is (and that may make a $500 pretty cheap, actually).
Still, can't you put a road compact crankset on it (a 50/34)? I don't think that would require anything other than the cranks. You could get a compact crankset - for instance the FSA Gossamer with a MegaExo BB for pretty cheaply I would think...
ETA: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5122

[tulip]

For a cheap solution, I'd go with a 34 cog, but you might not like that big jump to the easy gear.

I had a similar situation with my Luna. I originally had a double--don't remember the up front gearing, I guess standard 42-52 or something like that--but 11-23 cassette (for some reason, don't ask me why). Well, that certainly wasn't going to do me much good, and I became acutely award of that while visiting my brother in Asheville and riding with him. Yikes.

I got a new cassette, 12x27. Not good enough.

I called around about compact double vs. triple, and the triple would cost alot more because it involved the derailleurs. I paid $300 to have a bike shop install a compact double, and it's been great. I kept the 12x27 in the rear, but the up front change is fine for the riding I do. Got me up Skyline Drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and that's as much as I expect to do with my bike. No Alps or Rockies for me.

Good luck and let us know what you decide on.

[redrhodie]

I have an 11-32 10 speed IRD cassette that's Shimano compatible. Since I have a compact double with a triple front derailleur, I didn't need a MTB rear derailleur.

http://www.interlocracing.com/cassettes_steel.html

I have this on my road bike. Sorry I don't know if it will work on your cross bike or not, but worth checking out as an option.