Swapping a road for a mountain cassette?

[bluebug32]

Bleecker,

Part of the reasoning behind this gear switch was that I tried to bike up Mountain Rest Road to Mohonk in New Paltz last weekend. Holy crap was this a challenge. I nearly fell over midway up just after hitting my max HR and seeing my Garmin flash a 24% grade.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Bleecker,

Part of the reasoning behind this gear switch was that I tried to bike up Mountain Rest Road to Mohonk in New Paltz last weekend. Holy crap was this a challenge. I nearly fell over midway up just after hitting my max HR and seeing my Garmin flash a 24% grade.

I don't blame you! That's just evil. I'm not even on a mountain here but hills are pretty much surrounding me in every direction.
My massive gear range enables me to tackle all the hills I encounter...and many are hard even in my lowest gear still. I get plenty of workout. But if I had typical road bike gearing I would be either avoiding many of the hilly rides or just staying home altogether.
My major gears get me tackling everything that comes my way.
Both my road bikes are 9 speed, by the way. I like 'em like that and in fact had my new road bike purposely built up as a 9 speed a few months ago...with my favorite mountain gearing setup of course.

[pardes]

Bleecker,

Part of the reasoning behind this gear switch was that I tried to bike up Mountain Rest Road to Mohonk in New Paltz last weekend. Holy crap was this a challenge. I nearly fell over midway up just after hitting my max HR and seeing my Garmin flash a 24% grade.

Now a 24% grade flashing on a computer should come with a cardiac defibrillator that you are required by law to stow in your backpack. I'd be dead or in a padded room having nightmares. I'm still fighting 0.5% grades in flat Delaware. But I'm winning some of them.

[grey]

How much does this switch tend to cost?

And for an idiot newbie like me, you're talking about taking out the 9-10 gears in the back and switching them out for MTB gears? Do you need to get a new derailleur too? Will it play nice with a compact double up front?

[bluebug32]

How much does this switch tend to cost?

And for an idiot newbie like me, you're talking about taking out the 9-10 gears in the back and switching them out for MTB gears? Do you need to get a new derailleur too? Will it play nice with a compact double up front?

Ok, I'm not technically minded, but basically you're giving yourself the benefit of (or really close to) of a triple crank by only switching out the cassette (you can save your compact double crank). I tried this first because I'm a mtber for the most part and already had the parts and it's way cheaper than buying a new crankset (to add the granny gear). Most road derailers weren't made to accomodate a 32 or 34 tooth cassette, but mtb derailers are, so hence the new derrailer.

In terms of price, you'd be looking for a mtb cassette and a derailer (LX or XT would be fine).