I currently own a Vitali touring bike, purchased in 1997. Unfortunately, I didn't ask the right questions when I bought the bike at that time, and ended up with a less-than-enough-granny-gear scenario for loaded touring in mountainous terrain (which is pretty much the only type of touring I do).

The reader's digest version is that I've been to the bike shop several times to try to get a gear or two added (I seem to not be able to spin up steep hills while others, with different gearing have no problem; it is not leg strength - it is gearing). I now have one more gear and short of buying a new bike, there is nothing they can do (I asked if I could get a whole new set of gears etc of a mountain bike type but apparently they can't because I have Campy and Campy isn't compatible with Shimano blah blah blah).

Anyhow....here's the conundrum: I would consider selling this touring bike and starting all over as I know other manufacturers sell much better touring gear options on their bikes (mine is currently a 52/42/30 with a 12/26 in the rear; Trek & Cannondale offer a 11-32 cassette giving me many more options).

Sorry - here's the problem. I am 4'11". My touring bike has 700 cc wheels and I belive is 43cm. I probably don't fit it all that great in terms of clearance /stand over height (now that i know how good a 650 cc wheeled bike feels (my road bike is that)) but does anyone know of any TOURING bike manufacturers out there who actually make bikes with a smaller stand-over height (i.e 26") but still have a 700cc wheel?

Or any other suggestions as to how I might be able to fix my existing touring bike so that I can have better gearing (the guy at the LBS told me that it wasn't possible short of buying a new bike).