Feedback on your gears wanted

[lph]

:d :d

(so why did that come out small d's...? I meant grins)

[Eden]

It's totally personal and even dependent on the bike. I run a 39/50 something on my race bike with a 12-28 on the back and that works fine for me on that bike, but I'd never run gears that big on say a touring bike. OTOH I think I run bigger ones on my TT bike, which I wouldn't ever use for a super hilly race. My rain bike has the same gearing as my race bike, but runs smaller wheels. While theoretically it has "easier" gearing, it's heavier (especially the wheel set) and certainly doesn't climb as easily as the light bike. Every bike, every rider an individual.

I'd say start with a larger cog in the back. It won't be super expensive to test out a 12- 28 or 29 (I think you can get that configuration...) If that's still not enough consider switching the shifter back or going for a compact. Depending on the Bolt pattern on your crank, you may be able to simply swap your 39 with a 34. I did that with a triple once - went from a 30-42-52 to a 39-52 with the small ring locked out.

[Crankin]

If someone told me, an almost 58 year old, whose been riding for 11 years, to HTFU, I would respond with just the FU.
When you look at the majority of the population, everyone on this forum is doing more. Way more. Who needs this macho crap? I don't care if it was a woman who said this to the OP, it's the stuff that discourages people.
There's always going to be someone who is faster and stronger. I am proud of what I do and if I want to get better, that's my own choice.