Thanks for the info,

I'd prefer to have the gear ratio of a MT bike b/c it is sooooo hilly/mountainous here. -- (also I am a wimp).

Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and ask stupid questions at the LBS. Do they even MAKE cassettes for road bikes with gearing that low? I wonder if I have to get the part myself, or if they will find me one, etc etc etc

I lOOOVe my roadbike, but I want to be able to tackle some of these neighboring hills, and so far I haven't even been able to make it a 1/4 mile up them without max-maxing my HR and having uncontrollable leg-shake, and grunting/screaming just to get one more turn out before I collapse. JUST can't do it. I realize that some of it is training, but I know that lower gearing will help the effort.

Kathy