Originally Posted by
bygeorge
We are new riders and want advice as to weather we should consider lower gears or just a matter of not physically fit enough to do hills?
Why not attack on both fronts? Lower gearing might make riding more fun while you work to build fitness. Are your bikes nine-speed? Then it might be an easy option to run 36-tooth rear cassettes. There are also 22-tooth granny rings that can be had in the front. Best would be to visit a bike shop and speak to a mechanic, because none of the options is quite as straightforward as one might think.
You might end up deciding to stand pat, but there's no harm in visiting a shop and talking through your options.