Wanderer

Yes, gearing will help ---- and,,,,,, it's pretty obvious that many have never been up Mt Washington-----------------

That is one amazing climb.............. never been in so many different climates and zones in one ascent......

pgjackson

And you are still miserable, correct? I didn't say anything about being able to make it up or not, just that hill climbing is miserable.

ThisIsNotMic

What this guy said is basically what I've been trying to say. Thank you.

RPK79

If I have learned anything from the 41 it is that bikes are not for riding up big hills, but for leaning against white garage doors and taking pictures of. So, I would recommend the gearing that is both the most aesthetically pleasing and the lightest (because weight matters a lot, too).

pgjackson

I think what a lot of other people are saying is that you might be disappointed by the cost/benefit ratio of what you are trying to achieve from a quick fix. When I first started riding I had a triple with a 12-28 cassette. Hills kicked my butt. I hated them. But I also hated my triple. I didn't like the way it shifted. Switched to a compact. Hills still sucked the same, but I worked at it and got stronger. After about 3-4 months of regular hill intervals, I got faster and could keep up with guys who used to leave me in their dust. It still hurt the same and I still couldn't breathe by the time I got to the top...but I got better at hills. They still hurt, but I didn't dread them as much. A 12% incline isn't easy for anyone, but some people are just faster at climbing...and it isn't because of their equipment.

Long Tom

The cheapest fix is simply a new cassette in the back, IF your derailleur can do it. Even if it cannot, bike parts are surprisingly cheap. If you are mechanically inclined at all, "we" can help sort all that out.

I have somewhat battered knees at age 48, but I'm addicted to climbing. It's where aerobic bliss resides. Ive got at least two lower gears than you do. It helps a LOT when grades get to 12% on up.

sfrider 

Cyclists aren't ********, but we kind of lose patience with people who come from other sports and think cycling is easy. You come across as "I'm an injured runner looking to take up cycling because it's easy, so how do I do this challenge?" If it were easy it wouldn't be a challenge! How about spending a few years TRAINING FOR IT?

ThisIsNotMic

Again, I'm under no impression that there's a magic fix to have me climbing Mt Washington with a smile on my face as I spin freely, taking in the views. But as others are saying, the ones who aren't just putting words in my mouth or bashing me, is that for a climb on par with Washington, having something a tad easier than 34/26 is recommended. And I like the pain and suffering that comes with climbs, I don't care about the speed of a descent or a 100 mile ride. I want to climb. And if I stick with this, I'll just upgrade the bike at some point, but it's not worth the investment into the Trek if I come back healthy from surgery and retreat back to running. Thanks.

gc3

fixed

ThisIsNotMic

You haven't read all my posts then.

gsa103

You can probably just swap to a 12-30 cassette easily. That will help. That (12%) is still one hell of a hill. I run a standard 34-28 combination and that good for extended climbs up to about 8% range. Anything steeper and I can't maintain >50 rpm and it all falls apart. Short climbs (<300 yds) I can stand up and get up 15%.

Unfortunately, for an extended 12% climb you need to be either massively strong, or have insane gears.

Just some quick calculations (160 lbs rider + 20lbs bike) going up a 12% grade:
Power -- Speed -- Gearing @ 60 rpm
150W -- 3.3 mph -- 24x34 = 0.7
200W -- 4.4 mph -- 30x32 = 0.94
250W -- 5.4 mph -- 34x30 = 1.13
300W -- 6.5 mph -- 34x25 = 1.36

So to climb comfortably on a compact you need to be averaging north of 250W (~3W/kg). That's out of reach of most non-racers.

Mere mortals aren't getting up that with either frequent stops or mountain bike gearing. There isn't really another way. The power numbers don't lie.

eja_ bottecchia

By the way, there is an app for smartphones called, appropriately enough, BIKE GEARS. The app make it very easy to calculate different gear ratios, gain ratios and gear inches by using different chainring-sprocket-crank length combinations. It is a very useful app because it takes a lot of the guess work out of selecting the proper equipment.

Heathpack 

Lol, don't worry OP and don't argue. People will tell you the bike makes no difference and that is completely untrue in my experience. But other than that if you are patient here on BF you will find a lot of great information and some great people.

I am a newish lady cyclist, inherently not massively strong but very aerobically conditioned and I ride a lot, currently 200 mi/week. I had a very low-end entry level women's Trek until about 7 weeks ago. That bike had a 50/34 chain ring and 12/25 cassette, with low end components. The bike was also heavy, stiff, and didn't handle that well.

I began training for a climbing century about 10 weeks ago. Mind you, I was already riding a lot at that point, about 150 mi/week, some climbing but not much. Then I got the new bike, which is a high-end carbon bike with high-end components. It is 5 pounds lighter than my old bike. I have also lost 10 pounds since Jan 1. The gearing on the new bike is a 50/34 chain ring and 11/32 cassette. It also handles like a dream.

The new bike has made an extraordinary difference in my hill climbing ability (of course, I've changed many other factors at the same time, which have all contributed as well). But previously, I needed to push my pedals too hard to climb a decent hill, I would have sore knees and this was a big limiting factor for me. With the new lighter and better geared bike, my training has really taken off and the progress has been very rapid. I have easy gears for hard climbs and harder gears for medium climbs. Now I will stay in my big ring for any thing 6% or lower for the most part and use the easier gears for the 7-12% climbs. For me, it is way way better to have a greater range of gear ratios than I had before.

I think it is very reasonable to swap out your rear cassette and whatever else you need to make that work. It can probably be done for $150 or less and you'll probably find that money well spent. Once you have more training under your belt, you can always go back to your current gearing. Good luck to you.

H

ThisIsNotMic

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense and I appreciate the response.

ThisIsNotMic

Thanks and thanks for the numbers. I think the 12/30 is where I'm headed first, and if I'm still struggling after that swap and my continued training, I'll look at something else.

svtmike

For me miserable = walking because I selected equipment poorly. A challenging climb = strenuous but fulfilling.

dalava

Buy a cheap used 11-30 or 12-30 and see what happens. Most RD will handle the 30t fine but not recommended. Those 2 teeth may be the cog you've been looking.

With a bit more money, you can go to a mid- or long-cage RD, and then you can go to 32t as the largest in the rear. That will definitely get you over whatever hill/mountain you are climbing.

f4rrest

@ThisIsNotMic I have a sora 9 speed triple group 52 42 30 chainrings, brifters, derailleurs, etc sitting in my garage. I think it's got your name on it! Interested?

ThisIsNotMic

Never been one to not hear someone out, what are you asking?

ThisIsNotMic

Thanks, I think this is what I'll do

therhodeo

It is an easy sport. I don't have enough fingers to count the overweight cyclist just on the last group ride I was on.

f4rrest

(Sorry in advance if its against forum policy but I don't think he can get PM yet).

@ThisIsNotMic I think $100 plus shipping. Note that the cassette is 11-23, but the RD is med cage, so you could definitely use it with your current 11-26 for a low of 30 26.

If you think this might work, I'll take a pic tonight.

Tim_Iowa

Wow, way to be unfriendly and unhelpful, Road forum. It took almost a full page of replies until someone finally gave him substantive help. And his first post was perfectly clear, he wanted lower gearing.

Why is the first response to tear down the OP's reasoning for the gearing change, instead of giving real advice?
If you really don't want to help, why bother posting? Or, why not say "dude, go ask the nerds in the touring forum" if you immediately disdain his request?
Why are triple cranks and mid/long-cage derailers treated like radioactive waste?

Rule #5 is not the correct answer to all problems, unless you're trying to sound like a jerk.

RPK79

HTFU is good advice for someone who has only cycled 200 miles. After that short of a time they shouldn't be thinking about changing gearing around to fit their fitness level because they don't have a fitness level to speak of yet.

Post two spoke of a larger cassette and a likely need for a different RD. So, two posts in and he had two differing, but solid responses.

therhodeo

3rd post I told him about a new cassette and RD.