At the smallest possible speed...

It sounds like you want a tripple crankset?
http://bike.shimano.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441770544&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302032896&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181202&bmUID=1116951373646

Yep, or if you need just a bit of help and for less $$, a larger cassette -- I'm guessing it came stock with a 9 sp 12-25 (# teeth in the small-large cogs on the rear)? Something larger than a 25 would help on the hills, you should be able to find a 105 12-27 for $30-something.

agree, i'm going to guess a tiny bit of french now - it sounds like you are saying your lowest gear is trop difficile for the parcours you ride?!

cheapest option would be a different rear cassette with some more teeth on the largest sprockets.

a triple chainset, though a good solution, could be more costly because you would likely require a new bottom bracket, front mechanism, and triple shifter as well.

one thing i would like to ask you... i am soon going to france for some riding and i recently posted a thread in the france forum asking for french cycling vocabulary. could you help? - i just want to know the right name for different bike parts, things cyclists say, etc.

[font=Times New Roman]If you just purchased a Trek 1200… [/font]

[font=Times New Roman]www2.trekbikes.comindex.phpOpen ↗[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]It looks like you have a triple chain ring up front 52/42/30, and a 9 speed 12-26 cassette in the rear. And if this is true… [/font][font=Times New Roman]changing the rear cassette which has been mentioned and that seems to be the best idea. Only you will need a larger gear in the cassette.[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]I have to assume you ARE shifting the gears. You are using the smallest gear in the front, and the largest in the rear? And then you are climbing a hill and you are telling us that the 30 x 26 gear is too difficult and you need to walk up the hill. [/font]

[font=Times New Roman]Some hybrid bikes come with a 48/36/26 triple and a 9 speed 11-34. The 26 X 34 gear is considerably a lower gear compared to your Trek 1200 and the 30 X 26.[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]30 X 26 = 30.4 gear inches[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]26 X 34 = 20.8 gear inches[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]sheldonbrown.comindex.htmlOpen ↗[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]So what can you do to ride up the hills… [/font]

[font=Times New Roman]One suggestion is close… RC2 has the right idea, you can go back to the bike shop and talk to them about installing a rear cassette that has larger gears. Possibly they can find a cassette that has a 32 gear or a 34 gear that is compatible with your rear [font='Times New Roman']derailleur[/font]. The chain may also need to be longer too. [/font]

[font=Times New Roman]What kind of hills are you trying to climb? One thing you mentioned is the bike having power. Actually the bike doesn’t have any power. YOU provide all the power. I live where it’s relatively flat, but I still can’t imagine a hill on a road, where I’d need to walk up the hill, except possibly Mt Washington Road in New Hampshire. [/font]

I will give you an answer for these french words as soon as I have more than a minute... I didn't forget you!

Yes! Lower gear was hard for me! I have to say that I don't always feel like running on my bike...

I've decide to change the cassette. The "plateaux" are 52-42-30 and the cassette is 11-34. Feels very good! It is not as soft as it was but... Some others told that I should have change the "plateaux" instead... for something like 48-38-28. I don't know enough... Will I go back and say " O.K.! Let's put back the cassette you took out yesterday and change the "plateaux"! Well... I don't know... Makes me feel like a "girouette"!

I'll get back to you with these french words. Honestly, I don't know what cyclist share on forum... well it seems very technical! But out there on the roads of France, I can have an idea... They will talk about food and wine...

Danielle

robkit said:

agree, i'm going to guess a tiny bit of french now - it sounds like you are saying your lowest gear is trop difficile for the parcours you ride?!

cheapest option would be a different rear cassette with some more teeth on the largest sprockets.

a triple chainset, though a good solution, could be more costly because you would likely require a new bottom bracket, front mechanism, and triple shifter as well.

one thing i would like to ask you... i am soon going to france for some riding and i recently posted a thread in the france forum asking for french cycling vocabulary. could you help? - i just want to know the right name for different bike parts, things cyclists say, etc.

bikeguy2004 said:

I live where it’s relatively flat, but I still can’t imagine a hill on a road, where I’d need to walk up the hill, except possibly Mt Washington Road in New Hampshire.

Ohh c'mon now! :-D
http://www.nhliving.com/events/mtwashbicyclehillclimb/index.shtml

DanArs said:

... But out there on the roads of France, I can have an idea... They will talk about food and wine...

Darn you people with proper perspective... making us feel bad for our meaningless technical drivel.

If the larger cassette is working, why not stick with it (and not spend the money for a smaller "plateaux"😉? The plateaux is expensive (especially if you choose to drink cheap beer and eat at McDonalds so you can get the latest carbon fiber crankarm bling! 😉 ) and has no different effect than the larger cassette (given equivalent gear inches...here goes the tech talk again).

coolworx said:

Ohh c'mon now! :-D
nhliving.comindex.shtmlOpen ↗

[font=Times New Roman]I never said how fast I’d ride up a hill, I just said I’d be riding. Depending on the hill, I’d use my mountain bike or my road bike they both have triples, and the MTB will get me up steeper hills than my road bike.[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]I drove the Mt Washington road a few years ago, and it still amazes me that there is a bike race up that road. [/font]