Originally Posted by
hadleman
Thanks for the replies guys.
I've seen suggestions for a 50-38-26 cassette floating around the internet. Do you guys agree with that?
Also, how much does this usually cost to do at a shop?
I assume you're referring to the crankset, not the cassette.
I have to agree with the posters above -- something like 48-36-26 (or close) is the right idea. Your bike will be happier overall; it's not just getting a "lower low," you'll also find yourself using more gears instead of just ignoring the big ring for all but downhills.
As for cost -- the labor to swap out cranksets, etc., should be pretty reasonable - $25-30, I would think.
If you buy a new crankset, pay for installation, and sell the old one it's not that expensive to upgrade.