Mountain Biking - Need Easier Gears

I need some easier gears for a xc bike, a diamondback coil 04. The shimano rear sprocket gearing is too hard to get up steep hills I am a newbie so I don't know much but I do know some. I need like a power climber or something, my friend told me about it. Also, will I have to change the rear derailluer if I get this gear set? And how much will it cost? I am 13 and don't have a job, I have 11 dollars and I don't think that it is going to get me anywhere. Also, I am concerned about my axles+rims. I don't know If they are strong enough for a mtn bike race team(this is why I am concerned), I have heard bad things about the axles and rims and I don't want to fall and get run over.

First tell us what you have and how much easier do you want the gears to be.

I want it to be easy to get up a 30 degree hill

And Sitting down

A motor.

I think this post has to be a joke, but the biggest (easiest) cassette you can get on a MTB is a 12-34 I believe. Do you have two or three chainrings up front? If the rims don't hold up then you know they aren't strong enough... just keep them trued and you should be fine. If you're 13 I doubt you weigh all that much so you don't need anything particularly strong.

maybe you should go to the gym and work out you legs... dont try to take the easy way out... that right there tells me alot on what kind of person you are :)

I think if you have the chain on the largest cog in the rear and the smallest chainring in the front then the larget cog in the back is actually bigger than the smallest chainring in front, or they are pretty dang close in size.

Only thing(s) I can suggest to you is:

A) Ride your bike more to get huge legs

or

B) Stand up and pedal

Or my way, HIKE....lol i'm so damn lazy.

Never hurts to do a little Hike and Bike :)

Agreed, work out a lot.
Ride up hills until your muscles hurt, then stop and walk it up the rest of the way. And rest for a bit.

You could also take it in to an bike shop, buy a thing of lubricant, and either have them apply it, or apply it yourself (they might tell you which parts of the bike need it). That should help it to roll a bit better.

EDIT:
http://www.diamondback.com/items.asp?deptid=13&itemid=110&va=0 - I found that with a google search; is that your bike? If so, it looks pretty heavy. It might not hurt to get a hardtail (only front suspension) if possible, since those are generally lighter, and *much* easier to climb with. The difference for climbing is crazy between my Specialized Hardrock, and my friend's 50 lb Walmart full suspension beast :p

Getting a new cassette will be able to help you out a little, but I don't think it would make that huge a difference. It is more technique and strength than anything. Practice Practice Practice and you will get better at climbing hills, there's no part that will magically make climbing way easier.

Also, a new cassette will cost you more than $11 I'm afraid :p

You can always become a "Lazy" Downhiller, but that won't fix the not getting HURT part. And actually Downhill still requires leg strength and...much more then 11 dollars...

So never mind.lol.

No seriously...just keep riding like someone else said...till your legs hurt and then walk...the more you ride the stronger your legs will get. I am guessing you do a lot of riding cuase I started when I was 13 w/ no job and thats all I ever did cause I had no life. Also, start out with Higher sprockets yes...but if you just stay in them all the time and never change you will start wairing them out. So build yourself up, don't just keep riding in the same one...

Speaking from experience when I first got my Cannondale

I went from riding up hills in first, to riding up hills in 8-12...

It will get easier in time

You need lower gears on your 10 pound bike?
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=683374#post683374

My mtn bike weighs 10 pounds, it is a diamondback coil 04, no pics and it is slightly modified is this a good bike?
In theory that thing should fly up hills.

You can always become a "Lazy" Downhiller, but that won't fix the not getting HURT part. And actually Downhill still requires leg strength and...much more then 11 dollars...

So never mind.lol.

Appearantly you've never done a day of downhilling. :rolleyes:

Im not lazy! :D I just dont like biking up reallllllyy long hills!

Im with sub on this one, get to the gym and work the legs. If you're ghetto, do jumping jacks, run/jog XC, run in place....they should definetly help.

HAHAHA, jumping jacks. Do those if you want just don't let anyone see you...:)

I used to do them.......now I just hop on the trainer for 30 or 40 minutes......20 if im using a punishing gear :D

It weighs 10 pnds, Diamondback Coil 04, I can lift it up with one hand easily, it isn't heavy at all, it is 6061 aluminum

It weighs 10 pnds, Diamondback Coil 04, I can lift it up with one hand easily, it isn't heavy at all, it is 6061 aluminum:lol:Here you're so full of it I thought you could use this
http://img56.exs.cx/img56/5291/CharminTP.jpg

It weighs 10 pnds, Diamondback Coil 04, I can lift it up with one hand easily, it isn't heavy at all, it is 6061 aluminum


Just so you know the world record road bike is [edit]9lbs. There is no way in h*** that your mtb can weigh 10lbs.

I think that your bike comes in around 30-35pounds.
This is what 19lbs looks like
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/images/camilo_vazquez/rt_scandium.jpg
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/articles.php?ID=84

Check this link for light road bikes.
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/articles.php?category=roadbikes
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/images/lightbike/bike.jpg
This beauty comes in at 9lbs.

It is getting easier, and I was wrong. I guess that I was somewhat headstrong about how much my bike weighs. It was a estimate and come on, i've been at it for two years, when you guys were newbies did you think like me, all headstrong and my way is right no matter what? Well, I guess I should change my way of thinking, and It is getting easier to get up long hills, portion by portion. Thanks for the info and sorry for saying I have 11 dollars and my bike weighs 10 pounds, I didn't think you guys would respond in such a matter, so please don't think of me as a craphead.

The student surpasses the master. :beer:

Nine freakin' pounds. With my 220 pounds on it, if I hit a ripple, even a pebble in the road, the thing would collapse faster than an alcoholic at an open bar. Same with that 19 pound MTB. Sh*t, put some beefiness on it so you can RIDE!

Did he say 9 pounds...seriously 9....my fork weighs that. I think I just because deeply afraid :)

blending, those two bikes are simply awesome... a full suspension bike @ under 20 lbs? That's crazy.. I want one!