just a quick update note: I've had a chance to count the teeth on the granny gear and it is in fact 30. My thinking is that while my hills are pretty tough this early in the year and I was doing sort of OK on them last fall at the peak of my training (until I had rotator cuff surgery) I now just need a little bit of extra low end power and that a 28T might be the ideal solution to avoid too many other adjustments & parts. I'm hoping my level of conditioning as the season wears on will allow that change to be sufficient so as to not need anything further.

Part of my in house and work conditioning includes some pretty steep stairs at work where I have to climb three flights several times a day while at home I do lunges and hip flexors two or three mornings a week.