Originally Posted by
Drew Eckhardt
Try a 13-21 or 12-19 cassette in back before you scrap the third ring.
30x21 provides a low gear like 39x27 and 30x19 is like 39x25 although you won't have big gaps in your gearing.
indeed, my hybrid, with a 48-38-28 front, I'm using a 13-26 8-speed rear, and its perfect for me. I can climb a mile or so of 8% grade, which is about the steepest thing I have to get up, and thats out of shape and overweight. I only use that small 28 ring on big hills, rest of the time, I'm on the other rings (big one on the flats, middle one on moderate/short grades).