Wow!!!!
Thanks all for the quick replies, the upgrades he mentioned were chain, front and rear derailleurs. I think FastJake came closest to resolving my concerns. I don't consider myself a power cyclist yet so I find it strange that some find the 12T adequate enough. I have wished for a lower gear countless times while riding and wished for a higher gear even more often and all I do is road work. So i will get a good 9 11-28. Any recommendations for one?

Thank you all