Originally Posted by
Tim_Iowa
If those ring sizes will give you the gearing you want, then it's a decent plan. The only possible hitch I see is if you can't lower your front derailer enough. But it's not a big change, and friction front shifting is more forgiving, so it should work out.
Good point about the FD. This is my only bike with a FD tab and I hadn't thought about that possibility. I'll check it out but my gut says it will probably be OK.
The bike has STI levers, so no, it's not friction.
Pastorbob, changing the rings is in fact what I am proposing, although, having played around some more with a gear calculator, I'm thinking maybe just the big ring.