Originally Posted by
onbike 1939
I need really low gears and am running a 53/39 chain-set with a 9-28t cassette at the moment. I'd like a yet lower geaar but having tried a 32t sprocket I run into difficulty as this would seem to require at least a medium rear der. which comes down below the braking surface of the wheel.
I was thinking about this at the park with the kids. Rather than modify the cassette and find the perfect derailer, maybe you'd be better off swapping the crank for a compact. 34 to 28 gives you almost the same bottom at 39 to 32 when mated with the 369 wheel ... the 26 might be low enough. You'd be using pretty standard parts including a short pull rear derailer. Compact cranks are readily available. Your top gear would remain in the low 90s. Is that high enough?