Hello all!

I recently got a new bike, a 2016 Fuji cross 1.5 and i like it but there are two things that are seriously bugging me about it.


#1. The gearing, on the lowest gear, it just isn't working for me. I'm wondering what is the best way to go about changing it to make it more climb friendly. I have a road bike so I don't really care for high end gearing as I rarely get out of the small front ring when i'm off pavement anyway.

Currently it as a 46/36 front chainring with a 11-28t rear cassette.

#2 is the brakes, for a bike with disc brakes, they don't bite anywhere as good as I feel they should, and way under perform my road bikes rim brakes. I've already replaced the stock generic cables and hosing with some nice jagwire cables and housing, and its all adjusted well, but its still really poor. Ideally i'd like to be able to lock up the rear without much force. To lock up the rear right now I pretty much have to lean forward to unload the rear, and be in the drops to get the leverage to lock it up.

The stock brakes are TRP Spyre-C mechanical brakes w/ stock pads.

Where should I start, upgrading pads? replacing the caliper with something else?