I'm helping a lady who is having some issues climbing.
She has a 1997 Schwinn Peloton, nice older bike, 853 frame, 9 speed Ultegra. It has a 53/38 Ultegra crank and a 12/27 Sram cassette. She really struggles in the hills.
As I see it, options are to go to a compact crank or Harris Cyclery has an interesting 9 speed 13/30 cassette:

Harris Custom Century Special 13-30 9-speed Cassette - Harris Cyclery bicycle shop - West Newton, Massachusetts

I'm thinking that a compact crank makes more sense, but would love to hear other reasoned opinions.

dave s

I would recommend a triple with a 24t small ring. Use this site to compare gear inches. https://www.jbarrm.com/cgi-bin/c42strt.cgi

Triple crank. Lower gears, tighter spacing, less front shifting.

A compact only provides one gear lower (ex - 34 x 28 is like 39 x 32).

Yes, agree, going to 34 tooth chainring OR a 30 tooth large rear cog is not enough of a difference - only 10% lower gear. There is no inexpensive solution for that bike. An even larger cassette (13-34 is available) will require a change in derailleur and a new chain as well. A triple will require a new crankset, front derailleur, rear derailleur and chain.

If she struggles with a 38/27 gear, she's going to need to invest a bit money to get something lower. I agree with the triple suggestions. That means she'll need a new bottom bracket, crankset, front derailleur, and long-cage rear derailleur. Swapping out for a triple is usually more expensive than most people expect.

edit: No new shifter needed, apparently. 9-speed Ultegra fronts work with double or triple.

Just get a Sora RD-3500-GS and an 11-32 cassette:

Shimano 9 Spd Deore HG50 Cassette, Cassettes, CASSETTES MTB

Shimano Sora 3500 9 Speed Rear Derailleur, DERAILLEURS REAR

Should be doable for under $50 in parts, unless a new chain is needed in which case it's probably under $60 total.

If that's not good enough, then go to a compact crankset. Changing the shifters in order to get a triple is not going to be necessary, especially if a 34-tooth cassette can fit under the Sora RD.

i would go for a triple
but it is a more complicated change

I choose chainring sizes according to what sprockets I use most on the cassette. Most cassettes have a sweet spot near the outer middle where the steps start getting larger. So I prefer to concentrate my flat ground cruising use there where the steps are smallest. These are also the combinations where the chain line is straighest which is a secondary benefit.

If I've dialed it in right I'll be riding the 3rd and 4th sprockets the most, leaving 2 higher gears for shallow downslopes, tailwinds or when I'm "in the zone", ant the rest of the cassette and inner ring for climbing. The climbing consideration determines the range of the cassette so my inner ring and low gear sprocket are adequate for whatever I expect (or I might add a "bailout" granny, for those rare hills beyond what I usually encounter).

Changing to a triple (low gear 30:27):

Triple crank
new bottom bracket
new long-cage rear derailleur
new left shifter (if the existing one is a double)
new chain
new triple front derailleur

Changing to a compact double (low gear 34:32, maybe 34:34):

New crank
new MTB derailleur
new cassette
new chain

Cheapest option- just a new cassette and rear der (38:34, which is about the same as 30:27):

New MTB rear derailleur
new cassette
new chain

If it were my bike, I'd do the third option, then add a compact crank if it's still not low enough.

All 9-speed Ultegra shifters are double/triple compatible. No need to change left shifter for a triple.

I wasn't sure about this. Thanks for clarifying.

dave s, Because the Ultegra 6500 group used a short production span BB model, no matter what compact crank set you find, it'll most likely require a new BB just as a triple would. I thought there was a compact that used the Octalink V1 BB, but looks like I was wrong as I can't find one now.

Find a something-34T cassette and a XT RD, same level as Ultegra, to modify the rear. A new chain is also probably required.

Brad

Or 24:27, like 34x38 which does not exist.

Or to match the low of 38x30 from 13-14-15-17-19-21-24-27-30 you could run 30:23 from 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23

Cost for the change depends on what the used parts sell for if they don't end up on a shelf in the garage.

really??!!.
cause if so I have a triple crank, FD, and rear derailleur. They are 5600, so 10 speed. Shimano tech docs has changed and I haven't figgured out yet how to look up older stuff.

that was to the all 6500 seris were triple compatable quite. I figured out tech docs, not true at all i.e ST 6500 double shifter, ST6503 triple shifter,

and if we go compact I have no issue with new BB.
thjx for the suggestions

dave s

+1
Save money & headaches.