Gearing Question
 

I'm running a Specialized Roubaix with a mix of Red and Force components. My chainrings are 50/34, my cassette is 11-28 (Ultegra I think). Living in Vermont I've been struggling with the Cat 4 and steeper climbs, I could really use one or two easier gears. I know, 34-28 isn't bad, but being a spinner, I just can't spin it fast enough, so I end up more like Jan Ulrich and have to pound the gears to get up our gap rides, resorting to switchbacking using the whole road at times. I was wondering if I can go to an 11-32 cassette and keep my Red rear and front Force derailiers, or can I go down to a 30 small chainring, (but then do I need to go down to a 48 big chainring)? I have the Pro model S-Works carbon crank, so I don't even know if going down to smaller chainrings is an option which is why I thought the cassette option might be the better way to go..

It may be triple time.

I had a triple on my previous bike. I found there were so many gears I never used. I like the double set-up, plus going triple would mean a huge expense in new parts. I may just go with a WiFi Force RD and a 12-30 cassette if I can find out whether my old-school red shifter/levers will work with the new WiFi RD...

11-32 is technically outside the supported range of your RD, but it may still work.

You can't go lower than 34 in front without changing the entire crank, your bolt pattern would not allow it. See http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post15618396 and http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...on-a-road-bike.

You can change the RD to a WiFli version that officially supports an 11-32. RD + cassette ain't that bad...

while you are at it decide if you really need the 11, a 12-32 adds one extra intermediate gear compared to an 11-32