Changing gears
 

I have been going up this 5 mile fire road but i always go to my lowest gear because i really do not know which gear i should be on. I pick the lowest gear because it the easist but other riders are always passing me up. I have a cannondale Gemini 900 with a single front fork. I wonder how much momentum I lose with the single front fork because its so soft. Is their a way of making my front fork harder or tighter? Maybe by purchasing a new one?

I am assuming lefty...

The single fork works fine, of course going to a new fork with an adaptor with lockout will make a difference there. As to the gear use the one that is easiest to climb in a comfortable cadence, i.e. 80 rpm for a given speed. What that is is for you to determine.

BTW what kind of terrien is the fire road? Slight hill, big steep or flat?

Thanks for the info... I just think that I need to push myself more because the lowest gear is not really helping me.
The fire road is off the 210 at La Tuna Canyon. Its a big Mounatin that seperates the 5 freeway and the 210 Freeway. You can begin at Brand Pak in Glendale and end up in La Cresenta, Sunland, Lake View Terrace and Burbank. There are lots of routes at the top of the Mountain.
Thanks Again...... :)

If you are fairly new to riding it is only normal for most other cyclists to be passing you. That is one of the rewards of experience. In a few months you will be the one doing the passing.

Over time you will learn what gears are best. Next time you do the climb go one or two gears harder. If you are able to do the climb without wearing yourself out then great, if not shift back down and try again next time.

If you feel like a hamster spinning in his wheel and not going anywhere you probably need to go up a gear. If your legs are killing you after a few minutes you need to go down a gear.

As for the fork it is probably fine, most likely the other guys just have a lot more miles under their belts, for now anyway.