Easiest gear for steep hills

[I am Spartacus]

for alpine stuff - 24 chainring to 26 sprocket, and I'd have liked sommat lower

Be that for alpine mtb trails? or are you just knocking on a bit, bud?

 

[Over The Hill]

I have changed my setup to have a 30 granny ring on the front going to a 28 biggest ring on the back. Assuming you have a triple you should be able to do this without any changes to the gear mechanism. I just changed the casette and the single ring.

That was only two teeth up on the back and down on the front but it made a huge difference.

What I have not seen above (in defining easiest) is the alternative meathods of going for a hill. I am fairly weedy and so go for putting in as many pedal revs as I can (thus the gearing), I go up the hill still in the saddle.
My cycling buddy on the other hand, never goes down to the lowest gear but just stands up on his pedals and uses his weight to heave the bike up. If you do that then gearing will not be a problem as you cannot do this in a too easy gear.
Try out both ways first.

 

[Ian H]

...My cycling buddy on the other hand, never goes down to the lowest gear but just stands up on his pedals and uses his weight to heave the bike up. If you do that then gearing will not be a problem as you cannot do this in a too easy gear...

Reminds me of an old friend of mine who, never having used one before, fitted a triple of lowish ratio. On the first steep hill she dropped into the granny, stood up as normal, and fell off.

 

[Manonabike]

Well, as I said before, I now use standing on the pedals and sitting back on the saddle combination. For higher gradient I find it more comfortable standing on the pedals. It still tiring although I use my weight to push the pedals but it works better for me.

For lower gradient hills I have no problem sitting back and relaxing while I keep pedalling.

 

[TheDoctor]

Be that for alpine mtb trails? or are you just knocking on a bit, bud?

Oi!!! No, I'm just less fit and more weighty that I should be. I got up Ventoux without wishing I was dead, though, and that's the main thing.

 

[potsy]

Well my hybrid has a 28" chainring and 34" sprocket,that's pretty low by anyones standard,and I must admit to using that combo a few times in my early days last year