How to get a lower gearing My trusty old CF racer was stolen the other day, and I'm looking for a replacement. I saw this bike at PlanetX and was intrigued. It's a full carbon bike with (last years) Ultegra components for a very reasonable price ( &lt; $2k). It comes with a compact crankset and a short-cage dérailleur. The largest cassette it can accommodate is 11-28, which would give me a lowest gear of 34-28. 

Not bad, and the same as I had before. But I live in the Alps and I frequently find myself in the lowest gear well before I hit the steepest parts of the hills, so I would like to have a lower gear, if at all possible.

I spoke to the vendor, and they said that it would (at least in theory) be possible to put on a medium-cage dérailleur and an 11-30 cassette. But I was wondering if it would be possible to have a smaller chainring in front instead. Can you get smaller than 34? Or would that not fit?

At some level I'm contemplating putting on a triple instead, but that seems like going back to the 20th century...
The smallest chainring that will fit on a compact double 110 BCD is 33t and they are quite hard to find ( Only TA or custom chainwheel manufacturers make them). 

IMHO, what would be a true triple replacement would be something like a 11-30 with a 30/48. 

Unfortunately, the 94 BCD cranks are almost all old MTB triples. 

The problem with putting a large range cassette on that bike is compatibility with the Ultegra 11 spd shifters. I know Shimano 9spd is interchangable between road and mtn, but I'm pretty sure that is not the case 11 speed deraillers. Shimano does sell an 11-32 with that groupset Ultegra 6800, so they must think the medium cage derailler can deal with it. 

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-ultegra-6800-11-speed-road-cassette/rp-prod108686