that's the setup i've got and i do just fine. no world-beater here at 180 lbs (on a good day) but that combo will cover gmr/grr and/or ach.
gmr is steepest in the beginning 2-3 miles from the equestrian park or sierra madre blvd but it's nothing crazy steep like what you'll find in the hollywood hills or
santa monica mtns west of the 405. gmr/grr's difficulty lies with the heat if you get a late start (late spring-late fall) and its' length (22 mostly uphill miles till cow saddle/mt. baldy village).
super scenic but it's seems like forever if you haven't hydrated/fueled up properly. the good news is that you can always turn around and enjoy the (mostly) descent if
the legs decide to go on strike.
as for doing the road up to the mt. baldy ski lifts from mt. baldy village (end of gmr/grr), not sure there is a mainstream gearing combo outside of a triple ring that's
semi-reasonable. it's a total grindfest and feared for good reason.
Last edited by diphthong; 07-02-19 at 07:54 PM.