berner

Coastal Rhode Island and nearby southern Massachusetts is fairly flat except for climbing out of some of the river valleys. I was surprised when using Map My Ride that a typical ride here had 1500 feet of climbing. Other than those river valleys, there are only a few climbs nearby that are a mile long at 7% or so and the steepest I've measured, (on hands and knees) was 11% and 1/3 of a mile long. My bike has a 13 - 30 cassette in back and, bases on Barrettsvc's advice some years ago, a triple in front with a low of 26 T, yielding gear inches of 23.

LesterOfPuppets

For the super steeps, I like my 52/42/26 x 12-26

Shimano 9speed 5500

big john

You can use a Miche cassette to get a 12/29, if you're into that sort of thing.

zacster

No thanks, I'll stick with Campy.

zjrog

37 pound 29er? Yikes! I thought my 2010 Performance Access XCL 9r was a fat pig at 31.5...Doesn't help *I* am a fat pg. OK, less fat than a year ago by more than 100 pounds. But it is also geared 3x9 44-34-24 and 11-34.

My road bikes are a 1986 KHS with 2x10 50/34 compact crankset, and 11-28, 2006 Cannondale CAAD8 with 2x10 53-39 and 12-30. Wheels get moved back and forth, and I switch cassettes more than I should. Getting back into hills has been the struggle finding the right gearing for the right bike... My 98 Cannondale R200 is a permanent fixture on my indoor trainer, 3x7 42-42-32 (if I recall) and 12-28.

big john

I wanted the 12 so I went with Miche, no problems with it.

big john

Seems too heavy to me, too. Maybe it's gas pipe.
Mt mtb is 32 pounds and it has 6 inches of suspension and wide rims and 2.8 tires. I thought it was a tank. It has a 1x crank with a 28 tooth ring and the large cog in the 11 speed cassette is 46.

CAT7RDR

Just an entry level XL aluminum hard tail. I actually enjoy riding it as a road bike, very comfortable for a cement mixer.

DaveSSS 

For northern Colorado, I use the new Campy Chorus 12 speed 48/32 crank and 11-34 cassette. The lowest gear is a bit lower than my old 53/39/28 triple with a 12-29.

big john

I'm sure it's great for beat-up roads. Did you weigh it @ 37pounds? It just surprised me that it would be that much.

zjrog

Thats what I imagine my 29er is, an entry level. It was a gift to me a few years back, to get me riding again. I enjoy it a great deal, even as a road bike. I've begun thinking it might be as much fun or more, as more gravel bike, with a carbon rigid fork instead of the Dart 3. Regardless, it was instrumental in my weight loss this past year.

CAT7RDR

Yes, with SPD pedals, urban WTB 2.4 tires, heavy duty puncture resistant tubes and stock 36 spoke wheels with alivio components in the beginning. I'm sure I can lighten it up with 1.8 slicks and lighter tubes, and a rigid fork to get near 30 lbs. I have since upgraded to Deore components so it might be down to 35 lbs.

canklecat

I had an unusually strong ride Christmas evening, tackling the hilliest route I know. It happens to correspond with a community that puts up elaborate holiday light displays. So I went for what was supposed to be an easy cruise for one last look at the lights.

It's about a 15-20 minute ride to that neighborhood, so by the time I got there I was warmed up. I decided to try standing to stomp up every climb in the hardest gear I could mash. Usually my legs cook in only 15 seconds of that. But not last night. I stomped up every climb, from short steep ones of around 15% for 100 yards, to a mile-long undulating 2% grade. On the mile long climb I did sit a couple of times when I reached some flat sections, then stood again to finish. Over the 26 mile ride I probably stood to pedal for half of that distance.

That surprised me. A lot. My legs haven't felt like that since I was in my 20s. I never needed the 42/28 combo I often need on some of those climbs. I think the smallest gear I used was the 42 chainring and 21T cog, for a short but really steep bit. Mostly I was in the 52T chainring.

Now, I've been working on that for months. Climbing has always been my weakness. But after months of training it felt like I'd made zero progress.

But I'm feeling it today. My quads never felt baked during the ride. But today my hip adductors are so sore I can hardly move.

It was worth it.

big john

It's a Christmas miracle!

canklecat

A Festivus miracle! It was a feat of strength. And more fun than wrestling those Costanzas.

indyfabz

50-34 with a 12-28 on the road bike.
46-36-24 with a 12-34 on the touring bike.

zacster

My commuter bike is like your tourer, except I never go off the big ring because I never take it anywhere hilly.

Clipped_in

I certainly wouldn't categorize myself as a "Monster Climber", but I've logged 4.5k miles with 250k' of vertical this year. I ride a compact 50x34 in front with 11X28 in back. I'm a bigger rider and I'll be 57yo in a couple of months. I'm starting to think an 11x30 might be a nice birthday gift to myself for those extended 8-12% climbs next year.

However, this was the view from my back yard today so the only real climbing I've been doing lately is on snowshoes...

stevel610 

39x16 fixed with a 39x18 freewheel for those long days when I'm tired. Works out to roughly 66 gear inches fixed and 60 gear inches on the freewheel. Kind of low but I live in a hilly area and don't want to damage my knees.

big john

Leave out a decimal point?

TheDudeIsHere

I've done one of these rides 4 times (The Bear 10,000 ft) and the other (Breathless Agony 12,000 ft) once. All on a standard crank of 53/39 and a 9 speed cassette of 12/26.
Of course I actually trained for the rides and I was 10 years younger, mid 40's.

This one was my best. 100 miles, 10,000 ft gain in 7:40 official time, 7:10 ride time. Not bad for a 230 pound cyclist. #123 out of 400 climbers.

DeadGrandpa

There must be something wrong with me. I found all these testimonials to be both very inspiring and humbling. I run a 38/26 with an 11-46 cassette. I rarely stand while pedaling.

OldsCOOL

Wow, that’s some big cassette. Did the bike come with a single chainring and you added the double? Or did you add that Mt Everest worthy cassette?

DeadGrandpa

The bike came with a 50/34 compact crank and 11-28 cassette. I had some short but steepish hills where I rode at the time, and I had aspirations of some kind of loaded touring with it. I tried the Rival 1x11 with 38T in front, which was fine for me without luggage but I wanted a climbing gear. Installed a different crank that allowed 38/26 teeth in front. It doesn't shift too well but I don't use it often. Oh, and I just looked and discovered that my cassette is 10/42, not 11/46.

cccorlew

I'm 66 and like hills even and though I suck at them, I eventually finish. I have a 48/32 in front and an11-32 in back on my Roubaix.