Just back from fantastic 10 days on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
I took my Trek Domane and my Capo single speed geared to 42/23.
I didn't have hope for doing much with the single speed. My favorite climb is Waterrock Knob's north side from from Balsam gap (about 6.70 mile climb) about 1875 vertical feet over that distance.
I climb that on my Domane using a 34/28 gearing (fairly easy but you gotta stay on it) so the prospect of jumping up to doing that with
42/23 was making me rethink this SS thing.
After a couple of warm up days though I decided to take the SS up to the 5.5 mile mark and try climbing it from there (1538 vertical ft).
This was the result:
A bit of a thigh burner but more doable than I had expected, seemed slower but I was mashing a bit more speed than usual and the time was 52.29 minutes, now I was on a single speed high.
Next up was the highest area overlook at Richland Balsam, from the 6 mile mark, again about a 1400 vertical ft climb but this approach (from the south) has some flat spots and a couple of short downhills on it's way to
the last steep section so at least you can get some respite.
I could not do any real distance in the mountains with a single speed, you don't have anything for the descent, you are spun out at 11.5 mph, my Domane can take you to 45 mph downhill (not me though, I chicken out at 30).
But it is fun to do, I spent most of the remaining days climbing on the Single Speed, even pedaled Linn Cove Viaduct a half dozen times while I was there. A rider at the Viaduct went by me and said "single speed?, No way!
That made it just a bit better.