Originally Posted by
nomadmax
If the budget didn't allow that, I'd get nice pair SPD cycling shoes/pedals and push the thing up the climb and ride down. If the climbs are as brutal as you're making them sound, there ain't a lick of difference between a 34x34 and 30x34 as far as I'm concerned.
As long as riding is reasonably practicable - gearing adequate for the gradient and not too technical - pedaling is generally much easier than pushing.