Originally Posted by Iride01

An old bike with just 5 cogs on the rear might be good enough for your hills near SF, CA. Shoot some probably ride them on a single speed.

It's all about how you want to ride, how long and how good your current riding strength and fitness are.

Don't confuse the term mountain bike as meaning it's great for paved roads going up hills. IMO, the term mountain bike was coined to compare to mountain goats that don't use roads all to get up mountains.

If you are going to ride paved roads, then many bikes fit the bill depending on you and your desires. Mountain bikes on paved roads do well and certainly have the gearing for hills, but road bikes will be better for long riding at decent speed. Cruisers will be better for leisurely short rides at a comfortable relaxing speed.

If you've no idea what gear ratios do for you then try some out. Small front, big rear cogs give you the lowest ratio for easy hill climbing. Big front, small rear cogs let you go faster without spinning the crank at the speeds of turbine engines. You just need to figure out what you need for your current leg muscle.

However a road bike with a 50/34 front and a 11-30 or 11-32 rear will be more than enough for most, though it might be too much range. Especially if you ride a lot and get better physically for cycling.