Originally Posted by
CoogansBluff
But can you compare a 1/4 mile hill to a 2-mile hill?
There are many differences between riders, bikes, gearing, etc.
A 1/4 mile hill at a 30% grade may well be more intense than a 2 mile hill at a 2% grade.
But, you can also look at your effort on the two hills. Time, speed, etc.
Many ride trackers, computers, power meters, etc, will give an estimate of average power and calories consumed. A good power meter will give you a pretty decent estimate. Cheap computers can be taken with a grain of salt.