Originally Posted by
ooga-booga
get another/compatible wheel set with '23's.
I used to save weight on freewheel teeth. Found the fewer teeth I was burdened with, the faster I went uphill. 78 teeth on a 5 speed FW worked out pretty well when the hills were hills, not mountains. (I burdened myself with 89 teeth for Smuggler's Notch.)
Smuggler's Notch and my "23". 14, 15, 17, 20, 23. Added up = 89. The rest of the time: 13, 14, 15, 17, 19 = 78. Much of hill climbing is in the head. Stay away from those comfortable gears and you know you have to go faster or that hill's gonna be a drag. Can't do that now; I'm 45 years older but I still limit my gearing. Smuggler's Notch on the 14-23 because the shop's Winner board didn't have a 23. Knew others would be on 24s. Wanted to be a tooth higher and didn't care about the downhills. 54-14 meant nobody was going to ask me to work!