Originally Posted by Dchiefransom
I have trouble on some hills with a triple, and that has me using a 30 upfront with a 27 in back. Sometimes I use my older bike, with a 28 up front and 32 in the back. I still have trouble on many steep hills. Which roads are you taking that are 20%?
Ther are hills in San Francisco that would floor me even on my tourer with a 24 tooth chainring and 34 tooth rear cog (a 17" gear!). But I watched a young 120 lb roady fly up the approach to Coit Tower today as though he had wings. It was probably 30%!
But in the South Bay many of the roads in Belmont, San Carlos and Redwood City are at least 20%. And once you get out to the hills on either side of Skyline Blvd many of the hills are 20% or so. Admittedly, these are for fairly short stretches.
Try the roads near Empire Grade (Ice Cream Grade, Alba, China Grade, Orbit) or one closer to my home, Joaquim Road near the top of Alpine.
For a complete list of 'interesting' hills to climb on the SF Peninsula check out Western Wheelers site on hills
http://www.westernwheelers.org/main/...imbs.html#Loma
Brian.