Originally Posted by
PhotoJoe
Constant 12-15% "hill"? That's a freaking mountain and I assure you, would kill me. I'll take the wind, thank you. Modify that to 8% and I'll take the hill.
Not constant, per-say, but I've got two hills on my regular route(back country roads) that is in the 12-15% grade range. Coincidentally these two hills are back to back, as soon as I pedal up one it's flat for 1/4 mile then it's up another. I assure you, with the right amount of training anyone can ride up it, my first attempt I couldn't make it to the half way point before needing to walk, now I'm pedaling up the whole thing in my granny gear doing <6mph.
Like someone else said, I'd choose hills over headwind any day of the week, at least with the hills you know what's expected, a headwind can hypothetically kill you by releasing strong gusts and/or reverse itself when you turn around.
