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Will I be able to make it up this hill?

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Will I be able to make it up this hill?

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Old 01-29-11, 07:23 PM
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Will I be able to make it up this hill?

So, I live at the top of a somewhat steep hill. It's .9 miles long, with a grade anywhere from 4-8%, but mostly around 6-7%. I'm a beginning cyclist, so not very strong yet. I'm considering getting either the Fantom Cross Uno
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/uno.htm
or the Dawes SST
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/sst.htm

Leanin more towards the Fantom. My question though is, do you think I would be able to make it up such a hill with the fantom? (it has 38 teeth in the front, and 16 in the rear). I really don't know much at all about this, so any help would be appreciated.. maybe singlespeed isn't for me? Thanks!
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Old 01-29-11, 07:32 PM
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Do you already own a multi-speed geared bike? If so, try riding up that hill in the same gear ratio and see how it feels. You can always change out the freewheel for one with more teeth that'll give you a lower gear rato.
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Old 01-29-11, 07:46 PM
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.9 miles long?
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Old 01-29-11, 07:51 PM
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believe it.
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Old 01-29-11, 07:54 PM
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It may take some practice but you'll get there. Once you get your bike, you can always get a cog or two that are larger(go from a 48-16 to 48-17 or 48-18) to get you up the hill.

I once went up hill that was less than 100 yards long but 17% grade. I was zig zagging the whole way up and thought I'd pull the bars right off the stem. I had pedal strike just about every zig but I made it. Won't ever do it again. I was using a 42-15 ratio.
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Old 01-29-11, 08:22 PM
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It all depends on the engine.
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Old 01-29-11, 08:22 PM
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When i had to drop off medicine for my brother he has a hill that leads to the entrance of his office (a gated mountain side) and i had to ride up the hill

It was 8 percent grade and it was probally only 500-600 feet.

It probally took me 1 minute or more on 48/13
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Old 01-29-11, 08:25 PM
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ok pinocchio.
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Old 01-29-11, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by bbattle
It may take some practice but you'll get there. Once you get your bike, you can always get a cog or two that are larger(go from a 48-16 to 48-17 or 48-18) to get you up the hill.

I once went up hill that was less than 100 yards long but 17% grade. I was zig zagging the whole way up and thought I'd pull the bars right off the stem. I had pedal strike just about every zig but I made it. Won't ever do it again. I was using a 42-15 ratio.
This sounds hard... I would walk lol.
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Old 01-29-11, 09:44 PM
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We need pics of the hill.
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Old 01-29-11, 09:57 PM
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We should have a thread for pics of hills we've dominated.
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Old 01-29-11, 10:09 PM
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Go up the hill spinning at a low gear. See how it feels and after training it should be a breeze.
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Old 01-29-11, 10:23 PM
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Thanks for the good advice so far guys.. heh those hills sound rough...
Yeah well I looked at a calculator and the Fantom is at 64.1 gear inches, compared to the dawes' 75.6... I guess I'll do what you guys said and try going up the hill in those basic ratios and see if I could make it... even if I could do it in both, I don't know what I'd choose cuz they're both such awesome-lookin bikes..
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Old 01-29-11, 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by thanson77
Thanks for the good advice so far guys.. heh those hills sound rough...
Yeah well I looked at a calculator and the Fantom is at 64.1 gear inches, compared to the dawes' 75.6... I guess I'll do what you guys said and try going up the hill in those basic ratios and see if I could make it... even if I could do it in both, I don't know what I'd choose cuz they're both such awesome-lookin bikes..
Gear ratio is a terrible way to choose a bike. You can change the gearing for very little cost. You should get the one you like the best, and worry about the gear after you've tried it out.
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Old 01-29-11, 10:39 PM
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I went up a hill with 50% grade, 10 miles long, and a 53x11 gear ratio.

Holla at me.

You can do anything you want.
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Old 01-29-11, 10:53 PM
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a one mile long hill is nothing to be incredulous about.
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Old 01-29-11, 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by PluperfectArson
I went up a hill with 50% grade, 10 miles long, and a 53x11 gear ratio.

Holla at me.

You can do anything you want.
same, except it was a vertical wall and i was on a boat

this is the internets, you cannot disprove anything i am saying.
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Old 01-29-11, 11:08 PM
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Just to be clear, you are looking at two bikes that serve two different purposes. One is a track bike and one is a cyclocross bike.

If you plan on using the bike for climbing often I would consider about multispeed. If it's just occasional riding you CAN get up it. It's just a matter of rider ability/fitness level.
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Old 01-29-11, 11:40 PM
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Originally Posted by PluperfectArson
I went up a hill with 50% grade, 10 miles long, and a 53x11 gear ratio.

Holla at me.

You can do anything you want.
Crap, dude I did this same hill on a unicycle talking to a girl on my cell.
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Old 01-29-11, 11:43 PM
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Pogo stick ftw
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What, Me Worry? - Alfred E. Neuman

Originally Posted by Dcv
I'd like to think i have as much money as brains.
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Old 01-29-11, 11:48 PM
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Old 01-30-11, 12:14 AM
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Originally Posted by nashcommguy
Crap, dude I did this same hill on a unicycle talking to a girl on my cell.
I don't believe there's a girl on your cell phone.

Enjoy your stranger in the bathtub.
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Old 01-30-11, 12:25 AM
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my craziest hill fixed was a 0.6 mile climb that averaged a 13% grade. gps claims it was 32% at one point, but the grade for much of it was reliably in the upper teens and twenties. my gearing in inches is only in the 60s, but that was insane without granny gears.
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Old 01-30-11, 01:36 AM
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Old 01-30-11, 01:52 AM
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