I don't really know what the grades are around here. I just know that everyone thinks of my town as "hilly" and on rides from my house I'm always climbing to get home. My speed varies from 5 mph to 10 mph on the "rises" in the area. I have a 17.4 mi. TT with 1200 ft of climbing that I am doing at 16.5 mph. But basically, like so many others, I suck at climbing. I think it has something to do with the 187 lbs on my 5'9" frame.