Originally Posted by
cocar
What I want to know is, is climbing ability strictly based on size? Or did I accidentally do something else correctly that made it easier? If so, I'd really like to know what it was.
No. Climbing is simply a function of your power/weight ratio. If you have the same power as the other riders but are 40 lbs lighter, you'll climb faster. There isn't a lot of technique other than maximizing the power you put out for the duration of the climb. It might take a bit of practice on a particular climb to figure out your gearing so you have a steady output. Better to go a little easier at the start than to go out too hard and die halfway up.