a nice short travel bike would be perfect for improving your climbing, as would a 26" rear heh. i have a hard time climbing some of the short steep climbs in the don on my 37lb fluid. i can't imagine trying those hills on a 40lb bighit w/24" rear. forget about it... hah.
for me, my climbing has gotten somewhat better this season - i still hate it, but i feel i've improved somewhat. i've come close to cleaning two tough, but relatively tame (i.e., no real roots or rocks in the way), climbs i usually walk up. i'm off the bike now for about a month with ramadan just about to start in a day or so. but hopefully, the november weather will be pretty mild and i'll be able to try to tackle those hills before winter starts. might have to pick me up a set of lights too... days gonna be real short around that time.