Originally Posted by
OldsCOOL
I'm one of your cool kids with a road double 39/53. My cassette is a 12-28 on a Cannondale Criterium setup to ride fast. There are a few hills in our very hilly northern lower Michigan that I cant make, one is a half-mile 10% that only a handful ride. The 39/28 on light racing wheels/tires makes a huge difference in riding as will doing pushaways from the evening table. One other factor is make hills your friend, dont avoid them.
Clean your reading glasses. Even in the part you quoted, I said the cool kids ride compacts and that my double is a standard.
Hills are my friend, FWIW. I'll be riding the hilly route to work today. With my standard and a 12-23 out back. I do it a couple of times a week, just because. Sometimes (although not today) with loaded panniers.