Originally Posted by
DrIsotope
I think it's fairly obvious. Climbing 4,000 vertical feet in one constant grade is significantly more difficult than climbing forty 100-foot ripples. Because at the end of one, you're 4,000ft higher than when you started, and in the other you could well be standing at the same level as when you started. Even on a fixed gear, you're not making the same wattage going down the hill as you did going up... unless you're actively trying to do so.
That doesn't actually make sense analytically speaking, but it's beside the point. We're probably not getting there however, so I'll withdraw the question to you.