Originally Posted by Duragrouch

Yeah, 20 gear inches might get you up that hill. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with walking a bike up, particularly because it uses other muscles, just like cross-training. If you get a calf cramp, the best thing to do is get off and walk a while, it does more to stretch out your calves.

I just ran gear calc with those numbers and assuming 26" x 2.125" tires, don't know what you're running, and got a range from 21-80 gear inches. If that applies, that's great, you've threaded the needle well! I have 21-85 with my 2X setup, 85 is just enough to pedal down mild grades but otherwise coast, 21 is good for most steeper uphills, but even so, I sometimes get off and walk, just for the reasons above. I never miss having any higher gear. I NEED the low of 21. But if hill is not too long, I've learned to stand and climb better, with legs straight, you are not stressing your knees like if you were pushing hard seated, and it's great for your abdominal muscles. When climbing, not too fast, tiring, not too slow, having to pull too hard on the handlebars, but just between that where you are using mostly just your weight on the pedals, cadence (crank RPM) of perhaps about 50. Very efficient climbing that way.