For me, it is definitely attitude. From when I started riding road bikes c.1974 until really last year, there was always an intimidation factor for me when it comes to hills. I dreaded them. When riding gears I would always shift down, slow to a crawl, and still struggle up them.

When I got back on a bike last year and started riding seriously (or as seriously as I get!), I realized that when I get to a hill, I just know to stand and lope my way up it. Some times I count pedal strokes, other times I sing inside my own head (the hymns "He Is Exalted" that the choir I sing with uses to warm up works well for this, but so would any number of songs!). And I get up the hill and roll on. I'm not that much faster on gears.

My usual gear is 42x16 on 32mm tires now, so figure maybe 71 or so gear inches. In the past I would flip the wheel 'round to run 42x18 on gravel roads when I came to them, but now I just muscle on along. We note that I am 63 and had quadruple bypass surgery 21 years ago.

I also note that this works for me in the rolling terrain of what they're calling the South Carolina Lakelands - all bets are off if you're in the real mountains!