Originally Posted by
knobster
I think it's about 5% and at times 7%. Most is about 4-5% though. 8 miles.
5% is a very shallow hill. The biggest hill in San Jose, California is Mt. Hamilton (20 miles with a 5% average). Most people climb it without a triple. On a long shallow hill, you just need to pace yourself and grind it out. Unless your 7% section is longer than 1 mile, a fit recreational rider will not need a triple or even a compact double on your hill.