contango 

So a few months back I was on a group ride with some friends. The ride took in a big hill, so big in fact that I had to get off and walk on my Rockhopper. I was the only one out of the four of us that didn't make the top, which was irritating.

Today I was riding the same route with one of the friends although this time I was on the tricross. As the hill progressed I changed down a gear, then another, then another, then dropped to the granny ring, then kept changing down. But this time I had a piece of information I didn't have before. My new GPS shows me the grade. When I was down to the granny gear and struggling to maintain 5mph the gradient had increased from 5% at the bottom to 23%.

So that would explain a few things... and when I made it to the top it immediately qualified as the biggest and steepest hill I ever conquered!

Mr. Beanz

If you can do 5 mph on a 23% grade, I'm surprised you ever had to walk. 5 is better than I could ever do on a 23%'er.

freighttraininguphill

(Raw) Video or it never happened, with GPS overlay, of course!

Just kidding! Good job!

contango 

I think the problem I had last time was that I hadn't appreciated just how steep it was. Most of the hills I've had to deal with around home are way less steep than that - the steepest that comes to mind is 10% and that one is one about 1/10 mile. So I'd started out too fast, then dropped gears too fast, and burned out part way up it.

chefisaac

hills become easier once you know how to pace yourself.You start understanding the hills.