davester

OK, I'll play. This year I rode 2,700 miles and did 275,000' of climbing. We have steep hills here...pretty much every ride I do has at least one 15+% grade. The granddaddy of them all is about a mile long, sustained 16% grade with a couple of substantially steeper pitches (one of them is 28% - RIDICULOUS!). My two most oft ridden bikes have triples with 30T small chainrings. One of them has a 32T large rear cog and the other a 28T. The 28T is generally good for most rides and I've ridden that 28% stretch with it, but it's pretty sketchy, my thighs are generally screaming when doing so, and its a struggle not to have my front wheel lift and have me fall off my bike.

OldsCOOL

Good job, I like your work.

OldsCOOL

We have a 2 mile grade very similar and saves the best for last...a hill with a segment we call “The Wall” that will have most walking and shaking their head muttering the lyrics of a certain Pink Floyd tune.

Classtime 

Today was pretty typical for a weekend ride but I avoids a couple hills due to a respiratory thing happening lately. 54 miles and 4,600 feet. I'm lucky living so close to the Palos Verdes Peninsula with all its hills. Most are 5-7% but you can find some up to 15-18. I'm most often on a Vintage bike with 42/24 the low gear. I do have a newer bike with a 39 in the front and usually a 23 in back. I just love my 12-23 cassette. My riding buddies talked me into using a 28 on that bike for a while and maybe it made me faster for the same effort? I've read that spinning makes it easier to recover for subsequent climbs. Maybe. For an event like The Belgian Waffle Ride, I put on the 28 just in case I get in trouble over the 130 miles and 12,000 feet. My knees are holding up ok.

SCTinkering

Ultegra 6800 50/34 up front
Franken-Cassette out back 14-15-16-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34

Living in the SF Bay Area, yeah I use the 34/34 ALL THE TIME.
Thinking about a new bike and going full GRX so I can spin more.
That would be...
GRX 810 48/31 up front
Modified Franken out back 12-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34
or Crazy Climber 12-13-15-17-19-21-24-27-31-35-40

MikeWMass

I have a 50/39/30 front, 12-30 cassette. So far I have only had to walk once, and that was on a very steep section after chasing some faster friends for 45 miles.
I rode 50/34 with 12-27 for a long time, then switched to the triple, and then added the larger cassette.
I recently had to change my RD, so went to a medium cage. If/when I replace the cassette, I might try a 32 large cog, as I somehow seem to keep getting older!

smurfy

50/34 w/13-26 cassette for hill-climbing on my road bike.

wle

34 in front [because i got a cheap but good compact crank setup ]

28 in back [because it is the biggest you can run on a regular road rear derailleur ]

usually it is enough for atlanta

TricycleTom

For my tour over the Sierras, I was very happy on a road bike running 52-47-26 / 13-16-19-23-28 The half-steps are almost perfectly even, and the grannies don't need splits. The 108 top end is dandy for descents with the legs relaxed but moving.

Koyote

I've got over 7k miles for the year and almost 400,000 feet of climbing. Two bikes with 50-34 and 11-32, and one gravel bike with 48-31 and 11-34 -- though the 31-34 combo doesn't really get used.

Around here, grades can be over 20%...Steepest I've ridden is 37% on the 34-32 gear.

Eiko

I'm with MikeWMass I think age has to be factored into this. I see young people zooming past me in probably 52/42 and 11-28 gears. People like smurfy.

ha! I moved to Loveland two years ago and I'm now getting back into cycling. I'm trying to convert old stuff built for the midwest and when I was in shape to something for the hills and my current lack of fitness and having gotten old.

I just converted to a 53/42/30 and 13-30. Should be good enough for Colorado. I haven't tried that steep section at the top of Rist Canyon yet. Really, I'd prefer 50/39/30 if I can find old Ultegra rings.

Brian Chapman

This past summer I set myself the goals of riding in the Maratona dles Dolomites, the Pinarello Fondo, Alpe D'Huez & Mt Ventoux. The last two are just relentless long climbs. The Maratona (10,000 riders!) has essentially no flat sections, just a series of long steep climbs followed by very rapid steep descents, so one is almost always climbing, even if on a circular course.

My home California has hills, but nothing so demanding. After a little research, I ended up with a 46/30 sub-compact with ovalized rings, and an 11-40T rear cassette, which I have continued to ride with since returning. That's used with my Ultegra Di2 system on my Canyon Endurace road bike. I know Shimano says the rear limit is 34T, but I've met several people who have gone larger, and my system shifts as well as with the initial Compact/11-32 that my bike came with. Even with my modified gearing, the rides were all tough, mostly because of the duration, but I made it for all of them! Some may think that my set-up was over the top, but at 77 years old, I need all the help I can get!!

Koyote

When I started riding that, I had a triple setup and couldn't get past that section on my first few attempts.

After a few years of serious training, I could ride it with a low gear of 39-25.

So, if at first you don't succeed, keep at it!

yukiinu

Tripple Crank 22, 32, 42 tooth. 34 tooth 7 speed freewheel. Long throw rear derauiler.

Eiko

Thanks for the support. I'll try it next year. It seemed pretty dang steep driving up that little switchback section. You're younger / much better shape - no way am I going be able to stay in 39 - 25

CAT7RDR

Pretty Friggin Awesome! It is really only between you, the road and your bike. Well done Sir!