Never. Don't think I could allow myself to do that. I know I can make it up 23% grades in my 39/28.... but probably not much more.

i try not to walk but sometimes when going up a hill and my wheel slips, im done. i just walk it the rest of the way. besides, the only reason to go up a hill is to come back down

I prefer not to walk, but as I've only recently gotten into ridding after a prolongued period of intense atrophy, I'm not entirely conditioned yet and thus have needed to walk a few times. I'm sure it will get easier over time.

Sure. No shame in that. I don't feel a compelling need to prove myself to other people.

I've walked up a few hills.
"A man's got to know his limitations"

On a related note, a few years back when I was doing lots of mountain hiking, there were several times when I managed to hike past people that were riding up a very steep unpaved road. That was fun.

Our Tandem often goes so slow that other riders pushing their bikes up the hill pass us. But I would rather ride that slow than push the tandem up the hill even slower.

Mr. Armstrong @ 2008 Leadville 100

"Chinese Low Gear" we call it - no shame involved at all; it's used the world over.

Never had to, i like the challenge plus it's alreay great when you reach the top of a nasty hill. However ever since i changed to a fixed gear 48/17 i dread the day when i'll find a hill that would stop me. So far so good.

This reason works quite nicely!

seagullplayer, where are you in Southern Indiana? I am near Jasper. I usually don't have to walk on the hills but could someone explain what they mean when they say flat? We don't have much of that where I ride. Not many real long hills but its almost all up and down with some back roads really steep.

I have on occasion used my lowes gear, which is 24 gear-inches (hint: 24 inches = 2 feet )

I am in Jasper pretty often, I live in Marengo! Around here you either live on one side of a hill or the other...

Welcome to the forum.