Gradients

[Bianchi boy]

S

10% - hard
15% - Good gawd
20% - Christ on a bike
25% - Seeing stars
30% and up - You've got to be farking kidding!

I on a couple of occasions have cycled up a 34% climb, despite it being less than 200m at its steepest point, I stop half way up to basically breath!! and the bike literally slipped back even with the brakes applied

 

[SpokeyDokey]

One of my [many] jobs is to set up dr_pink's hill climbing bike, as you might expect the percentage of the climb, and to some extent the length, dictates the lowest gear ratio. Up to 22-23% it is 39x25, over 23% 39x27 and this will easily get her up hills right up to 30% without difficulty. If not racing then just leave the 39x25 on. A bit bonkers really.

Christ, I need your wife's legs.

I'm a 34 x 30 man myself when the going gets tough.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Now I'm waiting for someone to explain why you lose more time climbing hills than you make up when descending the other side.

Because there is no God.

 

[andrew_s]

over 23% 39x27 and this will easily get her up hills right up to 30% without difficulty.

Impressive!
I always find that once it gets over 25%, you are on a knife edge between the back wheel spinning out and the front wheel coming up in the air with every pedal stroke.

Back when I was young and stupid, and not really a cyclist, I rode up Winnats on 46x28 (bottom gear on my 5-speed), and was quite surprised I didn't pull the handlebars off. A few years later I went to watch the Milk Race go up, and a fair proportion of the back of the field were walking.

 

[PeteXXX]

I much prefer hills in old money... I was younger then and could get up them easier.