Quote Originally Posted by Graham Breeze View Post
Greenhow Hill. Hmmmh.

Last weekend's ride was 50 miles including the right hand climb from Malham up to Fell Gate and Malham Tarn. Of course it is a matter of pride never to put my foot down but with a 29 cog I do wonder when that will first happen on climbs I used to do without concern - suggesting I am getting past it.

So do I do Park Rash yet again and risk stopping - or rest on my laurels with positive memories?

Campagnolo are a bit restrictive on options with lower gears so I think I might have to replace the whole derailleur - but what price vanity?
Having ridden bikes with 3-speed Sturmey-Archer hubs until the age of 26, it has never hurt my pride too much when I have put my foot down while climbing a steep hill. But in my youth I still tried to pedal up as much as possible on my 49-inch bottom gear.

When you lived in Flitwick, you may have been familiar with the road that climbs out of Lidlington: it has a black chevron on the old 1-inch OS map (Bedford and Luton) which I still have, although the sign at the top said "I in 8", and the chevron is not there on modern OS maps. Anyway, I could get up that without putting my foot down. Obviously there was no hope of pedalling up the 1-in-5 out of Bow Brickhill.