Wow, your brother was a fat lot of help, wasn't he?

I'm still learning hills, and like you have read a lot. Remember that it is a process, there is no quick fix to hill climbing. Even once you are gearing 'correctly' it is hard and you wil have to build up strength and speed.

I have to remind myself that it is about cadence, not speed...and I have to not look at the top of the hill.

That said, here is what I am trying to do. I am going to give you step by step, because it seems like that is what you arelooking for, sorry if I'm giving you info you already have. I have 27 gears,3/9. I am lousy on hills so most often I'm approaching them in 2 in front, hopefully something high in back. As I start to climb, the minute I feel that my effort has increase I go down in back, one at a time. I will do that maybe three times, maybe four. My next change will be down in front, but quickly moving up in back again. So, if at this point I was in 2/3 I go down to 1 and move the back up two or three clicks, that way I have some room to still go down. As it gets harder I go down again till I'm at the bottom, 1/1. Then it's just a matter of hoping i make it...lol.

Anway, that is the detail of how i'm approaching it.

Barbara
which is worse, hills or wind?