I just got back from a one week trip to Tennessee. I spent the week whitewater rafting, biking on a rented mountain bike, and driving my race preped Miata through the 11 mile, 380 blind curve, famed Deal's Gap in North Carolina's Great Smokey Mountain range (what fun). I will be relocating my entire life away from tired old South Florida to somewhere different, to try something new after 15 years. I want it all, beautiful training rides on my classic race bike, kayaking, top down fun in my sports car and a job that's at least as good as my present one. One thought comes to mind....... I thought my skill on hills was good in that when I lived in San Francisco I handled them on my bike with nothing less than a 42/24 gearing. In San Diego I felt I needed no more either. What happens when one moves to mountainous Tennessee, with its monster hill climbs? I am so proud of my present set up on my Raleigh with a rear 13-20 (7 cog) and front 52-42, all Suntour Superbe Pro. Is it even right to put a 13-28 rear freewheel on a classic race bike? What did vintage racers use for this type of application years ago? To be honest after some miles on a rented bike, I actually found myself enjoying the ridiculous granny gear that came on the mountain bike. (Maybe it was 24 front 28 rear - who knows- I barely looked at the thing except to note that it was absurd, but I almost shifted into the most absurd granny gear at the end of my two hour ride through the hills.) Garth