The Big Ring Attitude

on a slightly related note, does anyone else find climbing with a reasonable GI ie 70-74 actually easier than a spinny GI like 60?

i was really struggling climbing on 60 - i thought i had failed as a rider, unable to climb even with such a piss weak GI but then i switched up to 74 and was climbing a lot better. anyone got any ideas as to why this is? I can spin pretty well on the flat with a low GI if that makes any difference.

If you can't spin, you'll find bigger gears easier even uphill. However, you need to watch this for the sake of your knees. It all works fine for a while until your knees go. Always better to accept you're not a great spinny climber and go for a compromise in gear inches on fixed. Not too spinny for riding on the flat (although some people enjoy having it spinny there, too) or downhill and not too heavy for riding uphill.