IN the CyclingUSA article, to me this is the key have decades of experience. Unfortunately, as I get older the strength and the lungs have weakened.
Here’s the magic: In order to be most efficient, you must select a gear that you have the strength to spin comfortably, while maintaining a rhythmic breathing pattern. Simple enough, right? Comfortable cadence and rhythmic breathing are your two keys to success when going uphill. This will insure that you’re managing both your aerobic and muscular energy output, which won’t leave you high and dry before you hit the hill top or the end of your rides. You just need to decide what is best for you and then work on climb training if it bothers you a lot.
As far as how I get so low: I use a Rohloff with a 40t front sprocket and a 22t rear sprocket. With 700x35 tires, Sheldon Brown's Gear Calculator says I have a 13.8" low and with only a 72.5" high. Again using the Gear Calculator, at 100rpms, my top speed would be 21.6mph (after which I am happy to coast) but as mentioned previously, I usually do a spin @ 120rpms, coast, repeat and get it increase speed on the flats when I have a massive tailwind. My usual granny-gear-gasping-for-breath up-steep-climbs-at-60rpms speed is only 2.5mph (just above my usual 2.1mph walking speed). Due to my lungs, I can maintain this for about 1/2 mile before the lungs give out. Then I rest for a minute and do another 1/2 mile. The high mountain passes can take me an entire day at times
. For me, my lungs are the weak link (I have about 80% lung capacity) and since I can not improve the lungs, I have to do what I have to do to get up the climbs.
Tailwinds, John