Singlespeed Ratio's and leg strength

[deanbean]

Hi I started riding ss about 5 months ago, I started on a 32x18, as our hills are somewhat long. Then over the silly season I changed to a 1x9 with a 36 tooth chain-ring to ride on the wild coast, as the hills are many and steep. When I got home, I decided to change back to ss, but left the 36 on, then according to a calculator Rabbit, i should have put on a 20 cog to be at the same ratio as the 32x18, but being the headstrong person i am decided to put the 18 back on.

Now our hills are long and steep, so the first ride was tough, so much so that I almost gave up, but I rode again a few times. Then I had an opportunity to ride our local mountain, so I changed to the 20. I kakked off big time, the roads were too steep and long, and I ended up pushing twice, but I finished, and when I got home I put the 18 back on.

Over the last weekend I had a long ride on the dually geary, but then today i took the ss out again, and decided to ride a path that has an even longer hill on it, and it was easy, so much so that I had to check that someone had not put the 20 back on again.

Does it get so easy so quickly?

I've been hammering the rides before (HR ave 95%), and today I took the first bit easier, maybe I'm killing myself before I start, then have to play catch up?

I'd like to hear your stories too.