Best technique for steep hills

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If I know a road I'm turning onto is steep, from the get go, or it gets steep fairly quickly, I'll go straight onto the small ring, but not the lowest sprocket straight away. It's a bit like not wearing a jacket indoors, if you know you're going out into the cold, you don't get the best effect. I'll keep the gears about 2 sprockets from easiest, then change down when my legs tell me to. Technically speaking, I'm trying to keep my power output as steady as possible, by switching from Torque bias, to Cadence bias, only when absolutely necessary, in order to keep my heart rate down, as much as possible, to prevent fatigue. I find making sure my ventilation/ breathing is sorted out as well, by making sure I've got my body in a position that means I'm using my lungs most effectively
 
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Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
Best technique is to try a climb using one of the techniques suggested on some of the earlier posts. Next time you do the climb, try one of the other options and see which one works best.
 

bpsmith

Veteran
I am pretty much as @Racing roadkill states, two posts up.

Definitely need to be in the Small Ring. Best advice is to be ready before the climb starts, so you start off with a good rhythm.

I tend to push hard when on flat, or descending, prior to the climb and then drop to the Small Ring. There's a brief period of spinning faster than you would normally do, but then the gradient hits and you ease into the constant rhythm. You are also partially up the climb using mostly momentum.

I too try and hold back a few gears, so you don't blow your mind finding no lower gears early on. Most people crack mentally, before physically, so the "spare" gears are great at combatting this.

Another tool I use, is lying to myself about how long is left. I just tell myself there's only a quarter of a mile left, even if there's ten times that amount, then repeat it when that distance passes. On real steep ones, I think about random things like the list of things I need to get done, what I will buy next for the bike, or what family members may think if I gave up. The last one is always the final tool to be used, irrespective of knowing that family members wouldn't ever criticise. It's a pride thing!

Try it. It will prove to you that the brain is a complex thing and that it can often work against you subconsciously. :smile:

EDIT: I find the biggest issue for me, is running hot, so I try to not be the overdressed, especially on climbs!
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
I am pretty much as @Racing roadkill states, two posts up.

Definitely need to be in the Small Ring. Best advice is to be ready before the climb starts, so you start off with a good rhythm.

I tend to push hard when on flat, or descending, prior to the climb and then drop to the Small Ring. There's a brief period of spinning faster than you would normally do, but then the gradient hits and you ease into the constant rhythm. You are also partially up the climb using mostly momentum.

I too try and hold back a few gears, so you don't blow your mind finding no lower gears early on. Most people crack mentally, before physically, so the "spare" gears are great at combatting this.

Another tool I use, is lying to myself about how long is left. I just tell myself there's only a quarter of a mile left, even if there's ten times that amount, then repeat it when that distance passes. On real steep ones, I think about random things like the list of things I need to get done, what I will buy next for the bike, or what family members may think if I gave up. The last one is always the final tool to be used, irrespective of knowing that family members wouldn't ever criticise. It's a pride thing!

Try it. It will prove to you that the brain is a complex thing and that it can often work against you subconsciously. :smile:

EDIT: I find the biggest issue for me, is running hot, so I try to not be the overdressed, especially on climbs!
Have you been on some MI5 course on how to resist torture or something????
 
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Bazzer

Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
Personally I try to maintain a steady rhythm. If that requires more frequent gear changes, then so be it. I find too high or too low from my personal cadence for hills too disruptive.
On demanding or long hills, where you know, or suspect you might struggle, don't look at the brow, but break the hill down into chunks. A particular lamp post, salt bin, corner etc. Once you reach that, take pride in reaching it and then pick another and so on up the hill. And if you can, take your head elsewhere to try to relieve the hurt in your legs.
 

Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
I outsource gear changing to my legs. They send requests for gear changes direct to my hands. I tend not to get involved much.

I did once read that lower gears are more efficient, or some such rot, and decided to try a New Regime. My legs were most unimpressed by the boss meddling in things he doesn't understand, and were relieved when I lost interest and started following another daft fad.
I've always had a lower cadence than the majority of cyclists (or it seems that way to me, anyway), and I've felt the same way as you. I've had partial success in increasing the cadence, but it's taken years and small increments.
 
Assuming I follow the route correctly, there are two hills on my usual route which I've never made it up. One I've never even tried! It's quite hard in a car...
Annoyed the hell out of me ( in a good way) when I did London to Brighton last year, and this was my son's first big ride, nice shiny new bike etc - and he got up Ditchling Beacon first go! Much lighter and fitter than me, and a much lighter bike - it all helps. But steep hills always mean a spell of walking for me. Now that I don't have the luxury of an MTB granny gear, this situation isn't likely to improve any time soon...MTB cassette and mech oin a road bike?
 

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
I find lots of swearing helps. But generally, I get in the little ring, and somewhere in the middle of the cassette, and continually change down until I'm either at the top of the hill or run out of cogs. If I run out of cogs, there is generally more swearing and lots of standing and grinding.
 
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