Climbing up hills

[FlyingCyclist]

I've always complained about the hills where I live (Keighley), but in reality would it be possible for me to increase my fitness and climbing ability if I keep cycling up them?

 

[Milkfloat]

I've always complained about the hills where I live (Keighley), but in reality would it be possible for me to increase my fitness and climbing ability if I keep cycling up them?

Absolutely - the only way you will get better is to keep practicing. Well I guess you could lose a lot of weight too.

 

[ianrauk]

They don't get easier, you just get faster - as the old Cycling cliche goes.
Just keep doing those hills....

 

[Sharky]

or in my case ….

They don't get harder, you just go slower

Seek out the steepest/longest of hills and master them, then all other hills become easier.

 

[ColinJ]

I've always complained about the hills where I live (Keighley), but in reality would it be possible for me to increase my fitness and climbing ability if I keep cycling up them?

Yes - I did, and I did!

In August, 2012 I was so ill that I could only manage to walk 25 metres and then I'd need to rest for hours to get over it.

After gradually doing more walking, then gentle cycling, then moderate cycling, and then hilly cycling, I was able to do a ride with this elevation profile in March, 2014 ...

Push yourself a bit, take a day or two off to recover, and then repeat. Once whatever it is that you are doing starts to feel much easier, push yourself a bit harder. You'll get there in the end if you keep it up!

 

[rugby bloke]

You will definitely get better over time. It will be hard work and you may not notice the progress but progress there will be. You need to embrace the hills as part of your cycling life. Good luck and happy peddling.

 

[mgs315]

Whilst running the risk of sounding like a broken record yes, the more hills you do the better you get at them.

Hill intervals are blinding for getting better (albeit one must question the sanity of those who willingly repeat hills!)

 

[Soltydog]

I've always complained about the hills where I live (Keighley), but in reality would it be possible for me to increase my fitness and climbing ability if I keep cycling up them?

It's very flat over this side of Yorkshire, so I'm no expert, but I've been doing a few hills this year & yes, the more you do them, the fitter & faster you become, but they never seem easy, especially if you are 'big' like me I've a few tough hills in Keighley planned myself this year Some I know as I used to have family living that way, but Game Scare lane near Oakworth has me worried, let me know if you tackle it & how you get on

 

[ColinJ]

I've a few tough hills in Keighley planned myself this year Some I know as I used to have family living that way, but Game Scare lane near Oakworth has me worried, let me know if you tackle it & how you get on

I knew before I looked it up that you would be talking about the nasty climb out of Goose Eye. It nearly killed me. No, seriously, it DID nearly kill me ... I'd organised a forum ride to Otley which took in that climb and I suffered like a dog all day, especially going up steep hills like that one. It turned out that I already had a DVT and Pulmonary Embolism and I ended up in hospital less than a month later. I just went back and reread the ride thread and found a photo in which you can already see my left calf swelling up from the DVT!

But you'll be okay - it's too steep to mess about on so you will just have to grovel up at a sensible pace!

 

[gasinayr]

Old mate of mine said two things about hill
To do hills, you have to do hills.
and
They have not made a road yet that you can't push a bike up

 

[fossyant]

Old mate of mine said two things about hill
To do hills, you have to do hills.
and
They have not made a road yet that you can't push a bike up

Or any bridleway. Plenty of push and carry on an MTB. Good for all round fitness despite what your body and a heart rate of over 170 just walking a bike.

 

[Tin Pot]

I've always complained about the hills where I live (Keighley), but in reality would it be possible for me to increase my fitness and climbing ability if I keep cycling up them?

There are two approaches to hills;

1. Go as hard as you can, feel like a champ at the top

2. Go as easy as you can, reap the fitness and efficiency benefits

I am firmly a believer in #2 and think people following #1 are mostly macho idiots...imho of course!

 

[Tin Pot]

Old mate of mine said two things about hill
To do hills, you have to do hills.
and
They have not made a road yet that you can't push a bike up

My rpm dropped under 30 last week going up Braested. The power meter stopped counting as it regarded me as stationary! As long as you stay seated, have patience (and can keep your balance)...you’ll get there!

 

[CXRAndy]

Climbing hills is all about gearing, technique, determination. I have a triple crankset now and can climb any gradient whilst remaining seated, keeping a cadence above 70rpm. I generally stay seated being a bigger rider, 95kg. I'm not slow at climbing, just not as fast as the lightweight riders. To be a complete rider for hills, being able to stand for short periods to power over steeper sections and ease aching muscles is essential. Practice standing for 10-20 pedal turns whilst maintaining momentum and then return to seated holding previous cadence. The first few weeks of this will make your thighs burn but eventually you'll adapt and hone your climbing technique, so be smooth and fast Heart rate whilst climbing hills will always be near or at threshold, unless you're consciously taking it easy

 

[nickyboy]

Hill reps are the best way

But if you can't bring yourself to do them, consider doing shorter, higher intensity rides

I found really good fitness improvements by doing more rides less than two hours (where I can concentrate on trying hard all the time) and fewer long four hour rides (where I know I have to knock back the effort just to survive)