Help...Bike for big hills.

[Boon 51]

I'll start by posting this.. Cat 3 hill.
http://app.strava.com/activities/43247721
Since I started Strava I have wanted to improve my times.. not flat out speed or even dowm hill speed but average times over a given ride, plus I want to do the bigger hills better.
My road bike is a Giant TCR1 with standard gearing of 50/36F and 11.28 R cassette and I can only get up the first part of this hill with it..
The hill is in 3 stages ...Steep, very steep, and OMG..
Now I tried the hill on my mtb yesterday and got to the top, my mtb is a Trek Elite 8.5 with 42/32/22F and a 11/36 R cassette.
I did in fact reach the top all bar the last 100 mts using the front 32 cog and the rear 36 cog.. and had to change to the lower 22 front just for the last bit
.
Now had my mtb bike been lighter and been running on fast road tyres I think I could of made the top.
(I would never have done this on my road bike)

So I need another bike and I was thinking of a Hybrid as a solution.
Perhaps one of these..

Specialized Comp which has gearing of 48/34F and 11/36R cassette similar to the 32F and 36R I used on my mtb but I dont know the weight of the bike? or

Specialized Crosstrail this has a 46/32F and also a 11/36R.. but 38cc rear tyres but I think you can fit smaller road tyres too it.. or

Buy exactly the same mtb as I have and fit it with some good road tryes?

PS..I dont want to mess with my road bike just on the outside chance my fitness improves greatly.

So any thoughts that might help?.

 

[mattobrien]

My suggestion would be practice a bit more. You'll be surprised how quickly your fitness improves and in no time at all you'll be making it to the top on your road bike.

At this stage I wouldn't be looking to get another bike, if you weren't able to make it to the top with your MTB gearing I don't think you will make it to the top with similar gearing on bike that is a couple of KGs lighter.

Stick with improving your fitness, its cheaper and the gains will be fast.

Obviously you do need another bike, we all do, but I would wait until you can get to the top on your roadie before buying one, over wise it may be an expensive choice and soon redundant.

 

[Boon 51]

My suggestion would be practice a bit more. You'll be surprised how quickly your fitness improves and in no time at all you'll be making it to the top on your road bike.

At this stage I wouldn't be looking to get another bike, if you weren't able to make it to the top with your MTB gearing I don't think you will make it to the top with similar gearing on bike that is a couple of KGs lighter.

Stick with improving your fitness, its cheaper and the gains will be fast.

Obviously you do need another bike, we all do, but I would wait until you can get to the top on your roadie before buying one, over wise it may be an expensive choice and soon redundant.

But I did get to the top on my mtb?

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I just looked at the average speed for the KOM on that segment - 6.6mph! WHOA!

 

[fossyant]

Without trying to sound condescending, you should be able to ride up a brick wall with a compact 36 and a 28 rear. MTB's are for doing the same gradients but with rocks in the way.

Best option is to train more, it's much cheaper and you'll also feel the benefit. It's fitness that is lacking, not gears.

MTB's will go up anything, that's why they have stupidly low gears.

Keep training, keep practicing on that hill.

 

[snailracer]

Don't the hybrids have larger wheels than your MTB? That would suggest that their effective gearing is not as low as that of your MTB, which is the opposite of what you want.
At low speed crawling up steep hills, tyre losses are not significant - pretty much all the energy goes to raising your combined mass.

 

[Boon 51]

Without trying to sound condescending, you should be able to ride up a brick wall with a compact 36 and a 28 rear. MTB's are for doing the same gradients but with rocks in the way.

Best option is to train more, it's much cheaper and you'll also feel the benefit. It's fitness that is lacking, not gears.

MTB's will go up anything, that's why they have stupidly low gears.

Keep training, keep practicing on that hill.

I understand what you are saying about training and my fitness is improving all the time (I've only been riding for 4/5 months) but you have to remember I'm 61 not 21. and to keep practicing on the hill is fine if you can get up it, which is what my post is about?

 

[wanda2010]

OP, surely if you keep practicing you will eventually make it, or are you saying that would never be possible?

 

[Peteaud]

I would fit a MTB rear mech, a 11/34 or 36 cassette and a new chain.

If or when you get fitter, just swap them back.

 

[Manonabike]

I would fit a MTB rear mech, a 11/34 or 36 cassette and a new chain.

If or when you get fitter, just swap them back.

My guess is that the OP is looking for us to give him a justification to buy another bike so don't go spoiling his dreams

Can I blame him? Not really

 

[bianchi1]

I understand what you are saying about training and my fitness is improving all the time (I've only been riding for 4/5 months) but you have to remember I'm 61 not 21. and to keep practicing on the hill is fine if you can get up it, which is what my post is about?

64 year old turned up to one of our open 10 mile time trials a few years back. Not a particularly fast course but he easily won with a 19 minute time!!

You have obviously got a couple of years to hit your peak!

 

[Boon 51]

OP, surely if you keep practicing you will eventually make it, or are you saying that would never be possible?

Thats a difficult one to answer.. as I dont know how fit I am now or how much fitter I can get?
I'm sure I am at least 50% fit so still a way to go hopefully..

 

[Hacienda71]

If you really want to keep riding up that particular hill, get a spare set of wheels for the MTB with slicks on for those days you fancy some hilly road stuff. A minute max to change over the wheels. Then just keep riding. You will soon see your fitness improve to a level where you can get up the hill on your road bike.

 

[jifdave]

i'd change the cassette, get a few more teeth on the back you'll fly up there.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sram-pg1050-10-speed-cassette/ should do you. 11-32

 

[Boon 51]

I would fit a MTB rear mech, a 11/34 or 36 cassette and a new chain.

If or when you get fitter, just swap them back.

That had crossed my mind