Help...Bike for big hills.

[Boon 51]

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

Well now you have mentioned it..

 

[Boon 51]

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!

I hope you right

 

[Steve H]

I'm a big lad and live in a hilly area. I'm still glad of my choice of buying my road bike with a triple crankset and wide cassette. Purists look down their noses at triples, but I love mine. I've got 50,39,30 at the front and 28-11 at the back. I can get up most climbs, although admittedly, not too quickly!

 

[Boon 51]

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.

I wanted to go one better than wheels and tyres and get a new bike

Seriously .. What you say is dead right, the more pratice on that Cat 3 hill will soon get my fitness levels up, and perhaps soon be able to get my road bike up there also.
Then of course there are the Cat 2 and Cat 1 hill's to climb..

 

[Boon 51]

I'm a big lad and live in a hilly area. I'm still glad of my choice of buying my road bike with a triple crankset and wide cassette. Purists look down their noses at triples, but I love mine. I've got 50,39,30 at the front and 28-11 at the back. I can get up most climbs, although admittedly, not too quickly!

I have to say climbing the big hill's is what I want to do and I'm not bothered on what bike it is, just the fact I can reach the top?

 

[accountantpete]

I would recommend leaving the bike as it is and try:

a) A daily dose of squats (preferably one-legged) for a month. Start with no weight and make sure you squat right down and get right up.

b) Develop a pedaling technique that doesn't involve pushing down on the pedals and use that in the 2 or 3 miles leading up to the hill.

 

[mattobrien]

But I did get to the top on my mtb?

Sorry I misread your post.

By all means buy a new bike, but the right bike for you now might not be the right bike for you in six months once your fitness levels have improved. If you have the spare cash to buy one bike now and one in six months then why not have two, but if not, I would suggest waiting a little while.

 

[Boon 51]

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

The top climber did 10kms an hour in climb speed and I did 8 kms an hour, had my bike had road tyres and not mtb tyres on I might of had a better time perhaps plus my bike is only fitted with flats not SPD's and it was my first try as well.
I think I could get close to his time shortly.... hopefully

 

[Boon 51]

I would recommend leaving the bike as it is and try:

a) A daily dose of squats (preferably one-legged) for a month. Start with no weight and make sure you squat right down and get right up.

b) Develop a pedaling technique that doesn't involve pushing down on the pedals and use that in the 2 or 3 miles leading up to the hill.

A) Can I ask why one leg and not both at the same time?
b) Do you have a link to explain more?

Cheers..

 

[Boon 51]

Sorry I misread your post.

By all means buy a new bike, but the right bike for you now might not be the right bike for you in six months once your fitness levels have improved. If you have the spare cash to buy one bike now and one in six months then why not have two, but if not, I would suggest waiting a little while.

Suppose I want to keep my mtb bike for the mountains only really.
I wanted a mid range bike to fill the gap till my fitness and strength improves and I might be able to use the road bike. If I did get a another bike its still going to get a lot of use..

 

[mattobrien]

Suppose I want to keep my mtb bike for the mountains only really.
I wanted a mid range bike to fill the gap till my fitness and strength improves and I might be able to use the road bike. If I did get a another bike its still going to get a lot of use..

In that case buy one

 

[accountantpete]

A) Can I ask why one leg and not both at the same time?
b) Do you have a link to explain more?

Cheers..

a) Doing squats with both legs develops the muscles on the outside of the thighs whereas one-legged exercises develops the muscles across each thigh.

b) Depends what pedals you are using - but usually turning the cranks as you would with your hand but using the foot instead.You need clips of clipless pedals.

 

[jifdave]

A) Can I ask why one leg and not both at the same time?
b) Do you have a link to explain more?

Cheers..

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CvEs-TOIKM
try these, when i used to play basketball these were the best squats for building strength and can be done at home just using your own bodyweight. try a few, they hurt!!

 

[Peteaud]

From reading your posts i think the only correct answer that you want to hear is



















BUY A NEW BIKE


(NOW GO AND GET ONE )

 

[Boon 51]

a) Doing squats with both legs develops the muscles on the outside of the thighs whereas one-legged exercises develops the muscles across each thigh.

b) Depends what pedals you are using - but usually turning the cranks as you would with your hand but using the foot instead.You need clips of clipless pedals.

I've got flats on at the moment..

Cheers..