Help with climbing

[gb155]

Hey all

Strange quandary this, on my alu single speed (52*17) I can climb the majority of hills much quicker than on my ultegra carbon madone.

But I don't get why, is it because my madone is too small and my single speed isn't? Ir I am just using the wrong gears when given the opportunity to?

Driving me mental tbh

 

[Rob3rt]

Maybe its a case of pussying out when on the geared bike?

When offered a bail out of an easier gear and being able to sit down and spin up rather than being forced to either blow your arse out or fail its mightily tempting to take it.

It would be helpful to know how you go into a climb on the geared bike.

Ideally speaking, you should hit the climb in the right gear to take on the climb then its a case of getting into a rhythm and just sitting on it, focusing on your breathing and just pushing on. If you stand up for a bit shift to a harder gear for a little, then when you sit, switch back down to an easier gear.

 

[GrasB]

Is it single speed or fixed gear bike?

 

[zigzag]

ss/fixed drivetrain is more efficient therefore easier to pedal (that is until the hill gets too steep). with gears i have to downshift few gears on gentle hills, whereas on ss bike i don't even notice the incline!

on geared setup losses occur in two jockey wheels, chain doing two additional tight turns around them and less than perfect chainline. the latter two are especially felt if the chain is not lubed properly.

 

[fossyant]

On drags, I find my Fixed isn't much worse than the geared bike. Feels like it's slower, but isn't. Depends upon the hill though, and if it's a steep bugger then the road bike is the only answer.

E.g. Brinny Hill - I'm a little faster geared (flat section where advantage is gained), Brinksway - way faster geared (requires a 28 mph attack), Otterspool (Marple) about the same geared/fixed and that's a 1 mile climb of about 7%.

I think Rob3rt hit it - you tend to 'use' your gears properly if you have them, no gears, no choice. Also to climb 'fast' you need to sit down - as soon as you get out of the saddle, you'll slow (that is unless the hill is too steep for a good attempt sat down with your gearing ratio).

 

[gb155]

Thanks guys, I do think rob hit the nail on the head about taking the easy option, but I struggle to know what the "right" gear is

 

[Rob3rt]

Thanks guys, I do think rob hit the nail on the head about taking the easy option, but I struggle to know what the "right" gear is

Trial and error What you want to avoid is rolling into the climb and almost immediately needing to shift. It's fine to shift if needed, but better to hit it in a gear that doesn't immediately have you begging for an easier one.

I'm no climber though, so that's about all I can say.

 

[fossyant]

Gaz, name a couple of the hills you find the SS quicker on, and I'll have a think. I'd say the not too steep, 5% ones, your SS may be quicker !

 

[gb155]

Gaz, name a couple of the hills you find the SS quicker on, and I'll have a think. I'd say the not too steep, 5% ones, your SS may be quicker !

I'm quicker up Brinny on the SS and the long drawn out drag from Ashton to Oldham I'm 60 seconds quicker on the SS

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[fossyant]

Both those stack up. TBH Brinny is tricky, and only having one gear helps, you don't have a choice. The Ashton/Oldham drag, so long as you are in a similar gear, you should be as quick, but I guess you may drop one or two gears. Try the Madone without changing gear on those.

 

[Garz]

Maybe its a case of pussying out when on the geared bike?

When offered a bail out of an easier gear and being able to sit down and spin up rather than being forced to either blow your arse out or fail its mightily tempting to take it.

This Gaz.

I posted fast times on my old Boardman which had a 23t on the rear (with compact). My tourer has a 27t and although it is comfier and can get up any incline no matter how fit/unfit I am, however the Boardman pushed me to guts it out (could not drop it any lower).

 

[GrasB]

ss/fixed drivetrain is more efficient therefore easier to pedal (that is until the hill gets too steep).

In all honesty the efficiency gain of SS is hardly worth mentioning. I've found it to be about 3w (450-500w) between my lowest efficiency gear & highest on a geared bike. Fixed gear gives me an extra 1w on the same gear but say going for 12/36 fixed rather than 18/54 makes the geared bike more efficient!

 

[User482]

I'll bet you're working much harder on your SS, through necessity. If you have a heart rate monitor you could measure the difference...

 

[dan_bo]

Gaz, what you wanna be doing is giving it the beans in 52 * 17 up Wessenden head road. slice of wee.

 

[gb155]

Think what happens is ill blast along in a pretty high gear at the start and will become reluctant to drop down a lot of the time , the question I guess should be, how much speed do I lose, before I start dropping gears?

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