Hills!

[loops]

Hi!

Have a couple more beginner questions! I am trying to improve strength and endurance and have lots of hills around me to climb..however am not sure if I should be aiming to stand up on the bike when going up hill...which I can only do for very brief period due to incredible pain in the thighs!! or if I should be aiming to do the climb sitting down which is what I currently do..slowly! I have tried standing up part way at the steepest bits and found this can be useful until legs hurt to much but then sitting back down the burning pain gets worse!
Also should I use the easiest gear? I don't like this as much because of the amount of time you turn the pedals I find harder stamina wise, I prefer to have something to push against as I don't have to turn wheels so often and seem to go a bit faster..though is harder on leg muscles.
Any help advice appreciated.. I don't seem to be improving..the one I climb several times a week does not seem to be getting any easier

loops

 

[fossyant]

The burning is normal - you just need more training (practice). If it's a long climb, then sit down and maintain a good cadence. If it's short/steep, then attack it out of the saddle. Riding out of the saddle constantly needs you to train your core muscles - so just keep practicing.

PS hills never get easier, you just get faster.

 

[deanE]

"Should I use the easiest gear?" My guess is that is why you paid all that money for them. As an oldie/newbie myself, and with a wonky knee I have similar problems. No1 priority seems to be to get to the top of the hill. Don't attempt to climb the big hill "several times a week". Sounds like serious muscle damage on the cards. Find some easier ones and then come back to the biggie in a months time. I thought it was supposed to be fun!

 

[numbnuts]

sit and spin and enjoy the ride cycling is not about pain

 

[lukesdad]

sit and spin and enjoy the ride cycling is not about pain

Ah but as the saying goes no pain no gain. If he wants to get better Im afraid there is going to be some pain.

 

[SquareDaff]

Easy gear, lots of spins, backside on seat is by far the easiest way to go. If you're struggling at the moment it's just a lack of stamina and as you're now exercising regularly this will soon improve.

And it's a myth that standing on the pedals makes you climb faster! You just think that. what you're actually doing is taking much more out of the "energy tank" which is why when you sit down and spin half way up the hill it doesn't help.

For example - I'm a stocky short arse and have to climb a one in five hill of about half a mile regularly. If I do it out of the pedals I go up at about 8-10mph. If I sit down and spin I go about 9-11mph. The other advantage is once I reach the top if I'm spinning I'm not puffing like a train and can just accelerate. If I'd been standing I need 15-20 seconds recovery.

 

[pshore]

I have tried standing up part way at the steepest bits and found this can be useful until legs hurt to much but then sitting back down the burning pain gets worse!

Concentrate on developing your spinning muscles and watch your heart rate and breathing. Standing can be useful for extra power and resting specific muscles on a long climb but learn to relax and spin first.

 

[Nearly there]

I stay seated all the way even if i hit a snails pace on the steepest parts of a hill standing up makes it harder imo especially when my routes include many hills.

 

[tyred]

I rarely stand. I don't see much advantage in speed and it takes more out of you. I deliberately gear my SS bikes lower than most people would so I can comfortably climb most of the hills in my area without being forced to really stand up and honk. It works better for me like that.

 

[byegad]

It sounds like you are mashing the gears, you say you like some resistance to work against. This is not a good thing in the long run, spinning may seem like hard work to begin with but will come with practice. Working so hard will limit your range too. You'll ride longer and much further if you spin.

 

[WychwoodTrev]

I personaly like to mix it up so depends on my mood sometimes hit the hill sitting and spinning then stand for while, some times I hit the hill stand up and drive it to the top when I started out standing up was very short and realy took it out of me but now it seems as I stand up for a rest as it uses differant muscle groups. Keep at it it does get easyer. When you get better you will be able to slow a bit save energy and still make it up, when you are starting out you feel you only just carry enough speed momentum to get you to the top.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Hi!

Have a couple more beginner questions! I am trying to improve strength and endurance and have lots of hills around me to climb..however am not sure if I should be aiming to stand up on the bike when going up hill...which I can only do for very brief period due to incredible pain in the thighs!! or if I should be aiming to do the climb sitting down which is what I currently do..slowly! I have tried standing up part way at the steepest bits and found this can be useful until legs hurt to much but then sitting back down the burning pain gets worse!
Also should I use the easiest gear? I don't like this as much because of the amount of time you turn the pedals I find harder stamina wise, I prefer to have something to push against as I don't have to turn wheels so often and seem to go a bit faster..though is harder on leg muscles.
Any help advice appreciated.. I don't seem to be improving..the one I climb several times a week does not seem to be getting any easier

loops

Do you know what your smallest gear ratio is?

Use the gears, that's what they are for.

If you find the bottom too easy drop down one cog until you find the right mix. A cadence of around 80/100rpm is to be aimed for (although I rarely achieve that myself).

 

[HLaB]

loops, it sounds like you need better gear management, that easier said than done but I like to change up when I stand up and down when I sit down. If a hill eases off I also like to change up so I have more gears in reserve when it goes on/ steep. Its maybe psychological but I find having gears to drop to when I need them is good.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

loops, it sounds like you need better gear management, that easier said than done but I like to change up when I stand up and down when I sit down. If a hill eases off I also like to change up so I have more gears in reserve when it goes on/ steep. Its maybe psychological but I find having gears to drop to when I need them is good.

I'm not the only one who does that then

 

[rodgy-dodge]

I'm not the only one who does that then

+1 always keep something in reserve