How quickly can you get your foot down, when you screw up a shift on a steep hill?

[Racing roadkill]

I like my bike a lot, but it is a bit temperamental, if you don't trim the mechs properly. There is no 'one size fits all', and you do have to play with the adjusters, to get the best out of it, on the fly. A week back, it pulled a neutral on a 25% er, I went down big time. Today I got the trim slightly wrong on Leith hill. My god my reactions have improved

 

[mjr]

Flat pedals. Friction gears. You're creating problems for yourself

 

[ColinJ]

Don't shift on a steep hill - get the bike into bottom gear before the steep bit starts!

Having said that, my rear wheel span out on a wet 25% local climb once. It was a near thing, but I just managed to unclip and get my foot down. It is why I now ride SPD and have my cleat release tensions set to minimum.

 

[Katherine]

If I leave it too late to change down, then I turn around and change down going down the hill, then turn around and continue up the hill.

 

[russ.will]

I find that if I engage my mind to unclip before a hazard that I can see, the act is instantaneous.

If the hazard is a hill, I apply rule #5 of the Velomati.

Russell

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Pretty quick, yet to be caught out, although as I tend to hit lowest gear quickly and ride expecting to fail (not, I agree, the best tactic for success) I tend to be very ready for when it's needed.

 

[Buck]

I hit a 20+% a couple of weeks ago and one section went even steeper and I had to stop

My problem? Getting going again. I clipped in on my right and couldn't get enough momentum without the front rearing up and ended up looking silly straddled over my bike !!

Ended up walking 25m or so to get to a flatter section before I could get back on

 

[Dave 123]

Don't go up a 25% hill.....

 

[Deleted member 1258]

In my case yesterday not quick enough, thats why my new bike has a scraped brake lever and I have a scraped elbow

 

[Buck]

And the bit that annoys more is the scrape to the bike not the elbow!

 

[clid61]

words fail me ...

 

[xxDarkRiderxx]

You definitely need to be adjusting gears before you get to the 25% bit.... obviously if you know the terrain.

 

[xxDarkRiderxx]

Hmm How quickly can I get my foot down..... I am old and slow so not very quick.

 

[G3CWI]

"How quickly can you get your foot down,"

Faster than I can get my leg over.

 

[raleighnut]

Don't have any problems on the trike.