how to tackle a massive hill @ the start

[TheDoctor]

Fill an old rucksack with pebbles to 25kg.

Keep it in the shed / garage near the bike.
Before the ride out, put the rucksack on and do thirty squats in as many seconds.

Whip the rucksack off, get on your bike quick and GO!

PS. This is a good trick for any cyclist with 1 minute to spare who want's to keep their legs conditioned.

In fact, a better idea is to do leg presses in the garage with the wall, an old car and a pair of ramps...

Jimbo, mate, can I have some of whatever you're on? Fill a rucksack with pebbles and do squat thrusts, I've not heard a stranger idea in ages. If you want to get good at riding a bike up a hill, then ride a bike up a hill until you get good! It's not exactly hard. As for pushing a car up ramps - words fail me!!! It does seem a ridiculously over-complex solution to a simple problem.

 

[Tynan]

jimbo is addressing the problem of having the legs warmed up in time for an immediate hill

my flat as a pancake ride into London is in fact Total climb: 489ft Total descent: 531ft

is that massive

 

[gazmercer]

Easy gear and spin those legs. After doing quite a few times you'll start to go up in a higher gear without realising it, Honest.

The mole hills on my commute are slowly getting flattened out when I ride em now, bit more power in my legs and my breathing is much better. I did a small hill last night on my way home, usually it's middle chainring and 1st or 2nd gear. Last night was middle chainring and 4th gear. My breathing was bad at the top but only for about a minute instead of 5 minutes like it used to be.

 

[TheDoctor]

@ Tynan - Yes, but it's a sledgehammer solution to a nut of a problem, to construct a magnificently mixed metaphor. A 24 m hill is hardly having Mont Ventoux at the end of the garden path. I'd just take it slow and maybe get a larger cassette / smaller chainring rather than start lifting rocks first thing in the morning.

 

[Plax]

I start my route going down a very steep hill. That's a shock to the system on a cold morning!! Gosh it makes your eyes water!!!! It's also not a great way to finish your route!!!!

LOL, I've got a slight incline to get up for a few yards leaving the house which I always have a low gear for then it's pretty much all downhill and I've noticed recently my eyes have been watering but I put it down to the cold combined with the 30mph+ I'm going. Bit fresh that first thing, hardly warmed up!

Total opposite on the way home and I have a nasty little hill that's deceptively steep soon after leaving work. That always gets me, I just spin it in a low gear unless I'm feeling sadistic.

 

[upsidedown]

Fill an old rucksack with pebbles to 25kg.

Keep it in the shed / garage near the bike.
Before the ride out, put the rucksack on and do thirty squats in as many seconds.

Whip the rucksack off, get on your bike quick and GO!

to a knee surgeon

 

[gaz]

Did any of you look at the actual climb involved? It's tiny, barely rates as a hill, and I don't live in Wales.

but you take anerly hill on your commute? that's something i avoid!

 

[BentMikey]

but you take anerly hill on your commute? that's something i avoid!

LOL! I used to avoid it too - taking the A21/A202 instead. I just found out on bikely there's virtually no difference in overall climbing between that supposedly flatter route and the other one via Anerley.

 

[gaz]

LOL! I used to avoid it too - taking the A21/A202 instead. I just found out on bikely there's virtually no difference in overall climbing between that supposedly flatter route and the other one via Anerley.

it's all in the mind. i'll take the 'flatter' route anyday!

 

[Watt-O]

Isn't there an old disused pit tunnel you could use, boyo?

 

[just jim]

to a knee surgeon

Nice.

 

[4F]

@ Tynan - Yes, but it's a sledgehammer solution to a nut of a problem, to construct a magnificently mixed metaphor. A 24 m hill is hardly having Mont Ventoux at the end of the garden path. I'd just take it slow and maybe get a larger cassette / smaller chainring rather than start lifting rocks first thing in the morning.

That's Jimbo for you, mad as a box of frogs

 

[gavintc]

From your front door go left, left, left then right. You start with a downhill before the climb.

 

[ttcycle]

LOL! I used to avoid it too - taking the A21/A202 instead. I just found out on bikely there's virtually no difference in overall climbing between that supposedly flatter route and the other one via Anerley.

uuurrrgh -hills= my kryptonite....

I have a particularly cruel memory of anerley hill - went out on my first ride with the cycling club as a non member April last year- up and down and constant climbs/inclines upwards for the first half through Kent. A very friendly guy suggested (after hearing I cycle 16miles for my commute daily) that I should come along with the middle speed group as it was fun and easy- they lost me and I felt like a tit as I was holding up the slower group as a kind couple of people were babysitting me. Then just as we were finishing and coming up and back to Crystal Palace I am met with Anerley after having a fit of the shakes and feeling like death as I was coming down with a cold before the ride. Stop,look up the hill, gather the courage and push my way up the hill - urgh...PAIN!!

I gained fitness but I think I've now lost it again!!

Back to the OP- The more you ride it, the easier it will get, sometimes it will feel like you're not making progress but select an easy gear and just take it easy until you eventually get stronger.

 

[goo_mason]

Did any of you look at the actual climb involved? It's tiny, barely rates as a hill, and I don't live in Wales.

But it's hard going for the OP and he's asking for advice; can't we stick to that? Not everyone's as fit and experienced a cyclist as you, Mikey. Let's not put the OP off by belittling him. He's finding it hard going - let's help him get used to it so that he'll be nipping up it no bother at all soon.