Looking to start doing a few more hills

[bluezelos]

You probably have a 36 or a 34 on your bike, in which case your lowest gear would be 34/32 or 36/32, both of which are pretty low but not super-low. I have a 28/30 on my bike and would happily use that on anything steeper than about 10-12%!

I have the Shimano 105 5800 50/34 11 speed double chainset, does this make it any easier?

 

[Joffey]

You will be fine and if it's getting too much you can stop, recover and set off again. Don't be afraid of hills, even the whoppers. Keep riding them and you will get better at them.

 

[Zipp2001]

Think positive, keep your breathing under control, and don't focus on the top. You'll be just fine, and always remember hills are our friends.

 

[johnblack]

"Hills pay the bills."

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Think positive, keep your breathing under control, and don't focus on the top. You'll be just fine, and always remember hills are our friends.

I'm not a good climber, too heavy, I will stop if necessary not one who believes it's cheating, I just choose a point in front of me 50 - 100 yards, lamp post, gate post, line in road, bush anything, I ride to that & as I approach I look for the next point, the top eventually comes

 

[Globalti]

There is plenty on the web about climbing technique. All these CGN videos on YouTube for example:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cgn+how+to+climb+hills

 

[nickyboy]

The gears you have on the bike will be fine for that gradient providing you have a modicum of fitness. Don't overthink it

Climbing is as much in the head as it is in the legs. Just show an obstinate mentality and you'll be fine

 

[Crackle]

A sustained 18-20% is close to my limit, personally. I can ride nearly all the Struggle, I could probably ride the top bit if it was at the bottom but I can't do it without a rest beforehand, I know people can but I'm not them. I'm sure some of it's mental and the trick is not to look too far ahead as Phaeton says but at some point my head says, fark this!

 

[ColinJ]

I have the Shimano 105 5800 50/34 11 speed double chainset, does this make it any easier?

View attachment 472643

Easier than what?

Just make sure that you use the 34 on the front, the 32 on the back, and ride slowly. If you make it up okay, then you can do it a bit quicker next time!

 

[nickAKA]

If it was me I'd definitely be out of the saddle pedalling which is fine for a sub-1 minute effort; anything longer than that and I'd be in tears... my lowest gearing is 34/30 and I'm yet to find something I absolutely cannot get up (not that I deliberately hunt for ridiculous inclines).
The worst I've inadvertantly tackled was about 22%, fortunately it was blissfully short. Just grit your teeth (the bars not so much) and pedal, you can do it. I seldom look further up the road than 10 yards...

 

[CXRAndy]

Oops, yes 18% gradient, not degrees thanks to the ones for pointing that out. The stretch is not that long. I did a few climbs in North Yorkshire a few weeks ago so I know whats ahead of me.

The bike has Shimano 105 11/32 gearing (what does this actually mean, and will it be enough?)

Depends on how fit you're and weight. 18% could be done on really tall gearing if you're very fit, because you could just muscle it up. If you weigh 100kg-16stone and not so fit even a 32t cog isn't going to do it for you

I currently weigh 100kg and are reasonably fit, I can power up steep hills by grinding either stood or seated. I prefer to be able to spin so I have low gearing of 26t crank and upto 40t cassette cog. This allows me to spin up 20% + gradients whilst seated. Dont get me wrong, climbing really steep hills will have anyone puffing and blowing. It just depends how fit you're whether you can recover after the crest or just collapse in a heap

 

[CXRAndy]

You will be fine and if it's getting too much you can stop, recover and set off again. Don't be afraid of hills, even the whoppers. Keep riding them and you will get better at them.

This is so true, its down to three elements, fitness, gearing, and determination.

I went from struggling with short steep UK hills to being able to go up mountain climbs like Ventoux, Galibier and Mt Teide.

 

[CXRAndy]

I'm not a good climber, too heavy

Im a good climber, just slow compared to lightweight riders. I too am a heavyweight but it doesn't put me off hills/mountains

 

[bluezelos]

Depends on how fit you're and weight. 18% could be done on really tall gearing if you're very fit, because you could just muscle it up. If you weigh 100kg-16stone and not so fit even a 32t cog isn't going to do it for you

I currently weigh 100kg and are reasonably fit, I can power up steep hills by grinding either stood or seated. I prefer to be able to spin so I have low gearing of 26t crank and upto 40t cassette cog. This allows me to spin up 20% + gradients whilst seated. Dont get me wrong, climbing really steep hills will have anyone puffing and blowing. It just depends how fit you're whether you can recover after the crest or just collapse in a heap

I'm a lightweight, that won't be a problem, looking forward to the challenge.

 

[johnblack]

Find the climbing style that suits you best, as your cardio improves your ability to spin will increase, which as a lightweight is probably the most efficient way to tackle climbs, but you may find you'd rather use a bigger gear and climb standing at lower revs. It's very individual.

and you'll always wish you had another gear.