New to cycling - hills

[Cal]

Hi, I'm a mid forties female and a bit unfit, only cycled a handful of times in the last 25 years...

The car's recently been scrapped and whilst I'm keeping a lookout for another I'm not averse to trying to manage with just a bike - work 3 days a week and it's a (just under) 4 mile journey. Going to work isn't too much of a problem, a couple of stops for a breather and I'm off again, a slow gradual incline it's hard work but getting a little bit easier each time.

Coming back, that same hill is nowhere near as gradual, it's horrible and whichever route I take, it's there in front of me and seems steeper each time I look up. I seem to be walking up it more than cycling, even in first gear I can't keep going for long. I suppose my question is; is it really bad form to keep getting off and walking? I feel like I'm not going to improve when I seem to be giving up all the time. I was walking this route for a month before I bought the bike and it's halved the time taken but the first bit with the hill is taking me nearly as long as it used to walking. I just find it a bit disheartening. There is another route which is twice as long which has a slightly higher hill but the incline isn't as great, I tried this today (still had to get off and walk it once or twice) that 'felt' easier - should I avoid the killer hill, mix it up a bit or keep at it till I've beaten it? Just wanting a bit of experienced advice really.


The only route that really circumnavigates it is also down a non-lit solitary country track and not one I'm willing to take in the pitch black.

 

[fossyant]

Keep going, maintain a good cadence and aim for the next lamp post next time before getting off. Then the next lamp post and so on till you get over it.

Climbing hills, they never get easier, you just get much faster.

 

[steve52]

it will come a low gear and make it as easy as poss, dont make it a war with the hill as thats unplesent

 

[ianrauk]

Welcome to the forum Cal and congrats for getting on your bike.
As others have said, hills don't get any easier, you just get better at climbing.

Keep in the low gears and spin up. Try not to grind up as you will do your knees in.
It may seem strange spinning at first but you soon get used to it.

There is no shame in walking if it becomes too much.
The point where you hopped off is the place for you to aim at reaching on the bike next time.

Keep going and you will conquer it.

 

[ttcycle]

hello!

welcome to the forum and good news on getting on the bike.

Hills aren't my favourite thing but I moved to some where surrounded by the bloody things and mostly if I'm finding them less of a big deal now (though will for the sake of it grumble about hills)!

Your fitness overall will improve and you will get better at going up the hills. Just practice and keep doing it, as others have said spin those legs in a nice low gear- it will seem slow but stick with it.

Don't beat yourself up if you have to get off - the more you do it and more practised you are the less you will feel the need to dismount!

Go for it!

 

[Melonfish]

if you need to get off and walk do so, don't feel bad about it hills get all of us in the end

there's many a hill i've had to get off and push, you will find that you'll tackle them better as you continue mind, they won't seem quite as hard but they will still feel difficult, to psych yourself up for it when you get near increase your speed and shout to yourself "BRING IT ON!" as you charge up the hill, keep your cadence by dropping gears as you go and feel free to stand up and lay into it.

do this a few times a week and before you know it you'll be doing it all week, then you'll be sat down all the way sometimes, then all the time etc. etc.
pete

 

[Globalti]

You don't mention gears - what gear are you using for the hills?

 

[Paulus]

Hi there Cal, use a nice low gear and go as far as you can, eventually you will get further and further up the hill When you have finally conquered the hill, start to do the hill in a slightly higher gear. Practice is everything. Well done for trying.

 

[coffeejo]

Hi Cal, I won't repeat what the others have said but they're spot on.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Rob500]

Hi Cal. Welcome.

 

[PaulSecteur]

Hi Cal,

From my experience (as an unfit but getting fitter rider) hills can be a great training and fitness aid when you are in the mood... and a right pain at the end of a work day.

In the passed I have tried to improve my hill climbing by finding long steep hills and really attacking them. I didnt see any real improvement on the training hill but the local hills did seem shorter and flatter after getting used to that monster.
However, I think your problem hill is just too much for you at the moment. I would stay with the shallower route and try some sort of structure to being able to conquer it, such as...

This week - Try to get up it without stopping, but when it gets to much stop whenever you like but make a note of where you stop

week 2 - try not to stop untill you are at least 10 metres passed last weeks best

week 3 - try to up your spped a little and still beat where you stopped last week

Week 4 - Gonna get all the way up! No matter how slow, gonna keep going!

Week 5 try the steep hill on Monday and Friday, on Tue wed and thur go back to the shallow hill the same as week 2

Obviously, you will have to take weather and how you feeel into account, but keep pushing either distance or a bit extra speed, or sheer determination just a bit more each day and week.

 

[paulb55]

Hi, I'm a mid forties female and a bit unfit, only cycled a handful of times in the last 25 years...

The car's recently been scrapped and whilst I'm keeping a lookout for another I'm not averse to trying to manage with just a bike - work 3 days a week and it's a (just under) 4 mile journey. Going to work isn't too much of a problem, a couple of stops for a breather and I'm off again, a slow gradual incline it's hard work but getting a little bit easier each time.

Coming back, that same hill is nowhere near as gradual, it's horrible and whichever route I take, it's there in front of me and seems steeper each time I look up. I seem to be walking up it more than cycling, even in first gear I can't keep going for long. I suppose my question is; is it really bad form to keep getting off and walking? I feel like I'm not going to improve when I seem to be giving up all the time. I was walking this route for a month before I bought the bike and it's halved the time taken but the first bit with the hill is taking me nearly as long as it used to walking. I just find it a bit disheartening. There is another route which is twice as long which has a slightly higher hill but the incline isn't as great, I tried this today (still had to get off and walk it once or twice) that 'felt' easier - should I avoid the killer hill, mix it up a bit or keep at it till I've beaten it? Just wanting a bit of experienced advice really.


The only route that really circumnavigates it is also down a non-lit solitary country track and not one I'm willing to take in the pitch black.

Hi Cal,

I find its a a bit of a mental attitude too hills really, what i do is when i am coming up to a hill i keep my head down and don't look up, ok look up for parked cars etc, then i try to think of something and create a conversation with myself to distract myself from the hill whilst saying now and again " i will beat this hill"

Also keep your body relaxed and get into the lowest gear possible and have a steady cadence rate and just do something to keep your mind off the hill

Sing under your breath a favourite song you like
breathe in and out in a rhythm"
Have a challenge with yourself and keep saying "i will beat this hill, i will beat this hill"
Think about something you have to do or a family member to think about
Think about a nice reward you are going to give yourself when you get home and have BEATEN THE HILL

Its all a mind game really with hills and you will get there, think positive and try some of the above ideas because that's what i do and it gets me up some BIG BIG hills by me

Hills, Bah, I love em

 

[CopperCyclist]

Cycle faster not harder - all the time not just for hills! You may find if you are grinding too big a gear on the flat before the hill, it's leaving you tired for the hill itself.

Either way, whatever you do, one thing is guaranteed, I promise - keep cycling and two months from now you'll repost here saying 'Hill? What hill '

 

[the snail]

it's there in front of me and seems steeper each time I look up.

Don't look up! On a steep hill I keep my head down and just look far enough ahead to avoid crashing, and concentrate on getting up a bit at a time. If you run out of steam then an alternative to walking is to stop and get your breath back, then try riding again. It might be that you could have the gearing changed to make hills easier.Well done for getting the bike out again though

 

[stu1903]

Perceiver with the hill, it will get easier.

When I know I have a long hard hill ahead of me I keep my head down and don't look at the top of it. Looking at the top of the hill does me no good as I just don't seem to get there quick enough.

Keep the head down but still look ahead of you, if you know what I mean, for dangers on the road.

Well done on getting a bike and giving it a go! That's more than many people would do.