Really struggling - Hills

[corshamjim]

IME, yes - tackle some hills fairly hard every few days and you will appreciate a real difference in only a couple of weeks or so.

 

[Slaav]

Thanks everyone for the replies and dare I say it, encouragement!

Weather lovely so may pop out now and loosen off for 20 miles or so (that was a major goal a matter of weeks ago) - so hopefully will think the same about Hills over the Easter break!

Have a b1tch hill out the drive and turn left which is c. 1.5/1.6 miles in total length. Will work out the vertical climb for interest but wont attempt that today that's for sure!

Anyway, thanks again and will report back - any other ideas or tips greatly appreciated.

 

[titch124]

the best advice i have had recently on hill climbing was to keep you top half loose, best way to do this is to drop your shoulders, and wiggle your fingers(sounds daft but it works) keep sitting , and like the others said , rather than shift gear as you need it going up a hill , shift early and just stay on top of that gear

and if you have to stand up , shift down 1-3 gears , because you have your full weight on the pedals you should be able to turn harder

 

[coffeejo]

Without any technical know-how, all I can say is that they just get easier the more of them you do.

And once you've made it to the top for the first time, that memory gives your legs extra strength the next time.

Seriously, I don't even notice some of the hills that had me on my knees when I started cycling at the end of January.

 

[Paulus]

It has been mentioned before, but I find sliding back along the saddle a little really helps. It tends to lengthen the leg stroke so you get a little more power whilst you are seated.

 

[jamman]

I am a newbie to this strange lycra clad world so bear with me....

Trying to increase mileage and stamina as quickly as possible from a fairly low fitenss base.

Managed 44 miles today but cant get up steep hills for all the lycra in a bike shop.

Is it really just a question of working up to the biggies? I live down in Glos so pretty tricky to avoid big hills. Bit bored of my hill free route and cannot assume that there will be no hills on my Charity bike ride on 18th May! (53,96 and 63 miles over the weekend I believe)

Thanks for any tips and pointers...

Specialized Allez with clip in pedals (MTB cleat type - not full race clip ins if that matters)


ps - No sport other than golf for around 7 years but was pretty active with golf and rugby. (rowed at school and Uni so big old potato farming legs)

Hi I'm still a bit of a newbie and been cycling for about a month.

When i very first started i was pitiful at hills, even slight inclines were making my legs ache

But all I can say is to keep tackling them, eventually your legs adapt and they seem much easier.

I'd say as a rough guide for gearing, stay in the usual gear you use for flats whilst climbing and try to keep your legs moving as fast as they were, then drop down to an easier gear when your legs are feeling the strain and slowing down.

Don't give in to them or let them beat you, also always remember that for every incline you defeat, there will usually be a lovely decline waiting for you later on

 

[Piemaster]

I'm working near Aberdeen at the moment and have brought the bike up with me. I normally cycle the flatlands of East Yorkshire so my sympathies, 'cos I'm finding hills a bit testing too.
I've tried all the tips on how to tackle the hills and it is getting easier. However a big thumbs up to Cycleworld in Stonehaven for being open on a Sunday, when anyone with any interest in bikes should be riding the thing, and swapping a 20t sprocket for a 22t one on my Alfine hub.
I may well be spinning out downhill now, but I can live with that.

 

[the_mikey]

I crawled out of Bath up 200m over 1.9km , very slowly...

 

[Chris S]

When I started cycling I used to sit on the seat. Now I just rest against it and most of my weight goes through my legs to the pedals. It makes going up hill a lot easier.

 

[Ed Crane]

Just beat a hill today that I haven't managed in about 5 previous attempts since last summer. It felt great and as others have said, just keep trying. I couldn't believe it when I realised I was gonna make it. Still plenty more nearby that I'm convinced I'll "never" beat lol..

 

[KingstonBiker]

I find that if one changes into a really low gear at an early stage in the ascent and then just twiddles away that it works well. If you power along the flat and then try to storm hills, gradually changing down when the legs cannot manage to keep going in the selected gear then it is a recipe for disaster.

I would agree with this approach. Today I did a 40 mile ride that included Box Hill (part of the route of the Olympic road race). It was my first time riding up the hill so wasn't sure what to expect. I just selected a relatively low gear (on my triple) and steadily made the ascent, ignoring the fact that loads of fellow cyclists were streaming past me. After comfortably reaching the top I now know that next time I can push it a little harder.

 

[peelywally]

mash the flats , after doing that for a week or two you will l glide uphills as if on a magic carpet ,

avoid really easy gearing options in other words and let your legs adapt and adapt they will .

 

[paddy01]

My tuppence, FWIW :-)

Short sharp hills, I'll just accelerate almost to sprint on the approach and then just stomp up them.

For longer hills I'll drop down near the start (before it gets to the point where changing gear messes up cadence too much) and twiddle away until I get to the top. That said I will try and stay in the same gear as long as I can as the hill changes gradient unless it gets too severe.

I can remember a few years ago when I came back to cycling after many years away, there's a hill nearby, not too long, sharp at the start then eases off. First time I went up it I was pretty well convinced I was having a cardiac arrest These days I use it as a bench mark on how quick I get up it at various points during a ride I does get easier.

 

[Slaav]

Well a couple of days off this week (maybe Boris home but nothing sensible) and then the Easter break!

12 days or so of concentrated and planned riding - should get leg strength up.

Personal goal is then to attack Cowcombe Hill in Gloucestershire! (should be able to look it up) but a horrible hill.

If I can even get up it, then I will start to believe some of teh above