Self-conscious? On THIS bike?

[Arch]

Is it possible to fall off a bent??

A two wheeler certainly, yes, although you have less far to fall. Not so easy on a trike, unless you really try to overcook it on a corner and lean the wrong way. But on that occasion, I was on an upright anyway.

On a recumbent trike, yes, I could stop and restart, assuming I had the knees to get going again. But on a trike, I can twiddle* up in such a low gear that I don't need to stop.

*well, I still grind, a bit, but twiddling is the ideal.

 

[BearPear]

Was in Leeds today CatherineB - didn't see you through the blizzard!

Arch, I have had the pause, peddle, wobble, topple over experience on a hill too! In my defence the hill was up the 5 Rise Locks on the Leeds-Liverpool canal. I managed it once and totally shocked myself!

 

[jimboalee]

If you ever see a touristy looking cyclist halfway up a steep hill gazing at a roadsign with an AUK brevet card in one hand and a pen in the other, you'll now know what he's doing... and it's not answering an INFO control...

 

[Bman]

For me, its nothing to do with what other people think. Maybe I'm just stubborn, but I wont walk either (unless I have to).

I just select a really high gear and spin for Britain!

 

[summerdays]

I do the stop and get off and laugh ... I sometimes get comments but its just in fun and I join in ... I suspect that most of the people making a joke couldn't cycle up the hill either or even a lessor one. I usually have a breather and then get back on.... and there is usually a view when a hill is that steep too.

 

[GrasB]

I'm proud to say I've never stopped to take a breather on an ascent, basically collapsed at the top is another matter however ... which of course raises the issue of exactly who the clown is really

 

[Campfire]

When I was young and foolish and when I was older, not quite so fit, I wouldn't ever dream of walking. However, older still and not at all fit, I can't see how I ever thought anyone cared if you walked or not!

I have cycled up the Winnats Pass Landslide but I was really fit then. I enjoyed it too.

It's very flat where I live and the hardest hills are the motorway bridges, in my local vicinity so I don't get much practice.

Just enjoy it on your lovely red bike. Look out the website "London Cycle Chic" you should like it.

 

[Mac66]

That's a lovely bike, but surely this is reason enough for n+1 in a sleek carbon fibre stylee, with a compact or triple chain set.

Go on, you know you want to.

But I can tell you that Lycra and a swooshy helmet hasn't made me any better at getting up hills. That would mean giving up cake and there are limits!

 

[Trumpettom001]

I have yet to fail a hill - reason for this is that I always have a lower gear - and live in a stupidly flat area of England that has very small hills - boo, no fun....

 

[HJ]

Style over speed, CatherineB, style over speed...

 

[lit]

That's where I've been going wrong all these years...

 

[chap]

Get a Brompton people are amazed they can go at all, nonetheless handle hills with dexterity.

 

[redflightuk]

For me, its nothing to do with what other people think. Maybe I'm just stubborn, but I wont walk either (unless I have to).

+1. In this part of Herts there aren't many really steep climbs and the one or two we do have don't go on for too long. No problem on the Trice qnt or mtb.

 

[Plax]

The only hill I've ever failed is the one on Church Hill (Glyn Ceiriog I think it was, near Llangollen). It's a 1 in 3. In my defence I'd already done a considerable mileage and I'd stopped at the toilets before the hill and then sat on the bench to eat my butties. I also had a fully laden pannier. I thought the old fella that stopped to chat to me as he was walking past was just winding me up about how steep the hill was. Needless to say I had a bit of a shock. I managed to get about half way up when I was going so slow I felt like I was going to fall sideways any second. So I confess I unclipped and pushed the rest of the way.

So if you come into Glyn Ceiriog and see a set of loos before the roundabout and think "oh, I'll just stop to spend a penny" DON'T DO IT!!!!! Carry on pedalling or you'll regret it later.

 

[D4VOW]

I've never failed a hill yet, even on my fixed running 49/17, like you though, I don't think I'd be able to walk my bike up if I did fail. I would have to quickly think of an excuse to stop, most likely the phone call/text message method