Some Hill Advice?

[HJ]

Ahh, but she does like to veto my spending ideas...

 

[HF2300]

Reading between the lines of the OP, are you perhaps going out a little hard? My commute's only 2.5 miles, but with a long gradual uphill, then a short steep one near the end. If find if I take the early, fairly level parts easy, I'm fine up the hills, while if I try to push a bit and go quickly early on, the hills wipe me out. Pace yourself.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Reading between the lines of the OP, are you perhaps going out a little hard? My commute's only 2.5 miles, but with a long gradual uphill, then a short steep one near the end. If find if I take the early, fairly level parts easy, I'm fine up the hills, while if I try to push a bit and go quickly early on, the hills wipe me out. Pace yourself.

Oh good point!
Especially as you get older it takes time to get warmed-up. Being 46 I can't just hop on the bike and zoom off, my legs go all jellified. We have a short but steep hill near us and tackling it after 5 to 10 mins riding from the house is chuffin hard, but give it 15 mins minimum to get warmed-up and it becomes much easier, so maybe a less attacking style is required.

 

[alp1950]

Great advice here. This has already been suggested but it is worth reiterating: two things that have helped me recently: a good warm-up -at least 10 mins spinning in low gear resisting the urge to really start grinding. Secondly focusing on cadence- trying to keep the rate between 80-90 rpm, even on hills and as soon as the rate falls bellow 80 rpm dropping a gear. Suggest you buy a cadence meter- I've found that I don't always realise that I'm pushing too hard, but if the cadence has fallen below 80 rpm I start to blow if I don't drop down & hills become more difficult later in the run.

 

[MacB]

yep reiterate the early hill point, I have one I find tough at the start of my commute. Yet the longest/hardest is on the way home but this is easier because I'm fully warmed up.

Must try Alsp idea of spinning fast early in preparation for that first hill.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Other than tyres, saddle height, “rest” before hill etc that everyone else has mentioned, is this an on road route and is it busy?
You could try “donkey tracking” up the difficult bits: ie taking a slightly less steep incline by not taking the hill straight on, if you know what I mean

 

[RedBike]

Thats what I like about this community, so many people wiiling to help so quickly. In answer to a couple of points, I have swapped the tyres for some skinnier continental commuter slick(ish) ones and keep the pressures well up. I do think, seeing the replies that saddle height may need to go up, but I'm on tippy toes now to reach the ground! Yes, I've tried spinning in the lowest of low gears, but the hills finish with nasty little incline increases which floor me. I think I just don't have enough leg strength yet, but, I'm starting to think a lighter quicker road bike might help my gross physical shortcomings, and they're ooooh so shiny!!.
Thanks to everyone for the help!

If your saddle is in the correct position then on most MTBs you shouldn't be able to touch the floor (not while seated anyway)

A road bike should be easier to pedal but they are also higher geared. In a few months time once you're legs have got used to cycling then you will find a road bike easier. However, in the mean time you're probably better off with the nice low gears of the MTB.

 

[peanut]

there is one other factor that everyone seems to polite to mention that of leg strength and cardio vascular fitness .

What is it that causes you to grind to a halt? is it being completely out of breath or is it the pain in your quads that turn your legs to jelly and threaten to explode.?

I set myself a 7 mile hilly loop around my village last Sept .Once a week on Sundays. within 8 weeks my leg muscles have become rock hard and contoured and I get a lot less pain in my legs. I still puff and pant a lot but even recovery is quicker.

You need to drive yourself into the PAIN ZONE
There is no other way . By pushing your muscles a little more than they are capable of on every ride your muscles become stronger to cope with the extra load you put on them.
It only needs to hurt for a few minutes every ride but it must really hurt or your muscles will not get stronger to cope with the hills.

Next time your legs are really burning and your lungs are just about to burst and you absolutely have to stop and climb off,... just grit your teeth and push another 10 pedal strokes.

Make a note on the hill where you climb off and determine that you will go just another 10 feet or 5 pedal strokes on the next ride before stopping. It will hurt but 3-4 rides later you will be going 40 feet further up that hill and your legs will be getting stronger.

All the gears in the world will not help you get up hills if your fitness and strength do not steadily improve by pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone

 

[boydj]

Peanut is right, you have to work hard to get fitter and stonger. However, rest and recovery are important too, so take to occasional day off and take it easy every other day. Cycling regularly four or five days a week will bring fairly rapid, and visible improvements to your fitness and that hill will soon become a lot easier.