Struggle on Hills on Road Bike

[Lee_M]

Well I certainly wont be encouraging any more older cyclists and try to tell them they can get better in future as apparently only speed matters, and you cant be fitter unless you're faster.
To the OP, as I said at the start, go at your own speed and ignore everyone else, including me.

and now I'm out of here

 

[Dogtrousers]

I find really spectacular views can be a great distraction from the hill-climbing effort, which is why I head for the longest, biggest hills I can find every chance I get. Yes, I know: it's counterintuitive.

And they tend to have places where you just HAVE to stop ... to admire the view and take some photos.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

And they tend to have places where you just HAVE to stop ... to admire the view and take some photos.

Yes, I tend to do that a lot on the really scenic climbs.

 

[S-Express]

Well I certainly wont be encouraging any more older cyclists and try to tell them they can get better in future as apparently only speed matters, and you cant be fitter unless you're faster.

What on earth are you talking about? Nobody (apart from you) has ever said that. It's like you're posting in some kind of alternative reality.

 

[warder]

Alternatively, you could try explaining it now?

Age generally makes you slower. It doesn't necessarily mean you are less fit. Just older. It's part of the circle of life.
You also go grey, you get up for a wee in the middle of the night, and you get huge clumps of nose hair.

 

[S-Express]

Age generally makes you slower. It doesn't necessarily mean you are less fit. Just older. It's part of the circle of life.
You also go grey, you get up for a wee in the middle of the night, and you get huge clumps of nose hair.

'Age' is a fairly non-specific term though, isn't it. It's also true that your performance can nearly always be improved upon, regardless of age.

 

[warder]

Yes you're right. Just seems to get harder as you get older.
Just for clarification, are we still talking about cycling performance. LOL.

 

[Ajax Bay]

you cant be fitter unless you're faster.

Wrong way round: you can't be faster unless you're fitter.

Age generally makes you slower.

It's not age that 'makes' you slower, it's (mainly) a reduction in fitness. If you are 'slower', it necessarily means you are less fit. How do you want to measure 'fitness' in this context (ie athletic ability not healthiness)? And to quote a well known authority: "your performance [speed x distance or vertical height gain per minute] can nearly always be improved upon, regardless of age"
Grey - yes although not if bald. Midnight stumbles - check. Nose hair clumps - personal choice.

 

[fatjel]

A few years ago I bought a Giant Defy, one of the reasons was the 11-32 cassette
I figured this would make big hills easier.. Which it did
All my faster times up mountains tho were with the the previous bikes 14-28 cassette
I prefer easier to faster

 

[jarlrmai]

Stick a compact on as well, if your not putting out pro watts you need the gears to climb those same hills at half the pace.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Stick a compact on as well

What like this crankset? (OP quoted below):

The bike currently has Claris double(compact) gear leavers and I am running a FSA Tempo, 34/50 crankset

 

[jonny jeez]

Hi all, I am after some advice.

Well a year ago I got my first road bike (2015 Giant Defy 4) and at the time I was a heavy (18st 2lb). A year in and only done 1,500 miles and now (16st 12lb) I still struggle to climb hills in and around Derbyshire all the time. All my rides have many hills in them being in Derbyshire but I just seem to always struggle on them still and there is some that I just have to stop half way as my legs give in and I am just not able to get up them like the others I ride in with my club.

I was wondering would it be possible to change the gearing on my bike so make climbs a bit more easier for me like changing the cassette or even fitting a triple crankset on the front.

The bike currently has Claris double(compact) gear leavers and I am running a FSA Tempo, 34/50 crankset and SRAM PG 850 11-32 rear cassette.

Any advice would be great (I know losing some more weight may help as well)

Many Thanks
Chris

Sounds familiar.

I can outpace most my ride buddies on the flat...for longer too but the hills stop me in my tracks sometimes and I feel like I'm going backwards.

I'm on a double too.

I know the answer, which you do too but if you find a magic cure that doesn't involve hill training, let me know.

Well done on the weight loss.

 

[Lee_M]

you cant be fitter unless you're faster.

Wrong way round: you can't be faster unless you're fitter.

Nope I didnt say that I was disagreeing with that :-)

It's not age that 'makes' you slower, it's (mainly) a reduction in fitness.

and one of those reasons is age and wastage whether thats muscle or bone

If you are 'slower', it necessarily means you are less fit. How do you want to measure 'fitness' in this context (ie athletic ability not healthiness)?

That was my whole point, fittness doesnt necessarily mean race fitness, and my original point was I could go faster when I was younger, but now I can go further, so I still claim I'm fitter than I was when I could do 20 miles at 20 mph, whereas I can now do 100 miles at 17mph, to me that is being fitter

And to quote a well known authority: "your performance [speed x distance or vertical height gain per minute] can nearly always be improved upon, regardless of age"

I disagree, more like, for any age your performance can be improved, but as you get older you naturally get less capable,

 

[warder]

"It's not age that 'makes' you slower, it's (mainly) a reduction in fitness. If you are 'slower', it necessarily means you are less fit. How do you want to measure 'fitness' in this context (ie athletic ability not healthiness)? "

So, if a 39 year old premiership midfield footballer has kept himself in prime condition. Nutrition, training etc....are you saying he could compete with a 29 year old with similar dedication to training? Or will his age have caught up with him? I'm sure the 39 year old would feel supremely fit (maybe as fit as he's ever been). But he would come to the realisation that he could no longer compete, and hang up his boots because of his age.

 

[S-Express]

So, if a 39 year old premiership midfield footballer has kept himself in prime condition. Nutrition, training etc....are you saying he could compete with a 29 year old with similar dedication to training? Or will his age have caught up with him? I'm sure the 39 year old would feel supremely fit (maybe as fit as he's ever been). But he would come to the realisation that he could no longer compete, and hang up his boots because of his age.

The physical demands of football v cycling are totally different. I already gave some examples earlier of 'older' cyclists who are still able to ride at national/international levels - and in many cases they are capable still of exceeding the performance of younger riders, mainly because they continue to train hard and train appropriately. Comparing aging in cycling to other entirely different sports is a non-sequitur.