Which gear for climbing

[growingvegetables]

Dunno – I'm not a cyclist, I just want to get there on two wheels ------ faster than I can walk!

You get a pretty quick feel for a hill? For me, I'll keep my feet spinning - so it could be

• not a bad hill – stay in high on the front, and use 7, 6, 5, (maybe 4) on the back;
• a ****** of a hill - into the middle on the front, and 5, 4, 3 (maybe 2) on the back;
• a real ***** of a hill - down to low on the front, and 4, 3, 2 on the back --- down to 1? Naaah – I'm quicker walking!

Some of my kids are older now - I love walking up the hill faster than their churning pedals can take 'em Hey - credit to them for not giving up

 

[twobiker]

You would need some,boots,jacket,rucksack,rope,crampons,and those pointy things you put in the rock.

 

[xpc316e]

I prefer to have the gear that allows my legs to go round, as the gear that doesn't is the wrong one , so just play with the levers till your legs go faster and youve cracked it

+1

Just listen to your legs, and if they are not up to the task, change to a smaller number (whether it be left, or right,changer) for going uphill. Change to higher numbers if you are going down the other side and your legs are a blur. Simple!

 

[Part time cyclist]

Thanks for you input guys finally conquered the hill on several occasions now, I had my nephew with me who is younger and fitter he climbed ahead of me shouting encouragement (apparently that's what he calls it lol) I have alsobeen attacking smaller hills so i think it was all down to fitness and stamina

 

[al78]

on my mountain bike, gear 1
its the same gear to be used for downhill
its also the same gear to be used for on the flat.

Single speed mountain bikes: for those who cycle on flat mountains .

 

[ManiaMuse]

On a similar note...

Given near enough the same gear ratios produced, is it better to use the big ring at the front and a big cog at the back, or the small ring at the front and a smaller cog at the bock?

 

[monnet]

For the most part, aim to keep the chain in the middle of the cassette at the back. At the point where you're looking for higher/ lower gears you should aim to go for big at the front small at the back/ small at the front big at the back. This minimises chain cross over which a) improves wear on your chain and b) more importantly doesn't strain things which could lead to the chain slipping (which can be painful).

 

[Dan_h]

I have got round this problem by only having one gear! That way I am never in the wrong gear, I am just not pedalling hard enough

 

[Xiorell]

I've found I am better with a higher gear and putting down loads of power, spinning fast doesn't seem to work for me unless I round a corner to find myself at the foot of what may as well be a mountain.
I keep trying to get used to spinning when I am out for a long ride, most people seem to suggest it's the way forward so I am "trying" to get used to it

 

[Wightdragon]

Depends. When alone on the road bike and the hill is steep but short it is beaten into submission with high gears . When pulling a 7 year old on his tag-along up a 12-15% slope on the hybrid it is a granny gear and spinning away like a washing machine (he isn't as much help as he could be!). All sorts of gearing used in between these two extremes. Legs and fitness more important than gears I find, plus a never say die attitude.

 

[peelywally]

the easiest one

 

[jdtate101]

Really depends. On my regular training hill (10%-20%) I started out doing it in lowest gear. I've now moved up to 3rd as I get lighter and fitter. Go with whatever works I say, but if your training then pushing outside of your comfort zone is well worth it.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Hey new to the forum but been running for years and taken to cycling as well in a bid to not have my knee's give up on me by the time i hit 40!!

As far as i can tell it depends on your fitness and leg strength. An other factor to include would be the length of your journey. No point in blitzing a 2 mile steep incline with 60 miles still to go. I would suggest, if the hill/climb is short enough, to stay in a mid position/gear and power through. This will be tiring at first but with training will help in the long run. When you knock down to the easy gears you slow down so much that you are making the hill last so much longer causing burn! This will likely end up tiring your legs out way faster than a mid gear with power, not to mention the time it will knock off your ride. Better to relax slightly on the downhills etc as the time difference between going fast uphill as opposed to fast downhill is huge. Ideally use your energy for the uphill and use lighter power on the down. Just my 2 cents.

Ps, if you approach a monster hill thats going to last then you will have no option but to knuckle down to snail pace. Again just don't allow yourself to flag. Power through and and use the straight/downhill at top to recover. :-)

 

[albion]

The confusing thing is that the rear cogs read back to front.So highest gear is the small cog and lowest gear is the big cog.The smallest cog at the back is actually high gear even though the big cogs look higher!

 

[Moss]

Some hills can be a bug-ger to climb, no matter what gear you use! But while using "Small Front and Large Back" you fail to get to the top? You need more gears; or get fitter!