# How to tackle Hills



## chrisb1357 (5 Apr 2013)

Hi all,

As I live in Derbyshire there seems to be a hill at every corner and I seem to always find it hard to get up them and even more when I am cycling with a friend who has a road bike he is up at the top before I am even half way. I have a Giant CSR 4 hybrid.

Chris


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## ianrauk (5 Apr 2013)

Just keep climbing those hills. There is no magic formula for getting up hills apart from practice, practice, practice.

.


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## MontyVeda (5 Apr 2013)

I have a friend who sees every hill as a race to the top... I'm more into_ sit back and take it easy_ on most hills... I'm in no rush.The really annoying thing is he thinks he's beaten me every time... but fails to realise I've never competed.

you may not be as bad at hills as you think.


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## Sittingduck (5 Apr 2013)

What's your fitness and weight like? Are you new to cycling or been doing it a while?


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## chrisb1357 (5 Apr 2013)

Well I am a bit overweight and I like to go out for 10 to 15 miles a week or every few weeks


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## coffeejo (5 Apr 2013)

Break it into chunks so you climb so far, stop for a drink and a breather, then start again. Next time you do that hill, try and go beyond your invisible marker before stopping, then a bit further the next time. But (and this is a case of me needing to take my own advice) don't beat yourself up if you can't get as far as you'd like, even if you've done it before. Some days you've got the legs, some days you don't.


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## Sittingduck (5 Apr 2013)

Ok, so it's a fitness and experience thing.

Good tip from Jo, as above. Folk will tell you to just get off and walk and there's no shame in walking etc but (IMHO), if you get off and walk when the going gets tough, you will not improve as quickly as you could. Stop and recover, if needed - then start peddaling again 

Your performance will improve as you do more cycling and become more practiced in hill climbing. If you end up doing longer rides and riding more regularly, you will very likely see a marked improvement in fitness which will yield a large improvement, again IMHO.

Stick with it and spin a gear at which you can manage - don't try to push anything too high and shag your legs out.


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## chqshaitan (5 Apr 2013)

Hi Bud,

I have the same bike as you, and also struggle with hills.(although i am much better now than i was when i first started a couple of months ago).

The mega range gear works wonders though, as it gives me the ability to the top of hills much easier than sticking in 2nd. Originally my legs were shagged at the top, and I had to take a breather, now i can keep on cycling.

There is nothing better than just getting on the bike as frequent as you can.


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## helston90 (5 Apr 2013)

Keep on practising is the only real way- build fitness/ strength and stamina. 
Who's in better nick at the top? If your riding buddy is dying in a sweaty crumpled heap next to their bike whilst you pootle by 2-3 minutes later ready to carry on who's won really?


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## chqshaitan (5 Apr 2013)

helston90 said:


> Keep on practising is the only real way- build fitness/ strength and stamina.
> Who's in better nick at the top? If your riding buddy is dying in a sweaty crumpled heap next to their bike whilst you pootle by 2-3 minutes later ready to carry on who's won really?


 
+1,

its not about who got to the top of the hill first, but who can finish the ride imo. also cycling for me, is about getting my butt out of the chair, and out in the fresh air. If each ride was a competition with a friend, i may be less inclined to go out, which defeats the object


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## deanE (5 Apr 2013)

I started cycling when I retired a couple of years ago. I used to be total cr*p at hills. Now I am just rubbish.


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## Andrew_Culture (5 Apr 2013)

Move to Suffolk


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## chrisb1357 (5 Apr 2013)

Thanks for the tips people. On my last ride I did stop half way for a few sec for a drink etc then carried on. As I got to the top my mate was having a rest and I just carried on pass him LOL.

When I am out on a ride my avg speed is around 11mph on a 15 mile ride

I did think it was down to my bike having heavy Schwalbe *Marathon Plus* tyres


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## Sittingduck (5 Apr 2013)

Heavy bikes and especially additional weight on the wheels and tyres will make a big difference but the key is fitness. When you become cycling fit (or fitter) you will see a great benefit from changing to lighter kit but it could be argued that training and learning on heavier equipment is no bad thing.


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## Pat "5mph" (5 Apr 2013)

coffeejo said:


> Break it into chunks so you climb so far, stop for a drink and a breather, then start again. Next time you do that hill, try and go beyond your invisible marker before stopping, then a bit further the next time. But (and this is a case of me needing to take my own advice) don't beat yourself up if you can't get as far as you'd like, even if you've done it before. Some days you've got the legs, some days you don't.


Believe it or not, I like hills.
I would like to get better at them, sort of middle of the pack at the mo, probably heavy bikes and still smoking a few has something to do with this 
On practicing, my problems are that if I stop midway a steep hill I can't start again: sometimes I solve this by sort of starting sideways, so not to slide back the hill or fall off the bike.
One of my local hills has traffic light just before the top. I can make it, but if I need to stop at the red remounting the bike becomes hazardous.
Also, what are your tips for practicing when traffic is present?
Sometimes I would like to tackle a hill but not sure if I can make it, wouldn't like the car behind to crash into me because I stopped


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## coffeejo (5 Apr 2013)

Make sure your push-off pedal is at the 10 or 11 clock position so you get the most benefit from that first push, and be ready with the other leg to carry it through. Having said that, I work on the theory that if my legs aren't able to get me restarted, they're probably not going to get me to the top, so I either take a longer break or start pushing until it levels out a bit. 

I'm lucky with the quiet roads around here and if there's a car coming, happily take advantage of the longer break and wait til it has gone past. But the same rules about not riding in the gutter apply.


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## boybiker (5 Apr 2013)

coffeejo said:


> Break it into chunks so you climb so far, stop for a drink and a breather, then start again. Next time you do that hill, try and go beyond your invisible marker before stopping, then a bit further the next time. But (and this is a case of me needing to take my own advice) don't beat yourself up if you can't get as far as you'd like, even if you've done it before. Some days you've got the legs, some days you don't.


 
This plus dont forget sometimes you will have a head wind making small hills into mountains and you will need to go up them in an easier gear. I also tend to find rotating standing up, sitting forward on the saddle and sitting back on the saddle gets me up most hills .


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## coffeejo (5 Apr 2013)

Oh, and relax your back, shoulders, arms and hands. Don't waste energy by tensing those muscles.


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## Ladytrucker (5 Apr 2013)

Same here. Very hilly where I am too and I'm beginning again after about 8 years and +2 stone. I've changed my tyers which make a difference and feel I'm getting fitter and better each time I'm out. 

Start by seeing how far you can get up before you have to stop and take a mental note of a landmark. For me it is field gates, pothole or a tuft of grass. Next time push yourself a little further and add a bit on each time. Before you know it you will manage the lot. One poster on here said to use the downhill and flat areas to recover from the hills and don't put too much energy into going fast on these parts (until you can do the hills anyway).
Oh and granny gears when needed.


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## sheffgirl (5 Apr 2013)

I'm working on the hills, there's one particular one I am determined to conquer. I actually managed it twice this week, but I stopped part way up and had a rest each time. My goal now is to make it in one go. Just keep pushing yourself to go a little bit further each time, and eventually you will get there. Today I managed to get a lot further in one go than I have yet  I've found the trick is to get into a low gear (I use the 9th lowest of my 24 gears) and just focus on pedalling steadily. Counting aloud and not looking up too much helps too


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## stevede (5 Apr 2013)

I had an issue with hills when I re started cycling last year. Determined to get to grips with them, I took a look at what I was doing and realised that I was charging at them and trying too hard. I now approach them in a steady fashion and use my speedo to gauge the pace I find comfortable. If I fins my self speeding up, I consciously slow back down back to my chosen speed. I now find that I can get up the regular hills a little faster and without feeling quite as bad at the top. I have both road and mountain bike and on one particular hill am 3 mph faster on the road than the MTB.

Keep working at it, it does get easier.

Tyre wise, I found the Schwalbe Land cruiser www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24622 gave a good compromise on the road (1.75" version)

Best regards

Steve


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## GrasB (5 Apr 2013)

chrisb1357 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> As I live in Derbyshire there seems to be a hill at every corner and I seem to always find it hard to get up them and even more when I am cycling with a friend who has a road bike he is up at the top before I am even half way. I have a Giant CSR 4 hybrid.
> 
> Chris


There are 2 ways to get up hills...
1. low gear & twiddle away the pedals at silly low speeds - this is the least painful way but makes hills long & boring, plus you hold up your buddies, though take long enough & they can have a nice cuppa... or a good nights sleep at the summit (You'd understand if you met some of the 'hills' I climb up in the summer)
2. Attack it like a maniac & find you burn out half way up... keep the same effort level at the bottom & repeat every few days until you make it all the way up. Once you've managed that next time push even harder. - It's painful, won't make the hills any easier but you'll get up them quicker.


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## potsy (5 Apr 2013)

Ladytrucker said:


> Start by seeing how far you can get up before you have to stop and take a mental note of a landmark. For me it is field gates, pothole or a tuft of grass. Next time push yourself a little further and add a bit on each time. Before you know it you will manage the lot.


 
That's a really good tip Ladytrucker, I did this on my commute when I first started cycling, little bit further each time before getting off and walking, now it's a middle ring middle of the cassette hill


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## tonyw (5 Apr 2013)

my favorite spot is at the top of a large hill i break it up into 2 sections,stop and have a drink and carry on but one thing about hills you get to the top eventually you get to come back down


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## Haz (5 Apr 2013)

"sit and spin" is what I go by - whack it into bottom gear and spin your legs a bit faster. As others have said, think of each hill in terms of little chunks, starting with the chunk you're on and see just how many more chunks you can go up without stopping. Before you know it you're at the top with a nice big downhill to whizz down!  And your friend should wait for you at the top so you can regroup.
Good luck, the hills do get easier!


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## Chris Norton (5 Apr 2013)

Hills are the best thing about cycling imho. Shame I have to do about 20 miles simply to get to one that even pretends to be one. Different from when I lived in Swadlincote.


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## SWSteve (6 Apr 2013)

re: hills, mine are either very long or very steep. I find picking a gear when I'm at a good speed/cadence and am not too pushed helps. Change sooner so you aren't on the back foot and just GET UP IT!!! You'll soon find yourself doing better, getting off and pushing isn't something to be ashamed of, we aren't all Chris Froome/Nigel


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## Shut Up Legs (6 Apr 2013)

Knowing when to change gears also helps. If the slope you're climbing is about to become steeper, change to the lower gear you need for the steeper bit slightly before you reach it, then you'll find you ascend the hill at a more consistent speed. That makes it easier on your quads .


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## coffeejo (6 Apr 2013)

potsy said:


> That's a really good tip Ladytrucker, I did this on my commute when I first started cycling, little bit further each time before getting off and walking, now it's a middle ring middle of the cassette hill


And that's just the canal path


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## G3CWI (6 Apr 2013)

coffeejo said:


> And that's just the canal path



Ahhh now only about three weeks ago I had to get off and push my bike up the canal tow path. Here in Cheshire we even build in hills on tow paths. Check out Bosley Locks.


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## Nigelnaturist (6 Apr 2013)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> re: hills, mine are either very long or very steep. I find picking a gear when I'm at a good speed/cadence and am not too pushed helps. Change sooner so you aren't on the back foot and just GET UP IT!!! You'll soon find yourself doing better, getting off and pushing isn't something to be ashamed of, we aren't all Chris Froome/Nigel


If thats referring to me Steve, I dont climb much as there isnt much around here as Chris says I got to ride 15-20 miles to the hills, got a few short climbs, but nothing longer than 1/2 to 1 mile, if it wasn't aimed at me ignore my ramblings as I may have missed something.


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## themosquitoking (6 Apr 2013)

victor said:


> Knowing when to change gears also helps. If the slope you're climbing is about to become steeper, change to the lower gear you need for the steeper bit slightly before you reach it, then you'll find you ascend the hill at a more consistent speed. That makes it easier on your quads .


 
I tried this today and what do you know, it made everything much easier. Cheers fella.


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## Peteaud (6 Apr 2013)

Did this today.








Red = > 10%
Blue = >5%
%​Nearly killed me.


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## SpokeyDokey (6 Apr 2013)

^^^^ Bit steep that - you did good!


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## Peteaud (6 Apr 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> ^^^^ Bit steep that - you did good!


 
Thanks


CoffeeJo will know this hill.

Its the one next to Barleymows that drops down to wadeford op the haymaker.


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## coffeejo (6 Apr 2013)

Peteaud said:


> Thanks
> 
> 
> CoffeeJo will know this hill.
> ...


I was at Barleymow's today!! We went round Combs St Nicholas though, didn't fancy it after the climbs up Blagdon Hill, and Upottery-Stockland-Barleymow's.


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## Peteaud (6 Apr 2013)

coffeejo said:


> I was at Barleymow's today!! We went round Combs St Nicholas though, didn't fancy it after the climbs up Blagdon Hill, and Upottery-Stockland-Barleymow's.


 
I must go for breakfast there soon.

I go down the road op barleymows and along the ridge past Ferne Animals, then drop down towards Axminster to waggs plot.

The scenery is jaw dropping.


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## coffeejo (6 Apr 2013)

I'm very taken with that area. A friend's brother farms in that neck of the woods and it's just incredible.


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## ribbleboy (6 Apr 2013)

Just keep practicing


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## SWSteve (6 Apr 2013)

Nigelnaturist said:


> If thats referring to me Steve, I dont climb much as there isnt much around here


 
Oh, from previous posts I have viewed you as a real king of hills. I shall withdraw that


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## Nigelnaturist (6 Apr 2013)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Oh, from previous posts I have viewed you as a real king of hills. I shall withdraw that


Nice of you to say so, I do try, and got a few p.b's on a few today.


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## SWSteve (6 Apr 2013)

Nigelnaturist said:


> Nice of you to say so, I do try, and got a few p.b's on a few today.


Great going! I think that molten ball in the sky has helped us all, it certainly helped me, if only it wasn't going to rain all week.


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## philinmerthyr (7 Apr 2013)

I was in Gulidford yesterday to went to see Leith Hill and Box Hill. I'll need to ride both 50 miles into the London 100 in Aug. After that I've realised that I need to start adding more of the welsh valley climbs into my training.






The KOM was due to me being in the car. I've now deleted both rides from Strava so I don't upset any of the Strava racers. 

Leith Hill was the steeper of the 2. There were loads of cyclists idling the hills. Driving around them was a nightmare. 

Off out soon to do some hill climbing.


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## Rob3rt (7 Apr 2013)

I think the answer is quite simple.......... ride your bike more!


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## GrasB (7 Apr 2013)

Peteaud said:


> Did this today.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That isn't a hill! THIS is a hill... with fangs & claws at the ready to devour the unsuspecting.




9.5km with 980-1100m ascent depending on what resource you use (my Garmin keeps come up with numbers around in the 1025-1040m range). The last section to the top is just shy of 20% & it maxes a shade over 26%. It's a nightmare to deal with because it's not a straight forward climb you can settle into, it's like a choppy rolling landscape put on top of 9% sustained ascent. So you just about get settled into the climb then it's into a short descent, but just as you get sorted in that it's rising up heading for 20%.


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## cervelo chic (9 Apr 2013)

I find that turbo training is the best tool for improving hill climbing. I have found that a couple of hard sessions for 45mins a week has helped improve my hill times by 30+seconds and they feel easier now too


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## Nigelnaturist (9 Apr 2013)

cervelo chic said:


> I find that turbo training is the best tool for improving hill climbing. I have found that a couple of hard sessions for 45mins a week has helped improve my hill times by 30+seconds and they feel easier now too


Same can be said about just going out and climbing the hills, the harder you work the easier they become.


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## cervelo chic (9 Apr 2013)

depends how fast you want to improve though


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## Nigelnaturist (9 Apr 2013)

cervelo chic said:


> depends how fast you want to improve though


Just do more hills, or the same hill over and over, or ride into this wind we've been having of late.


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## ianwoodi (9 Apr 2013)

At the moment i am managing 12mph up a 10% hill is this a good average speed or is there room for improvement


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## Nigelnaturist (9 Apr 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> At the moment i am managing 12mph up a 10% hill is this a good average speed or is there room for improvement


Better than me, depends how long it is.


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## Rob3rt (9 Apr 2013)

The OP rides 10-15 miles a week, sometimes not even that. If anyone thinks he needs specific hill training they are loosing their marbles!


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## Sittingduck (9 Apr 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> At the moment i am managing 12mph up a 10% hill is this a good average speed or is there room for improvement


 
Sounds like you need to get Strava, which is the ultimate in comparison tools, imho. Also great for tracking improvements and motivating yourself.


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## GrasB (9 Apr 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> At the moment i am managing 12mph up a 10% hill is this a good average speed or is there room for improvement


10% at 12mph = 500w which is good, eg. you will have to be doing some effective training, assuming:

It's a steady gradient rather than 10% peek
This climb is a reasonable length, eg. more than 60s of climbing at a steady pace
You're at speed equilibrium rather than maintain as much momentum as possible
You're 11st & 5ft 10' riding on the hoods
You had no wind or draft assistance
You're on a non-aero bike that weights 10kg all up


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## HLaB (9 Apr 2013)

Sittingduck said:


> Heavy bikes and especially additional weight on the wheels and tyres will make a big difference but the key is fitness. When you become cycling fit (or fitter) you will see a great benefit from changing to lighter kit but it could be argued that training and learning on heavier equipment is no bad thing.


 Untill my shunt last week I liked to train/ commute on my heavy fixie for that reason.


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## Sara_H (9 Apr 2013)

The only advice is to climb the hills as often as possible.

I cycle commuted for years, but only worked two days a week and the hills defeated me. When I increased my hours and started cycling four days a week I was suddenly better at the hills within weeks! All those years struggling and all I needed to do was increase the amount of time spent hill climbing!


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## ianwoodi (9 Apr 2013)

I found that out the more hill you climb the better you get I go out most days weather permitting warm up for two miles and do a good short steep hill and then i head for longhill which is 3% but long and push as hard as i can


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## GrasB (9 Apr 2013)

Sittingduck said:


> Heavy bikes and *especially additional weight on the wheels and tyres* will make a big difference


No, no, no & again NO!

A 11.3kg all up weight bike with deep section aero wheels & Durano+ 25-622 tyres will climb steep & slow just as well as a 11.3kg bike with light weight rims & tyres once Crr & CdA has been taken into consideration. I have tested this several times, with the same result, the all up weight is important, where that weight is on the bike isn't important. Now the thing is to get the same weight I simply added water to my water bottle.


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## Sittingduck (9 Apr 2013)

Ok - no need to get shouty...

Are you sure that's a no?


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## BigonaBianchi (9 Apr 2013)

there is a secret to getting up the hills....

at the top there is always a fit blonde with big cakes...keep telling yourself that and everest will seem small


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## GetAGrip (9 Apr 2013)

BigonaBianchi said:


> there is a secret to getting up the hills....
> 
> at the top there is always a fit blonde with big cakes...keep telling yourself that and everest will seem small


That doesn't help me much


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## BigonaBianchi (9 Apr 2013)

..you don't like big cakes?


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## john59 (9 Apr 2013)

I remember doing the 90km, four passes, Keswick sportive last year. My advice is to just take your time, there will always be people faster than you, and go at your own pace. But you do have to put some training in to make it, slightly, easier.


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## BigonaBianchi (9 Apr 2013)

Taking climbs like this is 90% mental and 50% physical


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## Shut Up Legs (9 Apr 2013)

cervelo chic said:


> depends how fast you want to improve though





Nigelnaturist said:


> Just do more hills, or the same hill over and over, or ride into this wind we've been having of late.


My approach exactly. There's a popular cycling climb at the Dandenong Ranges, which conveniently enough is about 14km from where I live by road, so last year I rode up this hill on about 40 different occasions. Some days I took it easy, and on others I started the lap timer and really pushed myself, and my ascent time decreased by about 20%. The view's better than on a turbo trainer, too.


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## Nomadski (10 Apr 2013)

john59 said:


> I remember doing the 90km, four passes, Keswick sportive last year. My advice is to just take your time, there will always be people faster than you, and go at your own pace. But you do have to put some training in to make it, slightly, easier.


 
How did you do the fancypants elevation pic?


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## HLaB (10 Apr 2013)

Nomadski said:


> How did you do the fancypants elevation pic?


Looks like they've done a screen dump from www.veloviewer.com .


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## Nomadski (10 Apr 2013)

HLaB said:


> Looks like they've done a screen dump from www.veloviewer.com .


 
Cheers, will have a look at that.


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## RussellZero (10 Apr 2013)

I'm not good at hills, but I have noticed how much difference loosing a few kgs makes. The other thing I'd suggest is measuring each run you do, use cyclemeter, strava or something similar, or just time your whole route, but for someone like me with a competitive nature it really spurs me on to compete against my previous best time.


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## john59 (10 Apr 2013)

Nomadski said:


> How did you do the fancypants elevation pic?


From here, http://veloviewer.com


John


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## philinmerthyr (12 Apr 2013)

My rear cassette is a 12-30. On the steeper climbs I find my cadence dropping to below 60 even in the lowest gear. I'm considering changing the rear cassette.

Would I be better changing my rear cassette so I can increase my cadence? I've seen 11-25 cassettes, would this make much difference? Is there a better ratio available? I need to use it with 105 shifters and mech. 

Are there any other options. I plan to lose weight and get fitter as well as that will help more.


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## Nosaj (12 Apr 2013)

philinmerthyr said:


> My rear cassette is a 12-30. On the steeper climbs I find my cadence dropping to below 60 even in the lowest gear. I'm considering changing the rear cassette.
> 
> Would I be better changing my rear cassette so I can increase my cadence? I've seen 11-25 cassettes, would this make much difference? Is there a better ratio available? I need to use it with 105 shifters and mech.
> 
> Are there any other options. I plan to lose weight and get fitter as well as that will help more.


 
The more teeth there are on the rear sprocket the easier the gear. Conversely the less teeth there are on the front the easier the gear. Dropping to a 25 would actually give you higher not lower gears assuming that you don't also change your cranks. The other thing to watch though is that as you increase teeth on the rear, so the chain size may have to increase otherwise you could end up with shifting issues. There are also compatability issues so you couldn't just throw on any high tooth rear cassette and expect everything to work.

Are you on a compact double 50/34 at the front Standard double something like 52/39 or a triple

I am not that Mechanically astute l but I am sure that if you can tell us what have up front and at the rear some others may be able to provide options/possibilities for combining MTB/touring cassettes with your current set up -

This may be better as a separate topic in the technical know how section of the forum


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## philinmerthyr (12 Apr 2013)

Nosaj said:


> This may be better as a separate topic in the technical know how section of the forum



Thanks. I've added a thread in the technical section.


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## Rob3rt (12 Apr 2013)

You have twiddle gears already, spending money is not the best option, you need to push harder on the pedals!


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