# Hill Climbing



## Michaelt (12 Mar 2012)

Hi All,

Went out on a training ride on Sunday as I am planning on taking part in a 75m charity ride in May. I haven't done any big mileage this year, this is only my second 40 mile ride ever, the first one was basically flat.
Anyway, i was riding up Charing Hill, near Ashford in Kent, and anyone who knows this hill will know that it is quite long and for the most part a regular incline, the top part is steeper.

I started off on the big cog at the front and a middle cog at the back doing about 80rpm, (i have a 34/50 front and 25 cassette back, Fuji Team 3.0) I soon had to drop down to the small front cog and then work my way to the biggest (easiest gear) at the back. I then spent the majority of the hill in this gear maintaining 50-60rpm for the rest of the hill. By the time I got to the top I was nearly sick, after a few k's I was back to normal. (big cog at front, mddle cog rear)

My question is this; does this sound like an approriate speed/gearing or am i doing something wrong?
My ride info is here if it can be of any use:

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/mtimms1982/Cycling/524884

Thank you very much

Michael


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## YahudaMoon (12 Mar 2012)

Hi Micheal

Ive not been to Ashford in 20 + years. I have family in what was known as little Ireland. Can't say I remember any hills. Just lots of pubs 

Anyway you have your tactics back to front 

You want to start in a low gear for hill climbing and if you have the energy still in you near the top or half way up then start using your bigger gears

Play about with your gear tactics always starting in the low gear and you'll start to get / know what gear you want 

Hope that helps


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## HLaB (12 Mar 2012)

Its your first hilly ride its normal, practice will help. If I'm feeling fine I'll attack hills in a high gear and change down as I go if need be and perhaps changing up when its easier or as I stand up, so I don't run out of gears (easier said than done though ). If I'm interested in conserving energy (longer ride etc) and its a longer hill I pre-empt things by changing down to the smaller front chainring and do similar with the rear gears, changing down when I sit down/ it becomes harder and changing up when I stand up/ the going is easier.


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## Fab Foodie (12 Mar 2012)

Sounds normal ... you'll improve with practice. My 3 pieces of hill climbing advice are: Relax, Relax, Relax. let you upper body go limp, sit back in the saddle and use your lower back and legs to do the work. Use gearing and cadence that works for you, practice and experiment. We all climb differently.


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## Willo (12 Mar 2012)

Michaelt said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Anyway, i was riding up Charing Hill, near Ashford in Kent, and anyone who knows this hill will know that it is quite long and for the most part a regular incline, the top part is steeper.
> My ride info is here if it can be of any use:
> ...


 
I live in Ashford, although don't generally cycle out Charing way tending to go over Wye Crown if looking to punich myself with hill(s). Anyway, I'm no expert but have generally been trying to tackle hills in a similar way to yourself. While a bit part is down to practice and just keeping at it to get the fitness etc., I am starting to try starting off in a lower gear as YahudaMood recommends. Today, for example, I cycled 50 miles and starting to suffer a bit when cycling up the hill out of Hythe went right down into my lowest gear and just settled into a steady rhythm from the off. It worked for me, just clicking up a gear when it shallowed out a bit so I had a gear to go back down into for the steepest bits.



YahudaMoon said:


> Hi Micheal
> 
> Ive not been to Ashford in 20 + years. I have family in what was known as little Ireland. Can't say I remember any hills. Just lots of pubs


 
Funnily, my mum's side is Irish as is my wife to support your post!


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## Speedywheelsjeans (13 Mar 2012)

Start in your lowest gear and spin up loads near the bottom, you want to conserve your energy for the top, this also warms up your muscles and doesnt overwork them, as you get higher up in the mountains you can start utilising bigger gears to do some out of the saddle climbing, but remember you use lots more energy out of the saddle, this tactic will help for racing as a lot of guys smash their big gears near the start and run out of juice near the top, this is where you still have the energy to make a break away from the group.

Focus on keeping your body lose, shoulders, jaw and fingers mainly. Where you do have to get oput of the saddle go into a +1 or +2 gear to what you use in the saddle as your big muscles and body weight can pull bigger gears then.

You can flit between gears depending on gradient, you dont just have to stick to low gears and work up, but try spinning more near the bottom rather than wearing out your muscles.

You'll get fitter the more you climb, I puked after my first steep hill climb.. Now I blitz it in less than a minute


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## smutchin (13 Mar 2012)

I know that hill very well! It is indeed a slog and has a nasty kick near the top. I'll be going up it on the Man Of Kent 200 audax in a couple of weeks, possibly on a fixed gear...

Fab Foodie and Speedywheelsjeans have it about right - you're just not used to that level of effort. You _might_ be better off starting in a lower gear and spinning more, but you're not really doing anything wrong.

d.


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## GrasB (13 Mar 2012)

It's hard to tell from that track but it looks like you were trying to maintain speed at the bottom of the hill. It's too long for that trick to works for short inclines where you can clear them in 90s or so. As others have said start easy & look to increase your work rate towards the top of the climb. You'll need to work on your pacing to judge the climb correctly.


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## Michaelt (13 Mar 2012)

Thanks for the replies! 
Ok, I know I am going to sound stupid, but lowest gear = easiest? 

So I get the legs spinning quick and maintain a good rpm and work harder towards the top? I think I need to practice on much shorter hills, as I was in the easiest gear after about 500-600m. It was the first time I had done a hill that hard so I will try and find some more to practice on.

Good luck on using the fixed gear, that is very impressive!!


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## smutchin (13 Mar 2012)

GrasB said:


> It's hard to tell from that track but it looks like you were trying to maintain speed at the bottom of the hill.


 
The hill in question starts off quite gently and ramps up near the top, so finding the right pace for it is quite tricky. It's hard to resist the temptation to go quickly at the bottom...



Michaelt said:


> Thanks for the replies!
> So I get the legs spinning quick and maintain a good rpm and work harder towards the top?


 
Yes, the main thing is to keep something in reserve on the early section of the climb so you've got more to give when it gets steeper near the top.



> It was the first time I had done a hill that hard so I will try and find some more to practice on.


If you go up the A20 a bit towards Maidstone, there's always Hollingbourne Hill... 



> Good luck on using the fixed gear, that is very impressive!!


 
It's hard work but not impossible. I'm a lot slower up there on fixed than you are on gears though.

d.


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## Michaelt (13 Mar 2012)

I'm planning another 40m+ next weekend so will try it again but with a different approach. 

Its probably not a bad idea to try it with someone who knows what they're doing!! If anyone fancies towing me up there that would be great!


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## GrasB (13 Mar 2012)

At the end of the day with the right gearing that's not exactly a challenging climb (but I will admit to having a rather warped version of challenging due to where I TT). I'm just wondering if a 28t or 32t large sprocket would be more appropriate than a 25t sprocket.


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## smutchin (13 Mar 2012)

GrasB said:


> At the end of the day with the right gearing that's not exactly a challenging climb (but I will admit to having a rather warped version of challenging due to where I TT).


 
To be fair, it's quite challenging enough for someone doing only their second ever 40 mile ride. There are tougher climbs in the area but the OP should build up to them - I mentioned Hollingbourne Hill earlier, but only in jest.



> I'm just wondering if a 28t or 32t large sprocket would be more appropriate than a 25t sprocket.


 
Nah, my road bike has the same gearing and it's plenty low enough for round these parts.

d.


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## GrasB (13 Mar 2012)

smutchin said:


> To be fair, it's quite challenging enough for someone doing only their second ever 40 mile ride. There are tougher climbs in the area but the OP should build up to them - I mentioned Hollingbourne Hill earlier, but only in jest.


Yeah well I'm used to Alpine hill climbs... as I said I'll admit my sense of a 'hard climb' is a little warped these days



> Nah, my road bike has the same gearing and it's plenty low enough for round these parts.


Gearing is relative to the strength of the rider. I could quite happily make do with an 11-23 cassette & a 53t chainring around these parts. There are riders who will struggle with a 34t bottom chainring with an 11-23 same cassette.


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## smutchin (13 Mar 2012)

GrasB said:


> Gearing is relative to the strength of the rider. I could quite happily make do with an 11-23 cassette & a 53t chainring around these parts. There are riders who will struggle with a 34t bottom chainring with an 11-23 same cassette.


 
True, but based on what Michael has told us about his first attempt at Charing Hill, I reckon he'll get on fine using what he's got - with a little more practice...

d.


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## Michaelt (14 Mar 2012)

> True, but based on what Michael has told us about his first attempt at Charing Hill, I reckon he'll get on fine using what he's got - with a little more practice...
> 
> d.


 
Thanks for the vote of confidence, I was beginning to think that my bonfire was being put out!!


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## Banjo (14 Mar 2012)

Michaelt said:


> Thanks for the vote of confidence, I was beginning to think that my bonfire was being put out!!


 
I changed my cassette with 25 tooth rear cog for a new cassette with a 28 tooth largest cog.

I climb at the same speed as before but with faster cadence which is easier on the knees.(occasional knee pain before, none now)

It does sound from what you wrote that what you have is ok for you/where you ride but you are just out of practice.


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## GrasB (14 Mar 2012)

Michaelt said:


> Thanks for the vote of confidence, I was beginning to think that my bonfire was being put out!!


I think you'll be much more comfortable with a the extra teeth on the cassette when climbing. A 12-28 cassette is fundamentally the same as a 12-25 but with the last two sprockets being 24 & 28t not 23 & 25t. 11-28 cassettes come in various different sprocket setups so may or may not be a modified 11-28, SRAM is one make that runs a 'modified' 11-25.


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## 2old2care (15 Mar 2012)

I always remember reading a story told by a lady whom was regularly riding up a steep and long hill with her husband. The husband would charge past her at the bottom of the hill, whilst she would pootle up in a comfortable gear and eventually pass him puffing and panting like he'd done two marathon's. Hope this helps.


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