# HILLS. How can i improve?



## bubbles3 (29 Apr 2012)

I''ve been cycling about 11 months now, and still struggle on the hills. How can i improve? I generally use a low gear when climbing. Am i not spinning fast enough? Should i be working really hard on each hill so my legs are burning at the top? but i'm worried if i do that i'll completely die half way round the route im doing. I was wondering if i picked one day a week and did hill sessions only, would this help? I feel until i improve on the hills then my average speed won't improve. I still use trainers and toe clips if i moved to proper cycling shoes would this make any difference? Any advice greatly appreciated.


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## Mark Grant (29 Apr 2012)

Clipless pedals do make a difference, and the more you do the better you get.


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## musa (29 Apr 2012)

Yeah going clipless helps (maybe thats just what my head was saying) 

what time of bike you got? sometimes its just the gearing...theres a hill on my commute that I can do staying in the saddle....lowest gear so Im pretty much spinning then if out of saddle mid range

get your pedalling in smooth movement so round and round not up and down (dunno if this theory works but I read a post here and tried it myself does help)

BTW where you located?


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## Hacienda71 (29 Apr 2012)

Most important is practice. When riding relax your upper body, concentrate on putting the power down. Mix up seated riding and standing on the pedals, it let's you use different muscle groups. I change into a harder gear before standing on the pedals to maintain momentum. If you are carrying a few extra pounds try to lose them....


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## jdtate101 (29 Apr 2012)

Firstly we need some more info:

1) Rider weight and height
2) General fitness (good/bad)
3) Bike type

With climbing practice really does make perfect. As you get fitter and stronger you will find you're shifting into higher gears on the same climbs. Weight really is key to climbing, so any excess you can shift (ie round your middle) will make a huge difference. I started out at 18.5st and my regular hill took me about 10mins, now that I'm 12.5st I can do it in 4mins.
It's important to find where your threshold is (ie the max effort you can put out sustained without going into oxygen debt). Once you find roughly where this is then you can try and stay there and won't knacker yourself too much, whilst climbing at your peak efficiency. It's going to be somewhere about 80-85% of your max heart rate.
Cadence is also very important. Some people will grind away at a big gear at say 60rpm, others find it easier at 90+rpm. I personally find the higher cadence easier to climb. Having clipless pedals will defiantly help here.
Practice standing and sitting techniques. Learn to spin seated and to 'dance' when standing. There are plenty of youtube vids that explain the basic techniques.
One last thing, practice your breathing. Try and get a rhythm going with the cadence and get that oxygen in it may feel a bit odd on the lower half of the climbs to be blowing a lot, but you will be shedding CO2 and shifting the lactic acid. Later on in the climb you should find you don't suffer as much 'burn'.


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## bubbles3 (29 Apr 2012)

musa said:


> Yeah going clipless helps (maybe thats just what my head was saying)
> 
> what time of bike you got? sometimes its just the gearing...theres a hill on my commute that I can do staying in the saddle....lowest gear so Im pretty much spinning then if out of saddle mid range
> 
> ...


 Both my giant bikes have compact gears system but my TCR (for summer rides) has a slightly higher lowest gear than my SCR. I live in the countryside so there are hills on all my rides  one day i'll beat them!


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## Paul.G. (29 Apr 2012)

I know this might sound silly or strange but try getting a rythem going in your head to match your pedal strokes such as 1234 - 1234 - 1234. This takes your mind off the climb and helps you maintain a rythem.

Works for me, especially on long hard climbs


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## musa (29 Apr 2012)

bubbles3 said:


> Both my giant bikes have compact gears system but my TCR (for summer rides) has a slightly higher lowest gear than my SCR. I live in the countryside so there are hills on all my rides  one day i'll beat them!


 
oh ok should have mentioned i got a triple on my defy4 which i hardly use

and as Paul G mentioned...a rhythm is good approach the hill with confidence and do 1234 or come on come on people will probably look and think your mad


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## Dave 123 (29 Apr 2012)

Move to Holland....


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## bubbles3 (29 Apr 2012)

jdtate101 said:


> Firstly we need some more info:
> 
> 1) Rider weight and height
> 2) General fitness (good/bad)
> ...


 I'm female, 5' 2 and 9st 5lbs, my fitness is not that good, i've been riding my Giant SCR1 over the winter but only very short rides. I had my Giant TCR Alliance out today, (only 45 miles, so very much a beginner yet) and it's bottom gear is higher than the SCR1. I did have a wee monitor on my bike for a while which told me my RPM's but it stopped working, and i haven't replaced it yet. I do have a heart rate monitor but i havn't used it in ages, would you recommend using one on every ride? As you can see i have a lot to learn.


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## bubbles3 (29 Apr 2012)

Dave 123 said:


> Move to Holland....


  i like your sense of humor!!


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## Albert (29 Apr 2012)

Hills? It is all in the mind.
Don't think about how hard a hill is going to be, just realise that the climb will end at some point and that there is nothing to be gained by anticipating the effort/pain/misery. Worry is the most pointless of emotions: all things pass, good and bad.
We ride for the quality of the experience don't we? I have a climb near me on a good forest track that goes from 1000 to 1850 ft in just over a mile - it is hard work, but the view from the top is stunning. I could drive up in the car, but what would be the point?


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## Paul.G. (29 Apr 2012)

bubbles3 said:


> I'm female, 5' 2 and 9st 5lbs, my fitness is not that good, i've been riding my Giant SCR1 over the winter but only very short rides. I had my Giant TCR Alliance out today, (only 45 miles, so very much a beginner yet) and it's bottom gear is higher than the SCR1. I did have a wee monitor on my bike for a while which told me my RPM's but it stopped working, and i haven't replaced it yet. I do have a heart rate monitor but i havn't used it in ages, would you recommend using one on every ride? As you can see i have a lot to learn.
> 
> Only 45 miles!!
> I like the way you say "only" - 45 miles is a decent ride for anyone so I would say your a little further on than beginner.
> I dont like heart rate monitors, i would rather just keel-over on the bike than have any kind of warning of impending doom! Besides, it would probably go off the scale when climbing serious hills which could put me off from enjoying the pain and hardship of grunting my way up a 20% climb pretending to be a pro-cyclist lol


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## stephen.rooke (29 Apr 2012)

im a newbie also, but from my limited experience, the only way really is to ride more and build strength etc, you can also do technical things though like replacing cassettes etc


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## Mark Grant (29 Apr 2012)

Paul.G. said:


> I know this might sound silly or strange but try getting a rythem going in your head to match your pedal strokes such as 1234 - 1234 - 1234. This takes your mind off the climb and helps you maintain a rythem.
> 
> Works for me, especially on long hard climbs


 
I sometimes do this, though I sing to myself a song with a beat/rhythm to maintain cadence.


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## Dave 123 (29 Apr 2012)

Using a low gear- If you can, see if you can go up a gear or two and get off the seat. Pedalling with a bit more resistance rather than just spinning might help. It helps me. But make sure you keep an eye on the gears, I've been known to get 10 yds up a hill and thinking "bugger....!" too high a gear won't be too good.
Break the climb up visually- aim for the second tree, once there just get past the gate, then........ bite sized
Stamina helps- The more you do it the easier it is

But to be honest I still stand by my Dutch suggestion!


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## jdtate101 (30 Apr 2012)

bubbles3 said:


> I'm female, 5' 2 and 9st 5lbs, my fitness is not that good, i've been riding my Giant SCR1 over the winter but only very short rides. I had my Giant TCR Alliance out today, (only 45 miles, so very much a beginner yet) and it's bottom gear is higher than the SCR1. I did have a wee monitor on my bike for a while which told me my RPM's but it stopped working, and i haven't replaced it yet. I do have a heart rate monitor but i havn't used it in ages, would you recommend using one on every ride? As you can see i have a lot to learn.


 
Ok, your BMI is normal, so you probably don't have that much excess weight you can lose. Having a HRM is not vital, you should be able to gauge when running above your threshold, as it's when you can only sustain that effort for a short while, but since you do have a monitor wear it. You will be able to track you avg heart rate over time, and it should drop, showing you are getting fitter. Max HR can be roughly calculated as 220-age. Having a cadence monitor is very useful for forcing yourself to a set cadence, so if possible get it replaced.
Two exercises I started doing off the bike, do seem to help quite a bit. First is deep squats (knees down to 90 degrees), keep going until you feel the burn. Do something like 3 reps of 30 daily. The other one is called the plank (look it up online...takes too long to explain it here). The plank is a core strength exercise and will help you keep the power on whilst seated.


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## cyberknight (30 Apr 2012)

Don`t buy upgrades ride up grades 

Practise makes perfect .


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## Dan_h (30 Apr 2012)

The only way to improve at climbing hills is to... climb more hills! Your technique and strength will improve over time but you have to put in the miles slogging away on the climbs. Even then climbing will still seem hard 'cos you will want to push a bigger gear and get over them quicker!


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## gb155 (30 Apr 2012)

cyberknight said:


> Don`t buy upgrades ride up grades
> 
> Practise makes perfect .




Absolutely brilliant!!!


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## compo (30 Apr 2012)

Paul.G. said:


> I know this might sound silly or strange but try getting a rythem going in your head to match your pedal strokes such as 1234 - 1234 - 1234. This takes your mind off the climb and helps you maintain a rythem.
> 
> Works for me, especially on long hard climbs


 


Mark Grant said:


> I sometimes do this, though I sing to myself a song with a beat/rhythm to maintain cadence.


 

I wish I could sing going up hill. It is all I can do to breathe without using breath to serenade all and sundry.


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## jjc89 (30 Apr 2012)

also build up as much speed as you can before going up the hill, for the momentum to carry you up.


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## cyberknight (30 Apr 2012)

gb155 said:


> Absolutely brilliant!!!


I only quote the man many consider the best ...


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## lulubel (30 Apr 2012)

jjc89 said:


> also build up as much speed as you can before going up the hill, for the momentum to carry you up.


 
This is what I used to do when I was a kid, and I always ended up walking because I'd worn myself out building up speed before I even got to the hill!

I now take the opposite attitude. If I know there's a difficult hill coming, I take it steady on the approach, so I've got plenty of energy spare for the hill itself.

Hills do get easier. The most important thing is to get into a rhythm. Find a level of effort that's sustainable, and try to stick with it, changing up or down gears as you need to if the gradient changes. Also, vary how you tackle the hills on different rides. Sometimes, try to push yourself, and see how fast you can get up them without "blowing up" before you get to the top. Other days, just take it nice and steady. The more hills you do, the more your body will get used to it, and the easier/faster it will get.


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## lulubel (30 Apr 2012)

jdtate101 said:


> Ok, your BMI is normal, so you probably don't have that much excess weight you can lose.


 
Yes, BMI is in the normal range, so there's no reason to lose weight unless you want to do it to improve your power to weight ratio. (Basically, if you're putting out the same amount of power, but you weigh less, you'll go up hills faster.) The normal BMI range is quite wide, so if you wanted to go down the weight loss route, you could lose 2 stone before you became underweight.

I do want to make it very clear, however, that you are a healthy weight. You are NOT overweight, and do not need to lose weight. The only reason to lose weight would be because, the lighter you are, the easier it is to cycle up hills!


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## pepecat (30 Apr 2012)

I hate hills.
I don't ride clipless, but i would agree with the following that has been given above:
Practice...... the more hills you ride, the easier it becomes (I have found)
Take it steady at the start, try not to stop half way up for a breather ()
Sing to yourself (in your head) if it helps....

And the other bit i would add is, some days you'll feel great, others your legs will burn less than half way up. That's just cycling..... in my experience. We all get better days than others. I find even if i'm puffing up at 6-8mph, but I can maintain that, then that's cool. It's better that starting off at 14mph and then stopping or getting off and walking.... well, that's what i try to do anyway - keep going!


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## Shadow (1 May 2012)

Plenty of good advice here.
A couple of other tips:
Think of hills as your friend, look for them and embrace them - weird I know, not always easy but the change of mindset does help, you will eventually get up ones you thought were impossible;
Hills do not get any easier, you just go up them faster.


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## bubbles3 (1 May 2012)

jdtate101 said:


> Ok, your BMI is normal, so you probably don't have that much excess weight you can lose. Having a HRM is not vital, you should be able to gauge when running above your threshold, as it's when you can only sustain that effort for a short while, but since you do have a monitor wear it. You will be able to track you avg heart rate over time, and it should drop, showing you are getting fitter. Max HR can be roughly calculated as 220-age. Having a cadence monitor is very useful for forcing yourself to a set cadence, so if possible get it replaced.
> Two exercises I started doing off the bike, do seem to help quite a bit. First is deep squats (knees down to 90 degrees), keep going until you feel the burn. Do something like 3 reps of 30 daily. The other one is called the plank (look it up online...takes too long to explain it here). The plank is a core strength exercise and will help you keep the power on whilst seated.


 That's great, thanks for all your help. You have certainly gave me plenty to work on.


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## bubbles3 (1 May 2012)

Shadow said:


> Plenty of good advice here.
> A couple of other tips:
> Think of hills as your friend, look for them and embrace them - weird I know, not always easy but the change of mindset does help, you will eventually get up ones you thought were impossible;
> Hills do not get any easier, you just go up them faster.


 Thanks shadow, when i was a runner i was strong on the hills and loved the up hill part. one day i'm hoping i'll feel the same on the bike.


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## bubbles3 (1 May 2012)

lulubel said:


> Yes, BMI is in the normal range, so there's no reason to lose weight unless you want to do it to improve your power to weight ratio. (Basically, if you're putting out the same amount of power, but you weigh less, you'll go up hills faster.) The normal BMI range is quite wide, so if you wanted to go down the weight loss route, you could lose 2 stone before you became underweight.
> 
> I do want to make it very clear, however, that you are a healthy weight. You are NOT overweight, and do not need to lose weight. The only reason to lose weight would be because, the lighter you are, the easier it is to cycle up hills!


 I do want to loose about a stone and as i can't run any more because of a dodgey knee, i'm hoping cycling will work. And the power to weight ratio certainly sounds a great advantage.


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## Nearly there (1 May 2012)

Just choosing the right gear at the right time can help too


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## Nihal (4 May 2012)

use the center part foot to push with more power and bend your body a bit.helped me but i find fixed gears a bit more comfy on hills


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## polkadotcycling (4 May 2012)

As well as all the great advice above, hill climbing is a strength exercise and when you compare the power output from riding on the flat to riding up hill, you are usually putting out 3-4 times more power, which is significant. To gain power on your bike, doing something like seated accelerations can really help. To begin with, do these on the flat. Change onto a big gear (15-14 sprocket) on the big ring and let your speed drop to almost zero, then accelerate away staying in your saddle for about 10-15 seconds. Have a recover of at least a minute and repeat. To begin with this you might find this quite hard, but after a few sessins you shoudl be able to manage at least 10. When you've mastered those you could then move to doing this on a longish climb, but not too steep.

Clipless pedals will defintely help with these.


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## Sittingduck (4 May 2012)

Hacienda71 said:


> Most important is practice. When riding relax your upper body, concentrate on putting the power down. Mix up seated riding and standing on the pedals, it let's you use different muscle groups. I change into a harder gear before standing on the pedals to maintain momentum. If you are carrying a few extra pounds try to lose them....


 
I think this is spot on. I would say that increasing power/weight ratio is probably more important than practicing but of course that's not so easy to achieve.


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## Sittingduck (4 May 2012)

jjc89 said:


> also build up as much speed as you can before going up the hill, for the momentum to carry you up.


 
It depends on the hill, doesn't it? No sense in attacking something long.


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## jjc89 (4 May 2012)

Sittingduck said:


> It depends on the hill, doesn't it? No sense in attacking something long.



Yeah I guess. It's dead hilly where I live so most of them are really steep, must just be an automatic reaction for me when people talk about hills haha


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## Ethan (4 May 2012)

Bit of a threadjack, but Im looking for hill climbing advice too!

Im asthmatic, although its mild it seems to be getting progressively worse since I moved to Manchester for Uni.7
When hill climbing, I find my chest gets very tight very quickly which obviously makes me struggle. My legs are more than willing to carry on though, which is highly frustrating!
I carry a blue inhaler on the bike, and take it when things get tough, but really I'd like to be able to control this without having to take the pump. (Not to mention its not really possible to take it while riding. I get very dizzy and my eyes black out for a second or two!)

Anyone have similar problems or advice?

cheers!


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## stephen.rooke (4 May 2012)

Ethan said:


> Bit of a threadjack, but Im looking for hill climbing advice too!
> 
> Im asthmatic, although its mild it seems to be getting progressively worse since I moved to Manchester for Uni.7
> When hill climbing, I find my chest gets very tight very quickly which obviously makes me struggle. My legs are more than willing to carry on though, which is highly frustrating!
> ...


 
from the livestrong site

*Prevention*

Although there's no way you can avoid getting exercise-induced asthma if you are susceptible, there are things you can do to minimize the effects. You could avoid exercising if you have a cold or respiratory infection, or during periods of high pollen counts if you also suffer from allergies. Warm up at least 15 minutes before attempting a strenuous bike ride and try to schedule your rides at times and places where it's more humid, such as a lake-side trail. Learning to breathe through your nose to warm the air before it enters your lungs cans also be helpful.

*Solution*

You may to take a few puffs from an asthma inhaler immediately prior to exercising that can help control symptoms for a few hours. If that isn't enough, you may require long-term inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers like Singulair, a daily dose of the bronchodiator pill theophylline, long-acting beta agonists or combination inhalers.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/227594-asthma-cycling/#ixzz1twEDFBkB​


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## lukesdad (4 May 2012)

Mark Grant said:


> I sometimes do this, though I sing to myself a song with a beat/rhythm to maintain cadence.


 
I use " simply the best "  works for me.


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## Thomk (4 May 2012)

Bear in mind that 11 months is not very long.


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## lukesdad (4 May 2012)

As a few have said the barrier when it comes to hills is mental. Doesn t matter who you are or how good you are.


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## Ethan (4 May 2012)

stephen.rooke said:


> from the livestrong site
> 
> *Prevention*
> 
> ...


 
Thanks a lot, I'll give it a go  Got to admit I never warm up properly, always get carried away with the fun of being on the bike before the legs are ready - Never mind the lungs.


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## totallyfixed (4 May 2012)

Ethan said:


> Bit of a threadjack, but Im looking for hill climbing advice too!
> 
> Im asthmatic, although its mild it seems to be getting progressively worse since I moved to Manchester for Uni.7
> When hill climbing, I find my chest gets very tight very quickly which obviously makes me struggle. My legs are more than willing to carry on though, which is highly frustrating!
> ...


My better half who I coach [dr_pink on here] has asthma and competed in the National Hill Climb Championship last year, this Monday she will be racing the Shap Hill Climb, 9.2 miles and looking like a headwind. I'm telling you this to illustrate what can be achieved with the right training, technique and attitude.
I am seriously thinking of running a hill climbing day for those who would like some help it's a subject that comes up time and time again. I've written extensively on it in the past and am now thinking practical might be the way to go.


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## DCLane (4 May 2012)

Ethan said:


> Im asthmatic, although its mild it seems to be getting progressively worse since I moved to Manchester for Uni.7
> When hill climbing, I find my chest gets very tight very quickly which obviously makes me struggle. My legs are more than willing to carry on though, which is highly frustrating!
> I carry a blue inhaler on the bike, and take it when things get tough, but really I'd like to be able to control this without having to take the pump. (Not to mention its not really possible to take it while riding. I get very dizzy and my eyes black out for a second or two!)
> 
> ...


 
Ethan, as someone else who needs an inhaler you shouldn't need to use it whilst riding. For example, I did the Cheshire Cat and the Brian Robinson sportives (both over 60 miles) without using mine except before the start as a precaution. They've got some big hills as well!

Are you trying to climb too fast too soon? Alternatively, your asthma medication should be sufficient. Mine's been adjusted enough times to know that I'm OK now.


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## lulubel (7 May 2012)

DCLane said:


> Ethan, as someone else who needs an inhaler you shouldn't need to use it whilst riding


 
I agree with this. I don't even take my inhaler with me on rides. If you're really having problems with your asthma (as opposed to just getting out of breath when you're climbing - and it can be quite hard to tell the difference) it suggests your asthma isn't properly controlled.


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## MattHB (7 May 2012)

Ethan said:


> Thanks a lot, I'll give it a go  Got to admit I never warm up properly, always get carried away with the fun of being on the bike before the legs are ready - Never mind the lungs.



Get a decent preventer. I have the same issue as you. Then I went to an asthma nurse (I've always ignored them!) and got a weird purple preventer. Not used a reliever since them.


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## Banjo (7 May 2012)

One thing I dont think has been mentioned (sorry if I missed it) is does your bike fit you and is it set up right?

A bike with the seat too low will cause real burn in your thighs when climbing seated.Fore and aft position of seat is also important.

http://bikedynamics.co.uk/?gclid=CPHp9Z7k7a8CFRQrfAodFBgVLA Some good stuff on this site.


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## gavroche (7 May 2012)

I don't think there is a "right method" to prepare for hills. The truth is that some people are good at it and others just struggle all the way up. ( me for intance). If there was a miracle way, all riders would be good after training for hills. I think it is all down to your morthology and the way your muscles react under strain.
We are humans and we all have different strong points and weaknesses and that is all there is to it.
If we were all the same, every rider would win the king of the mountain jersey!
I tried going fast at the beginning and then down the gears as I go up; I also tried slow at the bottom and speed up after or every other combinations, the result is still the same....struggle, strggle, struggle. So I am now resigned that hills are hard and there is no easy way.


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## black'n'yellow (7 May 2012)

I said this before on a different thread. Riding uphill is simply about sustaining a given effort for a given amount of time - much the same as riding hard on the flat. The more you train your body to adapt to riding at higher efforts for certain periods, the easier it will become. Obviously, weight is more of an issue uphill than it is on the flat, so if you are lighter, you will go faster for a given power output. 

So, developing your aerobic system will make you a better climber (and a faster rider all round). If you are over weight, then losing weight will also make you a better rider - and will certaily help you go up hills better. Issues like natural selection play only a small part in hill climbing ability and other issues like gear selection and riding position are incidental, but not critical. If you want to go better uphill, whether you are asthmatic or not, then you have to train your body to a higher level than it is currently at.


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## Ethan (7 May 2012)

DCLane said:


> Are you trying to climb too fast too soon? Alternatively, your asthma medication should be sufficient. Mine's been adjusted enough times to know that I'm OK now.



I might be climbing to fast too soon, but I think its more to do with the medication.
I had it very bad as a child, but I moved from Manchester to North Wales. My asthma started to be of no issue at all! So much so that the docotors were keen to take me off the medication to see how I fared - I fared well, not needing any medication at all, or even my ventolin inhaler for a good 8 or 9 years! But things seem to have taken a turn for the worse since I moved back to Manchester. I'll get to the doctors as soon as I go back home to Wales over summer 



MattHB said:


> Get a decent preventer. I have the same issue as you. Then I went to an asthma nurse (I've always ignored them!) and got a weird purple preventer. Not used a reliever since them.


 
Ill get on it!I I used to have on of them purple ones, along with a cream and brown one. Never took them properly as a kid mind you! I think the time for them has come again. That's alright though, I remember the brown one tasting pretty good


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## Slimie (8 May 2012)

This is all really interesting!

I've recently returned to cycling after an, ahem, 30 year hiatus and am really struggling up hills. I just can't seem to get enough oxygen into my lungs which leads to burning legs and an overwhelming need to stop and rest, panting and red faced, no one's called for an ambulance yet, but it could happen! I've not managed many miles so far and realise that things will/should improve as my fitness increases but wonder if 

I could do with losing a stone or two and am hoping that the cycling will help but in the mean time I am starting to get slightly phobic about hills. Which is a problem here as we are surrounded by them.

Any advice welcome, apologies for the hijack. 

Thanks
-Simon


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## DCLane (8 May 2012)

Slimie said:


> I could do with losing a stone or two and am hoping that the cycling will help but in the mean time I am starting to get slightly phobic about hills. Which is a problem here as we are surrounded by them.


 
Given that I live on top of a steep hill, with hills all around me - I sympathise.

Yesterday I did a 20-mile route I _really_ struggled on last year. Instead of being worried I wondered why there wasn't any issue on the steep hills I kept doing. The simple answer is that my body's adjusted after a year of hill-climbing.

Keep trying. It'll get easier. Honest.


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## Garz (8 May 2012)

totallyfixed said:


> I am seriously thinking of running a hill climbing day for those who would like some help it's a subject that comes up time and time again. I've written extensively on it in the past and am now thinking practical might be the way to go.


 
Sounds good! A CC hill climb, Colin doesn't have to organise something however he may be the man to pick the location.


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## Garz (8 May 2012)

I have asthma but it's pretty mild and only visit the Dr's annually to get a checkup and the normal restock for emergencies. Since cycling I have had less issues than I used to, predominantly I would only experience a slight wheeze at night time in the summer. This is triggered from hay-fever I believe, I guess you could check out if your cycling around any pollen rife areas?


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## black'n'yellow (8 May 2012)

Slimie said:


> I've recently returned to cycling after an, ahem, 30 year hiatus and am really struggling up hills.


 
There's really no mystery here - and anyway, you've answered your own question really. You're not struggling with hills per se - you are simply struggling with your current level of fitness, as you are asking your body to perform at a level which is probably significantly higher (for the amount of time that the road goes 'up') than it is currently capable of delivering.

As your CV and aerobic fitness improves, then so will your climbing.


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## Slimie (9 May 2012)

Thanks all for the reassurance, I think that's what I was really looking for even if I didn't realise!

Onward and upward

-Simon


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## Lard Armstrong (9 May 2012)

I have chronic Asthma, and a rubbish peak flow, so riding hills is a real challenge. Here's what worked for me.

1. First of all, most importantly, start off by slowing right down. Forget your speed, gearing and all that.ignore what everyone else does, this is about you.
2. Concentrate on measured, steady and deeper breathing than you would normally. Practise this, most people without Asthma never consider this. Shallow breathing for Asthma sufferers here is your enemy.
3. Keep focusing on the above, and in addition now select your gearing to ensure you don't blow. I only ever use the bottom 3 gears climbing.
4. Stay seated, unless you absolutely have to get out the saddle. For asthmatics, this can cause you go blow up more easily.
5. Practise on long steady climbs where possible to begin with, to build expertise n capability.
6. Increase and build on this.

Good luck!


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## DCLane (9 May 2012)

I absolutely agree with Lard Armstrong here - with a peak flow of 550 (not sure what others have) I basically do all of the above.


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## Lard Armstrong (9 May 2012)

My peak flow is 350 :-(


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## DCLane (9 May 2012)

Lard Armstrong said:


> My peak flow is 350 :-(


 
Eeeshhh! 

If you can do hills with that, all I can say is


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## totallyfixed (9 May 2012)

Don't get too hung up on peak flows, it doesn't necessarily mean you can't do hills, dr_pink on here has a poor peak flow but if you saw what she did on the recent Shap hill climb it would give you a lot of encouragement.


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## User16625 (11 May 2012)

Am I the only cyclist that works harder going DOWN hills than up them. I do work hard going up hills but any decent descent is another top speed run for me, in other words I go ballistic and see what speed I can reach. I weigh less than 60kg so I have an easier time of hills compared to other cyclists (even reasonably good ones).


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## Lard Armstrong (11 May 2012)

I can do hills, just slowly.

I am going to ride the Tourmalet in July, but probably will break the record for the slowest ascent. But I will still get up it.......


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## Lard Armstrong (11 May 2012)

As a large boned person, I have learned to hone my skills as a descender, few get past me going down. Everyone gets past me going up though. Which is fine. :-)


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