Cannot cycle uphill.

[Markymark]

Hills aren't where you'll get the best pay off from using clipless pedals. Sling backs however, are the way forward. All the pros will be using them next season.

White ones, they're faster.

 

[Racing roadkill]

To be honest if i find a hill that is too much get off and walk up.
Whats the point in fighting it cycling should be fun not a chore.

Now that is sense being spoken. GET OUT, GET OUT AND DONT COME BACK, until you have something pointless to say.

 

[S-Express]

Meanwhile in the real world, where people actually ride bikes, and even post about it sometimes, the better your body position is for enabling full inflation of the lungs, and free movement of the diaphragm, the less the oxygen debt you'll be on at the end of a climb.

Body position has less effect than you might think on ventilation, and ventilation has less effect than you might think on performance. Team pursuit puts you in a highly prone position, while a 400m runner (obviously) runs in a very upright position. Neither is particularly impacted by a lack of lung inflation or oxygen intake. Your entire argument is based on a false premise, unfortunately.

 

[DEFENDER01]

Now that is sense being spoken. GET OUT, GET OUT AND DONT COME BACK, until you have something pointless to say.

That would be pointless

 

[boydj]

...............
A 36 / 28 bottom gear is probably the reason - not a problem with your bike per se, just the wrong specification for the job it has to do. Rest and be thankful is stated to be 15%. The legs of Garth would be needed with a 36/28 bottom gear.................

The 'Rest' only averages 6%, so should be manageable on a 36/28, even though it's a fairly long climb. I've done it and it's not a particularly hard climb compared to others in the area.

OP is right in needing to work on his fitness, and a cassette with a 30 or 32 cog at the back would help without going to the cost of changing the chainset.

 

[mjr]

What rear derailleur does the B Twin 900 AF have and can it cope with 32?

 

[swansonj]

I respectfully submit that if

..,
I can easily sustain 20-25 mph on the flat.
.....

is true, then

...
OP is right in needing to work on his fitness...

is probably not true.

 

[Cronorider]

Let's get back to a simple solution. Go to your local shop - tell them you can't get up hills. Have them put on easier gears. Over the weeks and months get fitter as you ride more. Go back to bike shop. Tell them gears are too easy. Have them put on harder gears.

 

[boydj]

If the OP has a problem getting up a not very steep hill, then sustaining 20-25mph on the flat for more than a few hundred yards is probably wishful thinking.

 

[Cronorider]

I respectfully submit that if
is true, then
is probably not true.

No because 16 stone is really friggin heavy to be going uphill. It's much easier to get weight rolling and keep it rolling on the flat

 

[ColinJ]

No because 16 stone is really friggin heavy to be going uphill. It's much easier to get weight rolling and keep it rolling on the flat

At my heaviest I was about 17.5 stone but I was still able to get up short stretches of 20% and long stretches of, say, 10% because I used very low gears on such climbs. I was NOT fit enough to ride far at 25 mph!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The power needed to sustain 20-25mph on the flat for hours on end must mean you have sufficiently high power to get up hills. Especially 6% which isn't anything at all. Please explain what happens when you get uphill and what stops you from keeping moving.

 

[S-Express]

The power needed to sustain 20-25mph on the flat for hours on end must mean you have sufficiently high power to get up hills.

That's not quite what he said.

I can easily sustain 20-25 mph on the flat.

 

[NorthernDave]

No because 16 stone is really friggin heavy to be going uphill. It's much easier to get weight rolling and keep it rolling on the flat

I'm heavier than that, the lowest gear on my best bike is 36/28 and I can manage most hills, I even made it up Birdsall Brow (slowly) on it at the dog end of a 100-mile ride.
I can't maintain 20-25mph on the flat for any meaningful distance without a very generous tailwind though, even with a 52/11...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

That's not quite what he said.

Ok, so hours on end on the flat sections. As doing 20-25mph for a few minutes isn't the same as being easy able to sustain the same speeds.