Cannot cycle uphill.

[S-Express]

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.

'Sustainable' is a relative and (in this context) an unquantified term. That's all I'm saying.

 

[nickyboy]

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...

@NorthernDave ...the voice of reason

That sort of gear is low enough to get you up pretty well any hill if you are reasonably fit and of an obstinate nature. I'm pretty sure the OP could get up the hills with his current set up. I'm beginning to think this is more a mental than physical issue. Lack of obstinacy (is that even a word?)

 

[Cronorider]

I have just bought a BTwin 900 AF.

I still have my 12 year old hybrid

What exactly is the gearing on the hybrid?

 

[Cp40Carl]

I struggle with cycling on the flats - I've had two of them in a week.

 

[ColinJ]

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...

@NorthernDave ...the voice of reason

A.K.A. 'The OTHER voice of reason'!

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]

I struggle with cycling on the flats - I've had two of them in a week.

Try hills then you won't get any flats

 

[Oxo]

Try hills then you won't get any flats

This thread is starting to go downhill fast, while we should really be addressing the problem of going uphill fast....or slowly...or even at all

 

[mjr]

I'm inclined to agree with you

Careful - that's a bit steep!

 

[Oxo]

Careful - that's a bit steep!

Onward and upward.

 

[MiK1138]

There are no such things as hills only misaligned roads

 

[Deleted member 35268]

General fitness/endurance is not the same as cycling fitness/endurance.

So glad you said that, it really gets on my _____ when people say cycling is easy.

 

[ColinJ]

So glad you said that, it really gets on my _____ when people say cycling is easy.

Cycling easily (in nice weather, riding slowly, along level/downhill roads) IS easy, it is only hard cycling (in bad weather, riding fast, climbing steep hills) which is hard!

 

[GuyBoden]

I have just bought a BTwin 900 AF. It seems like a quality machine but I'm struggling with it.

Background: I'm 46, 16stone but general fitness and endurance is ok. I've ran 3 marathons in my 40s. I cycled 250 miles over 5 days on my hybrid 4 years ago.

I've never had a road bike before and I know it'll take some getting used to. I also accept I'm not the fittest and I'm quite heavy, but I literally cannot cycle up a hill of any kind and I can't believe it's purely down to fitness. I still have my 12 year old hybrid that I managed to cycle up the An Clisham on the Isle of Harris and the Rest And Be Thankful and I can get up any hill on that, albeit slowly.

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

Am I missing something?

Is there a problem with my bike?

Shouldn't it be easier on a road bike than a hybrid?

I'm 16 stone and I struggle getting up any steep hills. I have a 28T front and 24T rear, which makes it easier, but slow.

25mph on the flat, but for how long?

Riding at 25mph over 100 miles in just under 4 hours was the UK record in 1950/60's, it's still very difficult, if not impossible on modern busy roads.

 

[steverob]

Maybe he's reading his cycle computer wrongly and it's actually 20-25 KMph? That would sound more reasonable - it's the sort of pace I typically maintain on the flat and I too struggle on steeper hills despite being slightly lighter (15 stone) and having a 34/32 gear available to me.

 

[DEFENDER01]

Maybe he's reading his cycle computer wrongly and it's actually 20-25 KMph? That would sound more reasonable - it's the sort of pace I typically maintain on the flat and I too struggle on steeper hills despite being slightly lighter (15 stone) and having a 34/32 gear available to me.

I can manage 25 minus the 20 on a good day.