Climbing technique
- Thread starter Halfmanhalfbike
- Start date
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Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Noodley said:It depends on the hill....
And the size of the cake at the last stop
Angelfishsolo
A Velocipedian
- Location
- Cwmbach, South Wales
I have found I will pick a low ratio gear move back in the saddle and adjust my hands to a more forward position with a wider grip (i have trekking bars). Works wonders for me. If it works for you it is the right technique; until you find a better one.
Halfmanhalfbike said:changed my pedalling action so that my foot was more parallel to the slope and I was pushing into the slope not down on the slope.
Is this a proper technique or am I in danger of damaging something
may be i did not read the various responses with due care but did you receive advice on the above quoted query?
Banjo
Fuelled with Jelly Babies
- Location
- South Wales
Im a beginner so cant comment on position and teqnique but my commute is 2.5 miles uphill all the way home with a couple of steep(bottom gear for me) bits. The bit of advice that has helped me the most is to concentrate on relaxing,its weird how you can relax your legs as their working hard but you can and it feels great when you achieve it.
At first I was so stressed that I was gripping the hand grips like I was trying to strangle them.After about a month now its definitely getting easier.
At first I was so stressed that I was gripping the hand grips like I was trying to strangle them.After about a month now its definitely getting easier.
For me, it also depends on how much attention I've been paying to the road! I've been caught out a few times and had to climb on the big ring.
I'm another of those 'bit of both, depends how I feel' riders. I never spin manically but I will maintain an 80-90 cadence when climbing sometimes. I'll stay seated, arms relaxed and hands either side of the stem. I will sometimes slide back a little and push the gear around but only for a change.
Honking is different; that's hands on hoods, standing with body forward and weight probably slightly behind the bars, almost leaning into the climb and feet coming over the top in almost the 5 o'clock position. Sometimes I'll even pull through the pedal stroke, more so than push down - but, again, that's just for a change rather than normal.
I'm another of those 'bit of both, depends how I feel' riders. I never spin manically but I will maintain an 80-90 cadence when climbing sometimes. I'll stay seated, arms relaxed and hands either side of the stem. I will sometimes slide back a little and push the gear around but only for a change.
Honking is different; that's hands on hoods, standing with body forward and weight probably slightly behind the bars, almost leaning into the climb and feet coming over the top in almost the 5 o'clock position. Sometimes I'll even pull through the pedal stroke, more so than push down - but, again, that's just for a change rather than normal.
Recently I've started concentrating on the action of my thighs rather than my feet when cycling, or at least that's what I think i've been doing. Not sure if it's helping yet but I feel my pedalling is smoother. These sort of things are so hard to describe however.. I know it feels better, but I don't really know whether I'm doing anything different, and if so what.
yello said:
There's a hilly TT course near me I've ridden a couple of times. The first climb on it is probably 1 in 7 or 8, something like that and not especially long but not especially short either maybe a kilometer or a bit less.
Last year I was speaking to someone at the HQ who puts in similar times to me on the flat* and he said something like- that's a big ring hill, just power it all the way up.
I got about 50 yards up and then rapidly slowed to a crawl, at which point I was heaving on the pedals so much there was no possibility of changing gear. It was the worst bit of climbing i've ever done, technique-wise.
Next time around I stuck it in the small ring.
*nowdays anyway- his best times are much better than mine.
MePower
New Member
- Location
- not telling you
Keeping the chest "open" also helps, with arms and top half very relaxed, sitting as far up as poss, it aids breathing and getting rid of c dioxide, that in turn leads to less acid build up in the muscles. Taking very deep breaths just before the hill can oxygenate the muscles giving you more fuel to burn. Also, push from the hips as opposed to straining the knees. This uses the thighs and glutes meaning more power available and less strain. Indurain rotated his ankles a lot, pointing his toes down at the top of the stroke and toes up at the bottom. Dont know wether it helped with power, but it looked nice and fluid.
Angelfishsolo
A Velocipedian
- Location
- Cwmbach, South Wales
Some people can power )grind) up a hill in the highest gear whilst others (like me) prefer a lower gear and a higher cadence. I have come to the conclusion that that technique is right for me after trying just about every conceivable gear combo.
That said, I honestly believe there is on one correct answer. Lance Armstrong made spinning popular and for a while this technique was treated as gospel. However recently it has been shown that spinning doesn't work for everybody - WOW How amazing!! As individuals we are build with our own set of strengths and weaknesses.
Apart from low gears and high cadence I do find gripping the outer edges of my trekking bars rather then the centre (which is my normal position) greatly improves my climbing ability. [This ties in with MePowers' comment about an open chest]
That said, I honestly believe there is on one correct answer. Lance Armstrong made spinning popular and for a while this technique was treated as gospel. However recently it has been shown that spinning doesn't work for everybody - WOW How amazing!! As individuals we are build with our own set of strengths and weaknesses.
Apart from low gears and high cadence I do find gripping the outer edges of my trekking bars rather then the centre (which is my normal position) greatly improves my climbing ability. [This ties in with MePowers' comment about an open chest]
i have an awful technique with hills. i tend to go in a higher gear and stand. I have heard this is bad for my knees and also the hard way to do things, however when i put the bike in lower gears i tend to slow right down and keep having to drop gears. I think this steams from not generating enough power through my legs.
in regards to pedalling, are your ankles soft or hard when you cycle? mine are normally hard (solid) and fixed in one place but i realised today that because my pedals are not in a fixed position i can relax my ankles and let them roll with the up/down strokes of my leg/foot. Is there any benefit to the soft ankles approach or am i just loosing power. if its relevant my feet are not secured to the pedals except by force/gravity i.e no clips etc
in regards to pedalling, are your ankles soft or hard when you cycle? mine are normally hard (solid) and fixed in one place but i realised today that because my pedals are not in a fixed position i can relax my ankles and let them roll with the up/down strokes of my leg/foot. Is there any benefit to the soft ankles approach or am i just loosing power. if its relevant my feet are not secured to the pedals except by force/gravity i.e no clips etc
If you are doing a long steep hill, you will quickly find that sitting down is better than standing up. I concentrate on lifting the pedal on a hill and doing my best to not just push down. I put the bike in a comfy gear and then try to relax, think about breathing and get into a zen like mode of deep concentration. Having just got back from Majorca, there was a bit of opportunity to 'enjoy the hills'.