Climbing

[Matthew Cooper]

Hi everyone.
I've been back on the bike now for the last 5 months and I'm averaging 45 miles in about 2hrs 45 mins good. Road speed however Im really struggling with climbing those big climbs .if anyone knows the vale of belvoir you wil know the climbs I'm on about ,has anyone got any tips or is it just a mental thing with me????????.

 

[BenBlundell]

Keep going at them. Don't get off the bike, just keep going. Get in a low gear and plod your way up it. The more you beat it, the easier it'll get. You may think you're unfit but it'll come eventually.

 

[Markymark13]

What kind of gradients are you looking at? What gearing are you running?

 

[Matthew Cooper]

I ride a boardman comp with SRAM gearing couldn't tell you the gradient but long and very steep , I think it's more mental with me than anything else I get half way and that's when the voices start telling me it hurts and I've still got a lot ore to do

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Beautiful roads around that area for cycling aren't they. My climbing strategy falls into two parts. Select your gear at the base of the climb, one you know you can push all of the way up, and do not change it when climbing. Get into a rhythm (before I got a cadence sensor a count of 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 in my head sufficed) with your legs and breathing and you'll soon be trooping up hills you didn't belive you could !
2nd strategy is for short sharp climbs, select a gear 1 or 2 higher than I would if seated, follow the same pattern with legs/breathing and up you go.....

 

[Matthew Cooper]

They are fantastic roads and I love to ride just wish these hills wouldn't beat me up so much

 

[HLaB]

If its a long climb sit up and relax occasionally, it uses different muscles. Easier said than done but I like to get in a rhythm of changing up when I stand up or the going gets easier and changing down when I sit down; its mainly psychological but not running out of lower gears when you nee them helps.
If its relatively short I find it better to get in a high gear, stand up and spin fast or depending on the steepness drop a few gears to get me spinning and change up as I climb.
Find out what works for you

 

[Nebulous]

How often are you riding?

It seemed to me as though hills were never getting any better, and then they suddenly did.
Riding more of them helped. I am/was reasonably heavy and am better at putting down a bit of power on the flat. I also enjoy it more, getting into a steady rhythm and maintaining it suits me. I had a couple of big fails on hills and realised most of my routes were reasonably flat. Going out and targeting hills really helped.

45 miles once a week probably isn't enough. Twice is better, but three times would be better still.

 

[Matthew Cooper]

Short steep hills I can deal with its the long long climbs that I'm struggling wit

 

[raindog]

Short steep hills I can deal with its the long long climbs that I'm struggling wit

What do you mean by a long climb? Where I am a short climb is 6 to 8 kilometres - just chill, select a low gear and keep plodding away - you'll get used to it, and you'll even start to enjoy it.

 

[Matthew Cooper]

Jesus don't start saying 6-8km climbing I'd be looking for the nearest bridge to throw myself lol

 

[Matthew Cooper]

Nebulous I ride 2/3 times a week usually 2 good long rides and then a short speed ride

 

[boydj]

Without specific training for hills, you will only improve very gradually as your fitness base improves. You could find a shortish hill and do some reps in a higher gear than you would normally use on that hill, or do some big ring / high gear reps on a flat road on one of your regular rides - maybe instead of your short speed ride.

Oh - and try to lose some weight

 

[Matthew Cooper]

Jesus did I come over as a fatty lol ,I'm working on the weight and I will try out those ideas

 

[Rob3rt]

Just ride your bike more and don't avoid hills!