do you want to know a secret?

[gavroche]

I have always dreaded going up those hills ( as only some of you do on here!) so today I set off with a very definite objective: to conquer one hill i couldn't do before and carry on with a few more. In other words, i set out to do hills.
So what so good about that you might say? well, before, i was alright at the bottom but slowly ground to walking pace at the top or stop all together.
Not today!
I attacked each hill with a higher gear to get some momentum, then stood on the pedals and finally down the gears as it was getting harder.
The secret? keep pushing hard on those pedals, keep a good rhymn and get plenty of air in your lungs.
Also look down just in front of you as looking too far ahead will appear as if you are not moving.
I only did 19 miles today and my average was 12.5mph with quite a few hills so i am well chuffed.
There is still lots of life left in this soon to be 61 years old!

 

[paulb55]

I have always dreaded going up those hills ( as only some of you do on here!) so today I set off with a very definite objective: to conquer one hill i couldn't do before and carry on with a few more. In other words, i set out to do hills.
So what so good about that you might say? well, before, i was alright at the bottom but slowly ground to walking pace at the top or stop all together.
Not today!
I attacked each hill with a higher gear to get some momentum, then stood on the pedals and finally down the gears as it was getting harder.
The secret? keep pushing hard on those pedals, keep a good rhymn and get plenty of air in your lungs.
Also look down just in front of you as looking too far ahead will appear as if you are not moving.
I only did 19 miles today and my average was 12.5mph with quite a few hills so i am well chuffed.
There is still lots of life left in this soon to be 61 years old!

 

[The Brewer]

Was that you scalping me by Llanarmon-yn-Ial Gav? There's a good few hills around there I have to walk up.

Well done

 

[2Loose]

Hills hurt, beating Hills is good. Me hulk!

Keep it up, that kind of determination makes every challenge worthwhile

 

[PaulSecteur]

Also look down just in front of you as looking too far ahead will appear as if you are not moving.

...But also keep looking up to check the traffic/pedestrial situation!

 

[SlowerThanASluggishSloth]

I have always dreaded going up those hills ( as only some of you do on here!) so today I set off with a very definite objective: to conquer one hill i couldn't do before and carry on with a few more. In other words, i set out to do hills.
So what so good about that you might say? well, before, i was alright at the bottom but slowly ground to walking pace at the top or stop all together.
Not today!
I attacked each hill with a higher gear to get some momentum, then stood on the pedals and finally down the gears as it was getting harder.
The secret? keep pushing hard on those pedals, keep a good rhymn and get plenty of air in your lungs.
Also look down just in front of you as looking too far ahead will appear as if you are not moving.
I only did 19 miles today and my average was 12.5mph with quite a few hills so i am well chuffed.
There is still lots of life left in this soon to be 61 years old!

Allez-y mon vieux!

 

[casper-d]

Very well done! I liked reading your challenge to yourself!
Inspiring

I think you deserve to be chuffed

 

[Stuartaw11]

I don't mind hills too much, normally an uphill is followed by a downhill which equals free speed so there's my motivation, a few weeks ago I struggled to get up a really steep hill from a canal cycle path, so I turned round, got to the bottom again and went for it with much shouting and swearing from me Gordon Ramsey style! Imagine my suprise when I got to the top when I saw an old dear who thought my ranting was very amusing! Well I beat the hill and that will do for me! Ha

 

[Bluebell72]

Well done!

I've just come home, and though the hills are more slopes, a headwind conspired to make them into hills.

I salute you

 

[Radman]

Excellent well done, I hate hills im not very good at attacking them so to speak.but alas there part of cycling worst luck

 

[cyclingsheep]

Well done. I love hills, although I'm no climber, as I see them as the challenge they are. I get really bummed if I have to walk (and strangely it seems to encourage cramp in my calves later in a ride) so will do anything to not get off. Usually this means turning myself inside out with eyes bulging and tongue hanging out.
Just one tip, look up, if you look down you cramp your lungs making breathing harder. Yes mentally it works but it's worse physically.
All in all keep going up

 

[Tasker]

Absolutely well done - honestly. But how old are you? Only asking because I can remember seeking out the 'worst' hills just for the pleasure of conquering them. Now, if it's too much I just get off and walk 'em.

Enjoy your youth and strength.

 

[gavroche]

Enjoy your youth and strength.

My youth has gone a long time ago but my strength is not too bad. I am 60 but feeling much younger. I am beginning to love those hills but will never do Alps d'Huez.

 

[gavroche]

Conquered another hill today: 1mile long, 5degrees incline, constant speed of 7.3mph on 30x19gears. Happy bunny

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Going through a real change in my attitude, leading hopefully to a change in aptitude, regarding climbing.

Last summer I was riding a triple and feared nowt given the extremity of the low gears. It's not to say I was a very good climber. This summer I've been on a double and whilst it's not a compact I do have a 28 on the cassette, ranging down to a huge 11 at the top end.

Anyway, until recently I've placed a lot of emphasis on style. Unless I know the hill is a short little stabby one, I don't tend to get out of the saddle much, preferring to power away with my backside in the saddle. I think it's more efficient this way but it's not particularly quick and on a few sportives this year I've been left behind in some cases.

But, a big part of staying in the saddle for me was psychological. I always, until recently, saw getting out of the saddle as the last gasp effort before you reach the top of the hill and because of this I always considered it a last option, believing that when I was finished out of the saddle I would be entirely spent. I've recently found this not to be the case and some very steep sections of hills where I would earlier in the summer have stayed firmly put in the saddle, I have ventured out of the saddle, only to sit back down again, with intervals to find I still had more left.

A few months back I did the Wiggle Super Series Mendips instalment and the 100 mile route had a few 20% hills late on that pretty much ruined me. My mate coped better. He has much more of a climber's physique but I'll come to that later. A month or so after we both did the Wiggle we did the Cheddar Cyclosportive, covering much of the same ground only this time the hills weren't violently steep, just longer with an easier gradient. I coped much better staying in the seat. However, next time I do those 20%s that I tried using the same technique with, next time I will be out of my seat for sure.

Power to weight ratio is everything when it comes to climbing and I aim to improve this feature of my ride by losing a stone or so for next summer.

Anyway, well done Gavroche.