Help making climbing easier

[wanda2010]

Lose weight by cutting down on booze, cutting the size of your portions and giving up crisps, sweets and snacks and eating fruit instead. S'easy.

Nope. That ain't easy . Takes commitment.................... which I lack

 

[Peteaud]

I am struggling to keep my cadence up when climbing. I can now comfortably ride at 80+ rpm on the flat but on a 7% hill in the lowest gear it drops below 60 and I end up grinding. I know it will improve with more riding and I do need to lose weight if I am to climb more effectively. But for now I'm looking to get an easier lowest gear.

I would welcome advice on options or making the gearing easier. My current set up is:-

Chainset Shimano Sora compact 50/34
Cassette Shimano 10 speed 12-30

12/34 rear cassette
Deore mech
New chain.

Fit them, train and swap back if / when you want.

 

[Poacher]

Thanks for your comments. I agree about the points on losing weight and I am doing that. I've already lost 2st. The challenge is that I'm still 21st.

I think I'm doing pretty well dragging my lardy ar5e up the hills. I was looking for a little more help from the bike while I continue to lose weight.

Here is my last hill ride. 1,200ft of climbing in 12 miles. http://app.strava.com/activities/48041086 I had no problem riding up the hill without stopping. I have the stamina, I'd just like to spin faster to save my legs for the longer runs.

I started riding at the end of September and have ridden nearly 1,600 miles through the winter. I am riding the London 100 in August for Beating Bowel Cancer. As I increase my training I've been told to keep my cadence as high as possible.

I can ride well on the flat. In January I did 50 miles in 3 hrs 40 mins. I now need to do more climbing to get me around the Surrey hills (leith hill and box hill). The next 4 months will be hill climbing sessions in the week with longer weekend rides building to the ride in Aug.

It's a bigger challenge or me than most who will be riding but I will do it within the 9 hr limit. Here is the fundraising page I have recently created in case anyone wants to help motivate me
http://www.justgiving.com/Phil-Lewis-London100

Thanks for all of your help and advice.

Whoops! Please forgive my earlier comment about a "measly 7%". Chapeau to you, sir. FWIW I think you're doing very well on the current set-up, and wouldn't worry too much about grinding up the hills. Stick with the training, you'll probably be at least another 2 stone lighter by August, probably more (in which case you'll probably weigh less than I do ) , and you'll look back at this thread and wonder why you ever worried.

Right now I'm slightly teary-eyed - my brother died from bowel cancer, and I miss him deeply. Being outside a bottle of shiraz has made me rather maudlin, so I may indulge in a chaser or two of Speyside malt to see if that helps! Anyway, you now have another donation.

 

[philinmerthyr]

Whoops! Please forgive my earlier comment about a "measly 7%". Chapeau to you, sir. FWIW I think you're doing very well on the current set-up, and wouldn't worry too much about grinding up the hills. Stick with the training, you'll probably be at least another 2 stone lighter by August, probably more (in which case you'll probably weigh less than I do ) , and you'll look back at this thread and wonder why you ever worried.

Right now I'm slightly teary-eyed - my brother died from bowel cancer, and I miss him deeply. Being outside a bottle of shiraz has made me rather maudlin, so I may indulge in a chaser or two of Speyside malt to see if that helps! Anyway, you now have another donation.

Thank you for the donation. I'm sure you're right about me looking back at this in a few months. I'll do my best to raise as much as possible for Beating Bowel Cancer.

 

[PpPete]

I suspect that 34 is the smallest that you can get on the front on a compact like you have.

I'm still rubbish at hills, but I get up them better than some on this forum, because I use a triple (50-38-26 on one bike with a 12/30 cassette and- 53/39/28 with 13/29 on t'other) which enables me to spin at 80+rpm up 10% hills.

My advice - go as low you want. Change for an MTB chainset on your roadbike if that works for you. Ignore those who say "you should be able to get up xxx with a yyyy gear". You will lose more weight ang get better at hills in time - maybe even to reverse any changes in gearing you now make. So what ? There is no single right answer. Grinding at low cadence wasn't right for me.

 

[geo]

While agreeing that a 34 chainring onto a 30 sprocket should get a reasonably half-fit rider up most hills (let alone the measly 7% that the OP mentioned), I feel duty bound to point out that most of the hills around Merthyr make those around Liverpool pale into insignificance!
Just sayin'!

Totally agree I'm not blessed with the biggest hills to train on but I try and climb the biggest available as often as possible to improve my fitness, was in no way having a go at the OP just suggesting he take things one hill at a time ( so to speak ) until he reaches his climbing limit

 

[geo]

Not all of us are trying for the 2016 Olympics.

My recent 80 mile ride was quite extreme with a couple of 20% hills and some long steep ones.
I got up, like I usually do, but only because I had prior to that ridden it many times with a 24/34 or even 22/34 hybrid gearing.

I have walked up Crawleyside bank in the past only because my road gearing did not suit the terrain. Simply expecting everyone to run before they can walk is, apart from ego, quite illogical.

you clearly didnt read my post !! I was not in anyway having a go at the OP just suggesting he take it one step at a time, oh and I'm not planning an olympic challenge either

 

[Shut Up Legs]

As the others said, your current gearing should be good enough, but you need practice. Start with the easier hills and graduate to the tougher hills over time. There's no quick and easy solution. Above all, enjoy the hill-climbing and the rewarding views at the tops!

 

[Globalti]

A note about high cadence: definitely worth aiming for this but not just pushing down on the pedals; you need to be trying to achieve a smooth power stroke by powering the pedal through as much of the circle as possible.

 

[Banjo]

People ride for different reasons A lot of what has been written in this thread is perfectly true but applies more to someone training to race.

I am a great believer in having low gears for climbing especially on longer rides. If you look at Audax riders bikes (Long distance cycling club) you will find many of them with much easier gears than you have.

Keeping cadence up is not just about speed and training value its also about keeping the strain off your knee joints,if you feel you are pushing too hard on hills then see about changing the gearing, you can allways put the old stuff back on later if you want to.

I would take the bike to a bike shop (small local ones are usually best) and ask if your rear mech can accomodate a larger cassette such as an 11 / 32 or even 34 if they say it will work.If not then a longer rear mech will be needed, probably need a new chain either way.

Despite the excess weight it sounds like your allready doing well.As it comes off you will improve quickly.Good Luck.

 

[jowwy]

i would love to see some of you flat landers trying to ride through the welsh mountains and valleys on the gearing you all state you have - cause unless your superfit cycling supersnakes like froomey and wiggins the climbs around here will make grown men shed a tear or two just looking at the damn things.

to the OP keep training fella cause at your current weight you are doing us welsh fat lads proud