Help me on Hills!

[Matthew_T]

That is great technical advice. Anticipation of gear change is a worthy skill indeed

Thank you. It comes from taking part in a lot of time trials and living in the Clwydian Valley (full of 33% hills).

 

[AhThisFeckinThing]

As has been said the only way to get better at hill climbing is to ride more hills. You can improve base fitness my riding on the flat but the power needed to climb comes from climbing. Sorry fella. I wish there was a magic button as well

WHAT!! No magic button, ah this bike thing is doing my head in

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Thank you. It comes from taking part in a lot of time trials and living in the Clwydian Valley (full of 33% hills).

Is that in North Wales? Makes my local hill look flat

 

[Matthew_T]

Is that in North Wales? Makes my local hill look flat

I have a hill right besides me called Gwaenesgor (a town on the top). It is the steepest around and I have not yet been able to ride up it. It is only about half a mile long but at some parts it feels like 40% not 30%!

It definately wears you out. I am aiming to be able to ride all the way up it but some of the more professional and older cyclists I know even got a shock when I told them that!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I have a hill right besides me called Gwaenesgor (a town on the top). It is the steepest around and I have not yet been able to ride up it. It is only about half a mile long but at some parts it feels like 40% not 30%!

It definately wears you out. I am aiming to be able to ride all the way up it but some of the more professional and older cyclists I know even got a shock when I told them that!

Have you used a route mapper program to work out the grade of the hill? Sounds like a Grade 1 to me!

 

[fossyant]

You do have the right techniques but probably not the best method of entering the hill.

From what cyclists have advised me about riding up a local hill (nicknamed 'The Wall') in a time trial, the best method is to approach the hill as fast as you can, to carry a lot of speed up it. When entering the hill, you need to have your revs going just over that of the gear you're in.
If the hill increases in steepness the higher up it you go, you will have to change down but try to do this before you are having difficulty with the gear you are currently in.
Then stay in the easiest gear possible (without your legs going too fast) for the rest of the hill.

On very steep hills, I find that I cannot decide whether or not to stand or sit. I too find it easier to sit but find that I have to use my whole body to maintain the speed. Standing is good for a boost of power or very very steep parts of a hill.

I personally cannot decide whether or not to sit or stand so normally keep jumping out of the seat every second.

Matthew - is that the hill you climb from the top of the High Street in Prestatyn - I know it well as we come over regular for most of my life. I've ridden up on 42 x 21 ... flaming hard, but did it, but you get vertigo just walking round the layby for the cars.....

As for hitting a hill fast, forget that, pace yourself up it, in a way that suits you. The one in Prestatyn, you can't hit it hard, as the bottom is a good climb, till the vertical straight line to the top - it's worse than Mow Cop x 2...

Everyone is different, hence on group rides..."we'll meet at the top" !

 

[NeilEB]

Hi Neil; What hills have you done. I regularly do A411 barnet lane which has a few hills that are testing for the terminally unfit like me.
When i get to desperation point i have a habit of counting the pedal strokes in the illogical beleif that if i can just make it to 100 that will be the top.
Recovery time is important.

My main hill is Green Lanes in Stanmore - tiny little thing, but even walking up it with a pram is a challenge.
Then there's Stanmore Hill (A4140) which isn't steep but it's very long.

 

[Matthew_T]

Matthew - is that the hill you climb from the top of the High Street in Prestatyn - I know it well as we come over regular for most of my life. I've ridden up on 42 x 21 ... flaming hard, but did it, but you get vertigo just walking round the layby for the cars.....

As for hitting a hill fast, forget that, pace yourself up it, in a way that suits you. The one in Prestatyn, you can't hit it hard, as the bottom is a good climb, till the vertical straight line to the top - it's worse than Mow Cop x 2...

Everyone is different, hence on group rides..."we'll meet at the top" !

Haha! Cannot tell you how many times I have heard people say "We'll meet at the top".

You will probably need a very long walk at the top to get your breathe back from it! A very long walk indeed.

 

[apollo179]

My main hill is Green Lanes in Stanmore - tiny little thing, but even walking up it with a pram is a challenge.
Then there's Stanmore Hill (A4140) which isn't steep but it's very long.

Yes i tend to think short steep hills are harder than the longer more shallow hills - on very steep hills i find the pedals just wont go round , particularly having lost a bit of bodyweight.
Its a while since i was on stanmore hill , i always use clamp hill as my doorway into stanmore - i will have to try it. All those roads north off the A404 are hills - when i first started cycling i was cycling home from northwood up the watford road A4125 and just gave up, collapsed. A lycra clad superhero cycling past called out to inquire if i was ok , to which i made the universally recognised sign for having a heart attack but he surprisingly didnt stop. Things do get slightly easier.
Mind you - youve got an expensive new bike so all those hills should be easy for you.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Yes i tend to think short steep hills are harder than the longer more shallow hills - on very steep hills i find the pedals just wont go round , particularly having lost a bit of bodyweight.
Its a while since i was on stanmore hill , i always use clamp hill as my doorway into stanmore - i will have to try it. All those roads north off the A404 are hills - when i first started cycling i was cycling home from northwood up the watford road A4125 and just gave up, collapsed. A lycra clad superhero cycling past called out to inquire if i was ok , to which i made the universally recognised sign for having a heart attack but he surprisingly didnt stop. Things do get slightly easier.
Mind you - youve got an expensive new bike so all those hills should be easy for you.

One of the hardest hill son my route is only classed as a Grade 3 and yet it looks flat. It is a (visually) gradual climb of around 3 miles and it is not only physically but mentally demoralising. Sometimes I prefer to know a hill is short and sharp so I can "give it the beans" for a short space of time (or grind away in the granny )

 

[Cheddar George]

As i once said to some Belgian bloke " Eddy, don't buy upgrades .... ride up grades !"

 

[Angelfishsolo]

As i once said to some Belgian bloke " Eddy, don't buy upgrades .... ride up grades !"

 

[Paulus]

A little psychological trick that works is not to look at the top of the hill you are climbing, look at the road 4 or 5 yards in front of you. It does help.

 

[apollo179]

One of the hardest hill son my route is only classed as a Grade 3 and yet it looks flat. It is a (visually) gradual climb of around 3 miles and it is not only physically but mentally demoralising. Sometimes I prefer to know a hill is short and sharp so I can "give it the beans" for a short space of time (or grind away in the granny )

Thing there is that so long as youve got fuel in the tank you should be able to manage the long gradual climb , ive got one climb locally that is only about quarter of a mile long but is so steep and the road so potholed i allways have to get off halfway .

 

[lulubel]

Thing there is that so long as youve got fuel in the tank you should be able to manage the long gradual climb , ive got one climb locally that is only about quarter of a mile long but is so steep and the road so potholed i allways have to get off halfway .

I prefer long, gradual climbs. I find that as long as I get into a gear that requires an effort level that I can sustain, I'm happy to just keep on plugging away. But we're all different. My OH prefers short, steep hills because they're over quicker.