Hill Climbing

[Luddite Joe]

Surreal cyclists clip with one hand.

If you clip in and nobody hears it, does it still make a sound?

 

[uclown2002]

I just pedal, I've no idea what I do when climbing ;-)

+1

 

[jagman.2003]

I make a concious effort to pull up as well as push down.
It works for me.

Same here, don't know how much extra power it puts to the pedals but every little helps.

 

[Smurfy]

[QUOTE 3143481, member: 30090"]Simple question:

You are up and out the saddle pedaling up a hill and you're clipless.

Do you pull up on the upstroke as well as pushing down with the downstroke or do you just put all your weight over the downstroke foot as you go through the pedalling motion. Well?[/QUOTE]
Depends how severe and prolonged the gradient is. The most brutal ascents will require every muscle you've got.

 

[Smurfy]

If long enough there is no sense to recruiting more muscles, cycling in the orthodox fashion can utilise the output of your cadio vascular system. If short and sharp, yes recruit every muscle you can employ.

Sorry, I forgot, you don't have any real hills dahn sarth

 

[Profpointy]

I don't think pulling up is all that relevant to most of us. Occasionally for hill starts on my fixie maybe, but not much else. The point of SPDs, or toe clips for that matter, is having your feet securely on the pedals for general pedalling.

 

[Smurfy]

For those who are curious as to what type of hill might require every muscle you've got, try a few of these monsters!
http://www.ocd.org.uk/uk/HighestRoads.html
And no, Ditchling Beacon isn't on the list!

 

[Big Nick]

I was apprehensive going clipless but to me it fits in the 'don't knock it till you've tried it' category!!

Can't imagine going back to flat pedals and all three of my bikes now have SPD's

Your foot has to go through a whole 360 rotation so to me to have a slight 'pull' effect on the upstroke to assist the opposite foot on its downstroke is a no brainer for better pedalling efficiency

 

[MikeG]

Pesig is about due for a new book ....

Pirsig.

 

[jdtate101]

On moderate hills...just push. On super steep...push and pull.

 

[HLaB]

On moderate hills...just push. On super steep...get off & push and pull.

Sorry, I couldn't resist

 

[marcusjb]

On fixed I have to pull when the going gets very steep.

Gears - as ever make you lazy, so I click down and just push.

 

[martint235]

For those who are curious as to what type of hill might require every muscle you've got, try a few of these monsters!
http://www.ocd.org.uk/uk/HighestRoads.html
And no, Ditchling Beacon isn't on the list!

Ok no 19, Yad Moss, is a piece of the proverbial. Did it both ways during LEL and you don't even have to try hard, it's just long. In fact that list is just high hills not difficult hills to climb so for example there is no mention of the Howardian Hills. You could say that in terms of this conversation the list is irrelevant.

I would argue that Ditchling Beacon is far harder to climb than Yad Moss

 

[Smokin Joe]

Ok no 19, Yad Moss, is a piece of the proverbial. Did it both ways during LEL and you don't even have to try hard, it's just long. In fact that list is just high hills not difficult hills to climb so for example there is no mention of the Howardian Hills. You could say that in terms of this conversation the list is irrelevant.

I would argue that Ditchling Beacon is far harder to climb than Yad Moss

Ditchling is a pimple, over-rated because it defeats the casual riders on L2B. I got up it on 42/23 no bother. When they held the Brighton Classic or whatever it was called back in the early nineties most of the pros never got out of the saddle.

 

[ianrauk]

Ditchling is a pimple, over-rated because it defeats the casual riders on L2B. I got up it on 42/23 no bother. When they held the Brighton Classic or whatever it was called back in the early nineties most of the pros never got out of the saddle.

agree 100%.
For any relatively fit cyclist Ditchling is no problem.