Hill Climbing

[martint235]

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.

It's far steeper than Yad Moss though which is ranked in the list provided by YT. Climbing Yad Moss is about enjoying the view.

 

[HLaB]

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.

Is it overated like Winatts Pass?

 

[jdtate101]

Yep Ditchling is indeed a pimple. Go up to Yorkshire or North Wales....them's real hills .

...or better yet, take the cyclists pilgrimage to the French Alps and grovel on Alpe D'Huez during a local hill time trial, now that's a real climb.

 

[swansonj]

Depends how severe and prolonged the gradient is. The most brutal ascents will require every muscle you've got.

.. or merely a lower gear.

 

[Dogtrousers]

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

I'm normally blowing like hell when I get to the top of it.
I suppose "relatively fit" is a relative term.

 

[cyberknight]

Pirsig.

OOOh i see the spelling police are out

 

[MikeG]

OOOh i see the spelling police are out

No, I was merely being helpful. I have no interest in whether you spell anything correctly or not. Some people may have wondered what you were on about, and attempted to look it up.

 

[Smurfy]

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

Yes, you're right, not all of those will be difficult, but it's a free online list, unlike the 100 climbs books, which you have to pay for, and I can't post online.

In my experience, the most difficult hills to climb without stopping are those that get progessively steeper over a distance of several miles, finishing with 1:5 or 1:4 right near the top. At that point most normal, non-pro cyclists won't have much left, and will struggle just to stay moving. One of the climbs ranked as a 10 in the top climbs books follows that exact pattern, and yes, it's difficult, even with low gears!

 

[Dogtrousers]

[QUOTE 3148156, member: 30090"]Thanks to those who read the OP and gave thier opinion.

The reason I asked was because I read an article that stated standing up out of the seat was counter productive if you are only pushing down because of the weight of the dormant leg. Hence why I asked if you pull and push, or just push.[/QUOTE]

From messing around on a Wattbike I find that my most efficient pedalling requires not so much a "pull" on the upstroke, but more work to pull back at the bottom of the stroke around 6 o'clock. At .least that's what it feels like.

The only time I stand up is either ...

For a very steep, very short hill that I can't ride otherwise - in which case I'll be trying to get as much power out of my legs as possible, so I actively do my "efficient pedalling" motion as opposed to just stamping down. I find this works the core and shoulders to try to stabilise my trunk to give my legs something to work against (not sure if that makes sense, but that's what it feels like). I can't keep that up for long.

For a long draggy hill and need to just change position in order to suffer in a different way. In which case I don't actively work both legs, I just mash down and use my considerable weight to propel myself forward.

But really I'm just a lump, not an althete, so it doesn't really matter what I do.

 

[bigmig]

As a user of toe-clips, can I ask all you SPD-types why you go to the expense of special pedals and shoes - not to mention the inconvenience of walking like a cowboy - if you're *not* pulling on the upstroke (stop sniggering, Jenkinson)? I thought that was the whole point of clip-in pedals; that you can pedal in circles properly. I pull on the upstroke a bit and I'm using plastic toe-clips with rusty clips on the straps so they're not even properly tight. What the heck are you guys doing? If the clips are just to stop your feet flying off the pedals, why not get a pair of £5 toe clips instead?

I thought the point of clipless was not to be able to pull up, but to provide greater stability and more efficient pedaling by having you foot in the most optimal position and locked in to provide better transfer of power to the crank. I can certianly notice the difference since I went to SPD's I also get less aches in my feet because they are not moving around and are set in the most optimal (which also just happens to be the most comfortable position for me too ) position. Maybe my understanding is wrong, I am pretty new to this

 

[Smokin Joe]

I thought the point of clipless was not to be able to pull up, but to provide greater stability and more efficient pedaling by having you foot in the most optimal position and locked in to provide better transfer of power to the crank. I can certianly notice the difference since I went to SPD's I also get less aches in my feet because they are not moving around and are set in the most optimal (which also just happens to be the most comfortable position for me too ) position. Maybe my understanding is wrong, I am pretty new to this

You got it.

 

[User6179]

As a user of toe-clips, can I ask all you SPD-types why you go to the expense of special pedals and shoes - not to mention the inconvenience of walking like a cowboy - if you're *not* pulling on the upstroke (stop sniggering, Jenkinson)? I thought that was the whole point of clip-in pedals; that you can pedal in circles properly. I pull on the upstroke a bit and I'm using plastic toe-clips with rusty clips on the straps so they're not even properly tight. What the heck are you guys doing? If the clips are just to stop your feet flying off the pedals, why not get a pair of £5 toe clips instead?

A real cyclist would not pass up on the chance to spend more money !
I went clip less to stop myself assaulting the next person that said to me , why are you still using toe clips

 

[KneesUp]

A real cyclist would not pass up on the chance to spend more money !
I went clip less to stop myself assaulting the next person that said to me , why are you still using toe clips

I'm old fashioned then - my enjoyment of cycling is partly informed by the fact that it cost almost nothing. I get a bit baffled by all the 'tell me the best way to spend £1,000 on a bike' threads to be honest. I think I've been living in Yorkshire too long.

 

[User6179]

I'm old fashioned then - my enjoyment of cycling is partly informed by the fact that it cost almost nothing. I get a bit baffled by all the 'tell me the best way to spend £1,000 on a bike' threads to be honest. I think I've been living in Yorkshire too long.

Cycling, where the more you spend then the less you get !
FWIW I have found zero performance gains going clip less but it does feel better being clipped in .

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Depends how severe and prolonged the gradient is. The most brutal ascents will require every muscle you've got.

.. or merely a lower gear.

... or both. There's a hors categorie mountain climb near Melbourne I rode up once, using a road bike with lowest gear 34:28, and it was tough. If I'd used my touring bike with its lowest gear of 30:34, the pedaling might have been easier, but I suspect the ascent would have been no easier, because the touring bike weighs about 6kg more, which really matters on a hill like this one.