Hill in the way

[Karlt]

I have for the past week really enjoyed my trips out, new bottom bracket has improved things loads. I have decided to change my front sprockets (x2) and rear wheel mounted sprockets (x9) next, teeth are looking a bit done in, but I need something with teeth numbers that will get me up a steep hill which is on my favourite route.
The hill rises about 500ft over 2 miles and I walk, is there a mountain climbing version/ratio of sprockets that will help me beat the hill in the nearer future? OCD has started kicking in I'm afraid. The bike is an older Raleigh Airlite.

Thanks to all those who pointed me in the right direction for the BB btw, improved things out of all proportions!

The opening part of my commute home is pretty much like that. I get up it fine on 39/21 with occasional use of the 23 and 26 cogs and I'm no climber. What is your current smallest front and largest rear?

 

[Karlt]

Doesn't help much but I now know the hill is 20%, nearly had me crying this morning :S

As others have said, a 2 mile 20% hill would be a couple of thousand feet of climbing, not 500. Where is this hill? Are you sure it's not 1 in 20 (which is 5%) rather than 20%, which is 1 in 5?

 

[migrantwing]

As others have mentioned, a 30,32 or 34t cog would get you up almost anything. The biggest problem arises, whether it be uphill, downhill or a flat road, is that those who haven't been cycling long (my mother, for instance) tend to opt for the wrong gear choice. This has people pedalling slowly, grinding instead of spinning. A) It takes more effort and B) you have less control of the bike, especially when going uphill or going slowly. Turning a corner or avoiding an obstacle in the road can be disastrous.

I'm quite fit and LOVE hills, but it depends how I feel on the day. Have just changed from an 11-28 to a 12-30, as there are some killer hills/climbs around here and it has helped that little bit more.

 

[Okeydokey]

Little voyage of learning and discovery with Garmin Connect. I have managed to lose about 20Lbs off the waist line since my original post which has made this a little closer to being achievable, at this point though it is still beyond me. I have a new (to me) bike and a first spin class on Friday to try to get more air into my lungs and some meat on me legs. I'm guessing now its time in the saddle and mileage that may make the real difference. The trials of being an over weight MV50

 

[Nibor]

I have a triple up front 50/39/30 and an 11-34 on the back my (lack of) fitness still means I get off and push when tired but the gear range means I can ride up most stuff. My latest planned bike upgrade is some weight loss which should upgrade the "engine" greatly.

Best advise I ever had is ride your own hill. I have also found that having someone of a similar ability can spur you on to greater effoerts and giive you a little more grit and determination to keep the legs turning.

 

[ColinJ]

If you strip out the irrelevant bits of the profile, you can see that it is a fairly tough hill. It averages 8.4% for 1.7 km and includes a couple of steeper ramps.

 

[Karlt]

Right. So more like in 1 mile. I'd find another route until I was stronger.

 

[Okeydokey]

At least its not an easy hill, thank God! and you guys for benchmarking that for me

 

[MikeW-71]

Yeah, that's far from straightforward and has a 15% gradient arrow on the map right at the top. It's the kind of climb that I really hate

 

[sheffgirl]

I suck at hills, am trying to push myself though. I keep attempting Jawbone AKA 'Cote d'Oughtibridge' but I keep failing, going to keep trying to get a tiny bit further each time before I give up and walk. And I gotta learn to pace, I'm terrible at that

 

[Okeydokey]

I had my first spin class yesterday, I'm sure that the interval training we were doing out of the saddle is going to add loads to the strength and stamina development process, infact the whole class was a really good work out. I enjoyed being able to concentrate on what muscle was working most and how much it hurt when pushed. There is clearly a technique to this climbing malarchy, just more practice needed now.

 

[adamangler]

its more mind over matter than technique when it gets really steep. technique is good whether seated or out of the saddle but its more the "id rather die than walk" mentality that gets you up the proper stuff.

 

[ColinJ]

its more mind over matter than technique when it gets really steep. technique is good whether seated or out of the saddle but its more the "id rather die than walk" mentality that gets you up the proper stuff.

Or kills you!

(I saw a purple-faced, sweating, gasping cyclist on his hands and knees at the side of the road at the top of a tough climb on the Tour de Yorkshire sportive last Sunday and he looked like he might pop his clogs at any moment ...)

 

[Elswick Cotterpin]

And I gotta learn to pace, I'm terrible at that

Yep, that's what I have problems with, something automatically kicks in and I use more effort than I need to, or actually, can sustain for any length of time. I think it's cycle-logical, something about the hill being there and how much effort it'll require to get up the thing, so I forever go at it too hard.. but I'm getting better, learning to stay seated, get a low gear and spin up, but it sometimes seems to take forever. Actually, it almost kills me whatever way I try to climb them.

 

[nickyboy]

Right. So more like in 1 mile. I'd find another route until I was stronger.

Definitely. Some might say that you should man up and get up the hill. But that is not an easy climb for anyone, no matter how fit you are. Do some more cycling up smaller hills, keep getting fitter and then have another go at it when you feel the time's right.

If you really want to get a gearing to make sure you get up now then go for it. But if you can get yourself reasonably fit then 34 on the front and 28 on the back should be plenty. I'm at best a middling climber (reasonably fit but never going to be a skinny minny) and I would use 34-23