Hills will be the death of me!

[Nigelnaturist]

My approach is this: just do it- I don't care how fast or how long it takes me to climb it so long as I get up it-
For me, it's winning the mental game. The speed comes with time, fitness and experience.

Just my thoughts on it anyway!

+1
Though when I started I hated them, simple because they were so hard, but I am begining to push longer in higher gears up the shorter climbs.

 

[Noodle Legs]

+1
Though when I started I hated them, simple because they were so hard, but I am begining to push longer in higher gears up the shorter climbs.

Ditto.
The first hill I climbed when I got back in the saddle absolutely killed me - and it wasn't necessarily that steep! My legs were like jelly, I stopped halfway up it and again at the top......I was blowing like a surfacing blue whale! I hated it, but I just wouldn't let it get the better of me, so on future rides I made a point of incorpoating hills wherever I could. That first hill is an absolute doddle now!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Ditto.
The first hill I climbed when I got back in the saddle absolutely killed me - and it wasn't necessarily that steep! My legs were like jelly, I stopped halfway up it and again at the top......I was blowing like a surfacing blue whale! I hated it, but I just wouldn't let it get the better of me, so on future rides I made a point of incorpoating hills wherever I could. That first hill is an absolute doddle now!

I have no matter which way I come home a climb, one is quite steep but short I think it peaks at about 10-11%, but the problem with it is half way is a traffic control over a weak bridge, for a long time I would walk the short bridge section (maybe 30 yrds) I now use the cycle path over it (only time I use a cycle path) more for the safety aspect, the other is not so steep peaks at about 6% i think but is much longer and has two climbs, the 2nd one is easy.

Even if I go round the long way you still have to climb, yea I live at the top of a hill.

 

[outlash]

Someone recently mentioned to me that when he does climbs (not that there are many here in Cambridgeshire!) that he manages his effort, not his speed. Ie: if you're struggling, drop a gear. Works for me anyway.


Tony.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Thats what I do, I am getting better at putting some effort into the longer gears approaching a short incline and dropping down as needed, though if its a lengthy climb I still just settle into a a low gear and just work my way up steadily. Though i am finding I am using higher gears. I just did to night a section that is 5.5m long with a steady climb of 200ft or so, though there are one or two sharper climbs or they were when I started they dont seem so now, I was 1mph faster over this than I was a month ago, and also instead of the 26/34 which i needed when I started in June I find I am taking most of the steeper sections no lower than 38/24-28 and thats as I am usually getting to the top.
One section I crawled up at under 7mph when I started, I tried to note the speed today not less than 10 i think (according to strava 11-12 for most of it), like i said its short 1/4 of a mile and only 3-4% in places, but it used to kill me because its the 2nd of 2 though the first is not so steep only 2.5% in places its 3/4 of mile again before i was down at 7mph today 11+ apart from a junction where there was an unusual amount of cars for the time.

 

[GrasB]

I am not a mathematical genius (or even very good) but is there not a relationship between cadence and power, you say (and I am taking the extremes here, its for others better than me to work it out) but at 50w your cadence is 50 (i did say extreme figures I know it varies) and at 400w its 150 well 50-150 cadence is 3x and 50 to 400 is 50 double 3x i.e 50-100-200-400, just an example from your figures, so surly this wouldn't be too difficult to work out. I know there's more to it.

Here's you're issue, 50w at 50rpm would be a climbing, 400w on a steep climb would be 110rpm so that's 1:1 to 3.5:1, however when descending it'd be 75rpm @ 50w (1.5:1) v's 150rpm when descending at 400w (2.5:1). So you'll have to factor in gradient & you also need someway of measuring power.

People go on about auto boxes for cars, but the one thing people tend to forget is that your right foot is the automotive engine's perceived effort & it doesn't have comfort bounds which effect performance like a person does.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Here's you're issue, 50w at 50rpm would be a climbing, 400w on a steep climb would be 110rpm so that's 1:1 to 3.5:1, however when descending it'd be 75rpm @ 50w (1.5:1) v's 150rpm when descending at 400w (2.5:1). So you'll have to factor in gradient & you also need someway of measuring power.

People go on about auto boxes for cars, but the one thing people tend to forget is that your right foot is the automotive engine's perceived effort & it doesn't have comfort bounds which effect performance like a person does.

I know you can get power meters, but isnt this just another way of measuring cadence with speed (not clear on the tech), but either way, in the technological world we are today, it should be possible to make such a system, I know there limits on the engineering side, (gear ratios available ect..) cadence, heart rate, speed, gradients, power even altitude (in case your climbing 1,000' of ft changes in O2) can all be measured, and if your power output is known from different situations it should be possible to programming a system to select the right gear for a given situation. I dont think I ever said it would cheap or easy to do, but not impossible.

 

[Sara_H]

My advice is to practice as much as you can.

I live at the top of a steep hill, and for about 10 years have had to get off aqnd walk it, having increased from part time to full time at work and having got rid of my car I now have to cycle more often and have improved massively I can now cycle up the hill relatively easily, having found it impossible for years!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

My advice is to practice as much as you can.

I live at the top of a steep hill, and for about 10 years have had to get off aqnd walk it, having increased from part time to full time at work and having got rid of my car I now have to cycle more often and have improved massively I can now cycle up the hill relatively easily, having found it impossible for years!

+1 to this, the reason I have such low gearing though is that I cant really push with my right leg (compression injury from some years ago), so I find it easier in lower gears, having said that, my leg is stronger and I can push better, though its taken some time (well 2 months, so not so long really) and its better all round too, i.e. stairs.

 

[Sara_H]

+1 to this, the reason I have such low gearing though is that I cant really push with my right leg (compression injury from some years ago), so I find it easier in lower gears, having said that, my leg is stronger and I can push better, though its taken some time (well 2 months, so not so long really) and its better all round too, i.e. stairs.

I have similar problems, I had a herniated disc a few years ago, which is thankfully cured after some hard core pilates for a year or two, but it has left me with weakness and reduced sensation in the left leg

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

some weight training will help strengthen your leg,s squat,s good for your leg,s & overall fitness

Since nobody else has tackled this. Weight training will not help you climb hills as strength is not a limiting factor.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Since nobody else has tackled this. Weight training will not help you climb hills as strength is not a limiting factor.

It has been covered in another thread.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

It has been covered in another thread.

I know

 

[Nigelnaturist]

This is why I run out, I know i have the strength, just not got the endurance/fitness