how do i improve my hills?

[jdtate101]

Finally, it never gets easy, you just go faster, I can't remember who said that.

Greg LeMond.

 

[Doc333]

Late 50's new cyclist recovering from a heart attack last April, and being new to cycling find hills a pain. Just before Xmas I attempted to get up 'Alsagers Bank' which is the high point in Cheshire. I crashed and burned half way up and turned back. Yesterday I tried it again and although stopped for a blow twice, managed it. I was and still am elated at that achievement, and I even managed to catch a mountain biker who was chugging along in the granny ring. It felt good catching him and going past him. It hurt like hell but I feel more confident now and cycling a few miles each week is making me fitter and faster. So I guess the only way to climb well is to just keep going, stop when it hurts and even get off and push if it becomes too much. Don't kill yourself trying to be a Pantani, and you will get stronger, fitter and more confident at each climb.

 

[Effyb4]

@Doc333 I'm a 40 year old who had a heart attack and bypass surgery in September. I am back on the bike and gradually increasing the miles, but at the moment even the smallest incline is very hard work. I'm a bit scared to push too hard, but you have reassured me that it is going to get better.

 

[Cherry Stewart]

• Do more of them
• Power to weight ratio is important (I'm a light lady and wiz past some very powerful guys up hill)
• Get advice on your gearing (for example when in the mountains I change my rear cassette to a climbing configuration I think its a 11-32 tooth that means I keep spinning up hill on long climbs (this gearing works the same as a triple on the front). I currently have a compact on the front of my bike and change the rear cassette as and when (and the chain).
• Its better to keep spinning on a lighter gear up hill than labouring on a bigger gear (ring). One suggestion is to find a hill nearish to home after a warm up ride to it put yourself into a stiffer gear up the chosen hill and see how you handle it. Give yourself so many reps to do and keep giving yourself a slightly stiffer gear each time - this will help to build your power.
Good luck!

 

[Slimzoe]

So today I found my training hill, it's a long slow drag and it was hard work but I did it, slow and steady and no panicking. I did fall off but that's because my chain slipped lol. So it's my new hill to train on (ridge lane for anybody local to me) the wind today was a killer though! Thanks so much for all the advice and offers of help I have taken it on board and will be visiting Rutland and Bedworth lol.

 

[berty bassett]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but riding for 2 years is still a beginner, lots to learn still. You are not far away from us here in Rutland, so if you want to come over for some practical tips we would be happy to help. We have a little experience in climbing hills.

a little experience at hills ! there aint no flat bits in Rutland !! done the oundle gorilla ride last year and i think we sampled most of them

 

[Doc333]

@Doc333 I'm a 40 year old who had a heart attack and bypass surgery in September. I am back on the bike and gradually increasing the miles, but at the moment even the smallest incline is very hard work. I'm a bit scared to push too hard, but you have reassured me that it is going to get better.

Effy you've only just had major surgery mate (5-months) so you can't push it mate. I had my heart attack back in April last year and it took me ages to even walk for more than 10-minutes at a time. It took me 6-weeks before I was allowed to start swinging a golf club and a full 2-months before I was allowed to play 9-holes. I got a bike in November once i was fully signed off by the consultant, and that was 8-months, so don't do anything crazy mate.

I've only just started achieving 20-mile rides and thats 4-months into cycling but I started after a full cardiac rehab program and being given the all clear. You my friend have a while to go before you get full sign-off from the hospital so don't rush it. In your position I would get off and push as soon as you feel your heart over working. I asked about heart rate monitors and was advised that I would spend more time worrying about that than concentrating. If you dont feel good you stop and thats it. If your doctor tells you cycling is good to get your fitness back, he didn't mean for you to do the TDF climbs. Over do things now will send you backwards, and easy does it with weekly improvements means you reach your peak when your body says so

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

It's relatively easy for me because I live in Llangollen, but the basic rule is to find something short and steep to practise on. If the torque is such that the front wheel lifts. then you know it's steep. Then, with the bigger ones, take your time, and take a slalom line up the hill to flatten it. Be prepared for failure - the bend round the church on Church Hill, Glyn Ceirog is nearly 1 in 3 and if there is a vehicle coming down the hill (you'll smell the brakes before you hear it) you have to get off and push. If you can walk up it, then you can cycle up it. However, the biggest problem is balancing the bike on very steep stuff and having the rear wheel skid out when your nose is nearly on the front wheel.

 

[midliferider]

What would you generally consider as a hill?
I have just starting plotting my routes on maps and it gives the gradient. I was quite surprised to learn that what I considered as difficult hills are just 7%

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

What would you generally consider as a hill?
I have just starting plotting my routes on maps and it gives the gradient. I was quite surprised to learn that what I considered as difficult hills are just 7%

Anything with an uphill gradient that you notice and feels slows you down...
Or from a mountaineering point of view, anything under 600metres (1968 feet).

 

[asterix]

You gotta love hills!

They are like dogs, they know when you are afraid of 'em and then they rear up in front, all dark and ugly. When you are at the bottom you have to think, 'Oh wow, that looks an interesting hill, I just got to find out what's at the top of it, and won't it be a fantastic view'. Or something like that..

I've climbed Winnatts Pass a few times and always approached it after a large pasta lunch. A large pasta lunch is not what you want to have had immediately before Winnatts and I really have to psych myself up for that one.

 

[nuttall1991]

When I round a corner to be presented with a particularly daunting hill I try to pick my speed up to attack the first part of the hill and let the my momentum do some of the work. Then I sometimes drop down two gears to trick myself into thinking/feeling that the hill isn't that hard and often go back up a gear towards the end of the hill. If it is like trying to cycle up a cliff then I stop looking at the hill and just focus on the front wheel, obviously don't do that on a busy road with side streets etc. I try to focus on my tempo/cadence and breathing and look up every now and then to see how far I've come, not how far I've got left...

 

[ColinJ]

I've climbed Winnatts Pass a few times and always approached it after a large pasta lunch. A large pasta lunch is not what you want to have had immediately before Winnatts and I really have to psych myself up for that one.

I walked up it on a peak district holiday about 20 years ago. I was pretty impressed by it, and kept thinking how hard it would be to tackle on a bike. I will have to incorporate it into a hilly century ride one day!

 

[Hip Priest]

I've always considered myself to be 'rubbish at climbing' but this year I've extended my commute home to include a short 12% hill and I'm now much, much better. As Rob said earlier, it doesn't take ages to improve. I've come on leaps & bounds in 6-7 weeks.

I surprised my riding buddy at the weekend by keeping pace with him on climbs. Last year he'd have to wait for me at the top.

 

[400bhp]

I walked up it on a peak district holiday about 20 years ago. I was pretty impressed by it, and kept thinking how hard it would be to tackle on a bike. I will have to incorporate it into a hilly century ride one day!

Don't, just don't. Orrible