How do you climb?

[2Loose]

34front 25rear is IMO a small gear (its lower than the gears on my road bikes), before you go any expense I would give it a while for you too build up your fitness. The steepest my compact (a 36 front 25 rear) has been up is a 26% and my other bike (a38 front 25 rear) the steepest it has been up 21% and you'll get a lot of folk who'll go up steeper with an even higher gear.
/quote]

What distance at 20+%?

I have a 90% step outside my house...no problem.
But I have trouble doing a 14%(I am sure it is steeper!

) for just under a mile on the 34x25 cogs.

 

[HLaB]

What distance at 20+%?

I have a 90% step outside my house...no problem.
But I have trouble doing a 14%(I am sure it is steeper!

) for just under a mile on the 34x25 cogs.

Lol, the 26% is probably only for a few metres, the road only averages 14% for a km and I've never thought about the 21% they're probably similar. In the Vuelta a few years back they were doing a ride which averaged 21% for the last 4km or there about, after 200km (or there about) and x number of days

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I absolutely despise having my feet spinning round at a million miles an hour*, so when it comes to hills I'll stand and bite in purely out of habit.
Having to stop is an admission of defeat.

Must admit though that since going out on my Felt TT bike, hills have become a lot more difficult, but then, the gear levers are at the very end of the superman handlebars, so I have to plan in advance what gear to use as changing in the middle of a serious grind can be.... erm, entertaining!



* - On the Glasgow Skyride I saw kids cycling around with their feet whizzing round at a rate that couldn't have been doing them any good. Also there was a short incline at one bit and the amount of people, including kids I saw getting off and pushing really did amaze me, as it wasn't even a very steep or long hill!!
I just zoomed up without even bothering to change gear at all - that's how much of a feeble incline it was.

 

[cyberknight]

Whatever suits.

I alternate between in and out of the saddle on long climbs as sitting and spinning doesn't do it for me.

Same here some days i spin and other days i stand on the pedals but use a gear where i do not grind.

 

[Rob1984]

34front 25rear is IMO a small gear (its lower than the gears on my road bikes), before you go any expense I would give it a while for you too build up your fitness. The steepest my compact (a 36 front 25 rear) has been up is a 26% and my other bike (a38 front 25 rear) the steepest it has been up 21% and you'll get a lot of folk who'll go up steeper with an even higher gear.

If after a while things aren't working for you consider first putting a larger cassette on; this will be cheaper no changes to sti levers etc although a longer cage may be required; if it not too a dramatic change, it'll just be a straight swap. Converting to a tripple will do the same job but will cost more, new shifters and front derailleur will be required.

Thanks for the advice. I had tried a 15% incline twice and stopped both times, I was cycling solo and only doing a short < 1 hour route. This weekend I teamed up with 2 others from a cycling club I just joined, the leader took me on a 30 mile route with some incredibly difficult climbs including a 20% one. I managed them all so I'm confident that I can do as you say, and keep working on my fitness to be able to handle any hill.

Only downside was getting a puncture because the bike shop had managed to fold the tube inside the tyre and it burst under pressure on it's first proper outing.

 

[jimboalee]

With short hills momentum is your friend; sprint hard down and up the other side and you can see off most of the hill with accumulated energy and be dropping into a climbing gear as your speed begins to reduce.

Global 'The human pendulum' ti.

This is the strategy of riding a BMX in a half-pipe.

 

[addictfreak]

Im just happy to get up them!

I ride a 34-25 which has got me up most things, the steeper it gets the more i find myself standing up.

 

[scott s10]

push, pull at the same time . surely you must be adding an extra 40% to your power if you do that. i always time trial pushing and pulling