How to tackle Hills

[coffeejo]

Make sure your push-off pedal is at the 10 or 11 clock position so you get the most benefit from that first push, and be ready with the other leg to carry it through. Having said that, I work on the theory that if my legs aren't able to get me restarted, they're probably not going to get me to the top, so I either take a longer break or start pushing until it levels out a bit.

I'm lucky with the quiet roads around here and if there's a car coming, happily take advantage of the longer break and wait til it has gone past. But the same rules about not riding in the gutter apply.

 

[boybiker]

Break it into chunks so you climb so far, stop for a drink and a breather, then start again. Next time you do that hill, try and go beyond your invisible marker before stopping, then a bit further the next time. But (and this is a case of me needing to take my own advice) don't beat yourself up if you can't get as far as you'd like, even if you've done it before. Some days you've got the legs, some days you don't.

This plus dont forget sometimes you will have a head wind making small hills into mountains and you will need to go up them in an easier gear. I also tend to find rotating standing up, sitting forward on the saddle and sitting back on the saddle gets me up most hills .

 

[coffeejo]

Oh, and relax your back, shoulders, arms and hands. Don't waste energy by tensing those muscles.

 

[Ladytrucker]

Same here. Very hilly where I am too and I'm beginning again after about 8 years and +2 stone. I've changed my tyers which make a difference and feel I'm getting fitter and better each time I'm out.

Start by seeing how far you can get up before you have to stop and take a mental note of a landmark. For me it is field gates, pothole or a tuft of grass. Next time push yourself a little further and add a bit on each time. Before you know it you will manage the lot. One poster on here said to use the downhill and flat areas to recover from the hills and don't put too much energy into going fast on these parts (until you can do the hills anyway).
Oh and granny gears when needed.

 

[sheffgirl]

I'm working on the hills, there's one particular one I am determined to conquer. I actually managed it twice this week, but I stopped part way up and had a rest each time. My goal now is to make it in one go. Just keep pushing yourself to go a little bit further each time, and eventually you will get there. Today I managed to get a lot further in one go than I have yet I've found the trick is to get into a low gear (I use the 9th lowest of my 24 gears) and just focus on pedalling steadily. Counting aloud and not looking up too much helps too

 

[stevede]

I had an issue with hills when I re started cycling last year. Determined to get to grips with them, I took a look at what I was doing and realised that I was charging at them and trying too hard. I now approach them in a steady fashion and use my speedo to gauge the pace I find comfortable. If I fins my self speeding up, I consciously slow back down back to my chosen speed. I now find that I can get up the regular hills a little faster and without feeling quite as bad at the top. I have both road and mountain bike and on one particular hill am 3 mph faster on the road than the MTB.

Keep working at it, it does get easier.

Tyre wise, I found the Schwalbe Land cruiser www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24622 gave a good compromise on the road (1.75" version)

Best regards

Steve

 

[GrasB]

Hi all,

As I live in Derbyshire there seems to be a hill at every corner and I seem to always find it hard to get up them and even more when I am cycling with a friend who has a road bike he is up at the top before I am even half way. I have a Giant CSR 4 hybrid.

Chris

There are 2 ways to get up hills...
1. low gear & twiddle away the pedals at silly low speeds - this is the least painful way but makes hills long & boring, plus you hold up your buddies, though take long enough & they can have a nice cuppa... or a good nights sleep at the summit (You'd understand if you met some of the 'hills' I climb up in the summer)
2. Attack it like a maniac & find you burn out half way up... keep the same effort level at the bottom & repeat every few days until you make it all the way up. Once you've managed that next time push even harder. - It's painful, won't make the hills any easier but you'll get up them quicker.

 

[potsy]

Start by seeing how far you can get up before you have to stop and take a mental note of a landmark. For me it is field gates, pothole or a tuft of grass. Next time push yourself a little further and add a bit on each time. Before you know it you will manage the lot.

That's a really good tip Ladytrucker, I did this on my commute when I first started cycling, little bit further each time before getting off and walking, now it's a middle ring middle of the cassette hill

 

[tonyw]

my favorite spot is at the top of a large hill i break it up into 2 sections,stop and have a drink and carry on but one thing about hills you get to the top eventually you get to come back down

 

[Haz]

"sit and spin" is what I go by - whack it into bottom gear and spin your legs a bit faster. As others have said, think of each hill in terms of little chunks, starting with the chunk you're on and see just how many more chunks you can go up without stopping. Before you know it you're at the top with a nice big downhill to whizz down! And your friend should wait for you at the top so you can regroup.
Good luck, the hills do get easier!

 

[Chris Norton]

Hills are the best thing about cycling imho. Shame I have to do about 20 miles simply to get to one that even pretends to be one. Different from when I lived in Swadlincote.

 

[SWSteve]

re: hills, mine are either very long or very steep. I find picking a gear when I'm at a good speed/cadence and am not too pushed helps. Change sooner so you aren't on the back foot and just GET UP IT!!! You'll soon find yourself doing better, getting off and pushing isn't something to be ashamed of, we aren't all Chris Froome/Nigel

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Knowing when to change gears also helps. If the slope you're climbing is about to become steeper, change to the lower gear you need for the steeper bit slightly before you reach it, then you'll find you ascend the hill at a more consistent speed. That makes it easier on your quads .

 

[coffeejo]

That's a really good tip Ladytrucker, I did this on my commute when I first started cycling, little bit further each time before getting off and walking, now it's a middle ring middle of the cassette hill

And that's just the canal path

 

[G3CWI]

And that's just the canal path

Ahhh now only about three weeks ago I had to get off and push my bike up the canal tow path. Here in Cheshire we even build in hills on tow paths. Check out Bosley Locks.