Try going back to the mtb on the road and train yourself out of the bottom front ring, with y hybrid ( 48, 36, 26 and 11-32 in 9 cogs), to start with i had to use the middle front rings for the local hills and dips (nothing too severe) and it took quite a bit of effort to every week only use a smaller rear cog each week, until i was comfortable to change up to the big ring at he front (and to a large rear cog) and then start the process again.
Lowest gear too hard!
- Thread starter adamangler
- Start date
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Try going back to the mtb on the road and train yourself out of the bottom front ring, with y hybrid ( 48, 36, 26 and 11-32 in 9 cogs), to start with i had to use the middle front rings for the local hills and dips (nothing too severe) and it took quite a bit of effort to every week only use a smaller rear cog each week, until i was comfortable to change up to the big ring at he front (and to a large rear cog) and then start the process again.
black'n'yellow
Guest
This is the Beginners forum don't you know? How dare you question leg muscles
sorry - I should have mentioned squats...
Boon 51
Veteran
- Location
- Deal. Kent.
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
The OP has a CX bike. Would be surprised if the largest sprocket has only 25 teeth...? Then again, I know next to nowt about CX bikes but thought they were meant to have lower gearing than the avg compact dbl.
black'n'yellow
Guest
CX is not a mountain sport, most CX bikes leave the shop with a 34/50 and 12-25 or thereabouts. My own has 34/42 and 11-26.
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
Blimey, didn't know that. Always thought they had lower gears. CX is so not for me 
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
My CX (Giant TCX1) came with 46/36 & 12/28 which I thought was more normal (at least at the front).
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Well - his leg muscles must play some part I would have thought; I can't imagine a wonderful CV and Lungs doing much with atrophied muscles.
Whatever, his legs looked awful - my wife's words were "freaky" & "disgusting".
lavoisier
Winter is Coming!
- Location
- Kendal Cumbria
I use my lowest gear and get as far up a hill as I can. Then I stop, get my breath back and set off again. I stop and start as many times as needs be.
Next time I try to go a little further on each stage. After a number of times doing this, dependant upon the hill, it does get easier. I managed a hill with a 17% gradient in part of it that I never dreamed of doing when I started. Alas having been off the bike for 8 or 9 weeks I am now back to square one. Just keep the faith.
Next time I try to go a little further on each stage. After a number of times doing this, dependant upon the hill, it does get easier. I managed a hill with a 17% gradient in part of it that I never dreamed of doing when I started. Alas having been off the bike for 8 or 9 weeks I am now back to square one. Just keep the faith.
T.M.H.N.E.T
Rainbows aren't just for world champions
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Your reference to tree trunk legs implied that not having them was a problem of concern for a relative newbie to hills, struggling on hills.
This of course isn't the case.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Not what I implied at all - was just being conversationally jokey.
MrJamie
Oaf on a Bike
Aren't MTB and Road/CX ratios different too, in that they're connected to different sized wheels, making the same gear ratio on his presumably 700c CX bike harder than on a 26" MTB?
Personally id prefer to have a nice low gear for when you need it, my hybrids got lowest at 28 front 32 rear, which at over 18 stone I still only need very occasionally, but I like that ive got it. I think id really struggle with typical CX gearing until i fix my cake addiction
Personally id prefer to have a nice low gear for when you need it, my hybrids got lowest at 28 front 32 rear, which at over 18 stone I still only need very occasionally, but I like that ive got it. I think id really struggle with typical CX gearing until i fix my cake addiction
billy1561
BB wrecker
- Location
- North west England
I don't understand hills and gears whatsoever. I'm roughly 110 kg and can keep up with my mates relatively easily on the flat over any distance. Once a hill is attempted, I'm left for dead. To me that is a weight thing as my mates are at least 20 kg lighter.
My bike is probably the lightest in the group too.
My bike is probably the lightest in the group too.
black'n'yellow
Guest
of course weight plays a part in performance - especially uphill, but at 110kg you are either 7ft tall, or you are carrying significantly too much of it. If you are overweight, then reducing your weight will obviously improve your power/weight ratio.
