New boy here. Help I'm surrounded by hills!

[Oldfentiger]

Hi all.
I grew up in the Fens, and spent my youth cycling the flatlands with hardly a pimple to climb up.
Stopped cycling when I discovered engines and girls.
Moved oop norf 12 years ago, now living in a valley adjacent to Pendle Hill.
I got back into cycling a couple of years ago, all because I found I was crap at riding classic trials bikes.
I broke my ankle and took to bicycles to build up strength in the damaged joint.
Started off with a Giant MTB, then bought a Trek Hybrid. Earlier this year I bought my first road bike -Merida Ride 94 (carbon frame). Gonna sell the MTB and hybrid as I've just bought a Raleigh RX Comp (63rd birthday present) to use over the winter.
So, I'm currently trying to improve fitness by getting out several times a week doing quite short rides. They're quite intense though as whichever way I ride from home I have a 15% climb to tackle within 100 yards from my door. No chance to get these old legs warmed up first!

 

[steve50]

Hello and welcome, I was in the same boat as you not too long ago, i got back into cycling roughly two years ago, and struggled to cycle up the hill to my house, now the "hill", to use your own term, is little more than a pimple. I am 57 years old, so no spring chicken
Keep at it, the more you ride the stronger your legs will get, each time you climb a hill and have to get off part way up make a mental marker on the road then set your target a little bit further up the next time you face that hill, before you know it you will be cresting that hill and giving yourself a big pat on the back. Don't expect it to happen overnight, ride your bike, give yourself time to recover between rides and your strength and distance will grow naturally. above all else enjoy your bike rides because if you push yourself too hard the rides become a chore and you will put yourself off riding altogether.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, welcome to the forum!

It's a nice area that you are now living in. I cycled round there a couple of weeks ago, and it certainly IS hilly out Newchurch, Barley way.

You could always do a warm up on a turbo trainer before setting off ... I often end up going straight up hills early in rides myself and it doesn't do my lungs much good! I have a gym bike with a huge flywheel set up in the corner of my kitchen. I think I will start doing 10 minutes on that before setting off.

Looking ahead ... I quite often organise CycleChat forum rides out your way and will definitely be doing more in 2016. If you fancy joining us on some next year, keep an eye on the signature links below my posts. I usually mention rides several weeks in advance. There will be one from Whalley to Glasson Dock and back at the end of March.

 

[ColinJ]

That applies to you too, Steve - usually plenty of rides from Hebden Bridge too!

 

[snorri]

If I lived around there I would be getting a D9T and a 657E

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwscjysCaiU

 

[steve50]

That applies to you too, Steve - usually plenty of rides from Hebden Bridge too!

Yep, I have made note and will definitely be joining some of the rides next spring, i've done siddal to cragg vale to blackstone edge reservoir and back to siddal and that climb to Blackstone almost wiped me out, need to improve my fitness a bit more.

 

[Oldfentiger]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement.
Indeed I live near Newchurch (actually Spen Brook).
Warming up on the turbo trainer sounds like a good idea.

 

[sidevalve]

I live oop in sunny [??] Durham and seem to have a lot of hill here too. One thought - don't try to be too fast just let the low gear take the strain. I used to try to keep going at the same pace up as on the flat now I just plod along and life is much easier.
PS - like you avatar - SWM ?

 

[Oldfentiger]

PS - like you avatar - SWM ?

That's an Ossa MAR 350
I had an SWM at the same time. Now both sold, as I discovered I sucked at riding them

 

[xxDarkRiderxx]

 

[ufkacbln]

Complain To the local Council and ask them to remove the hills
It is a simple engineering matter well within the capabilities of any Local Council


PS


Some of us on here have a warped sense of humour and should not always be taken at face value


Howeveron a serious note

If you have genuine issues please don't be afraid to look at electric bicycles as many of them gave feedback on your efforts and you can decide on how much assistance you require

This means that you can cycle normally on most roads and then keep The assistance for when you really need it

This means that you can maintain a level of fitness that you require and not struggle when the hills cause problems

 

[ufkacbln]

PS

I am also an old Fentonian

Whereabouts are you from?

 

[Oldfentiger]

Complain To the local Council and ask them to remove the hills
It is a simple engineering matter well within the capabilities of any Local Council


PS


Some of us on here have a warped sense of humour and should not always be taken at face value


Howeveron a serious note

If you have genuine issues please don't be afraid to look at electric bicycles as many of them gave feedback on your efforts and you can decide on how much assistance you require

This means that you can cycle normally on most roads and then keep The assistance for when you really need it

This means that you can maintain a level of fitness that you require and not struggle when the hills cause problems

Thanks for your helpful suggestions
I don't need the council to remove the hills, but it would be nice if they could shift them a bit further from my front door

I'm not yet ready for electrical assistance - them hills are gonna get ticked off by me using pedal power. In fact I went out for a ride this afternoon. 18 miles which included 1100 ft of climbing, and I crested all the climbs without a stop.

 

[Oldfentiger]

PS

I am also an old Fentonian

Whereabouts are you from?

I was born in Peterborough and was dragged up in Whittlesey. Went to school in March.

 

[ufkacbln]

From St Ives and spent a lot of my Youth at Alwalton with Speedway (Panthers not Tigers) and Grasstrack racing

I also had a Girlfriend at Earith so spent a lot of time out that way

I know March from another Girlfriend, but at 15 and with a bicycle.... it was about 4 hours of travelling so that romance didn't last long as evening out meant a dodgy ride back home