Really struggling - Hills

[Slaav]

I am a newbie to this strange lycra clad world so bear with me....

Trying to increase mileage and stamina as quickly as possible from a fairly low fitenss base.

Managed 44 miles today but cant get up steep hills for all the lycra in a bike shop.

Is it really just a question of working up to the biggies? I live down in Glos so pretty tricky to avoid big hills. Bit bored of my hill free route and cannot assume that there will be no hills on my Charity bike ride on 18th May! (53,96 and 63 miles over the weekend I believe)

Thanks for any tips and pointers...

Specialized Allez with clip in pedals (MTB cleat type - not full race clip ins if that matters)


ps - No sport other than golf for around 7 years but was pretty active with golf and rugby. (rowed at school and Uni so big old potato farming legs)

 

[xpc316e]

I find that if one changes into a really low gear at an early stage in the ascent and then just twiddles away that it works well. If you power along the flat and then try to storm hills, gradually changing down when the legs cannot manage to keep going in the selected gear then it is a recipe for disaster.

 

[corshamjim]

I know what you mean.

I'm usually not a believer in 'training' (just get out and ride), but have to say it is worth tackling some hills once in a while. It builds up those muscles which on the flat really don't get stretched enough. Do a few hills once in a while and you'll soon find they seem less steep.

 

[steve52]

its hard and hard for a long time

 

[Phixion]

One day you will just make it up and think "what was all the fuss about?"

 

[teletext45]

i was exactly the same when i started

my advise is to get your gear change before you start to go up the hill, pick a speed it may be slow but keep it constant and try to stay in the same gear. Next time use the next year up etc etc and you see yourself improve...


well thats how i do it

andy

 

[Hacienda71]

The more you try them the easier they get. Enjoy the challenge, it then becomes addictive. You will then find yourself planning routes with hills. It takes time but you will see an improvement.

 

[ACS]

I'm my limited experience hill's never get easier you just get quicker reaching the top of them.

I hate them, all of them, but I go out and ride as many of them as I can, as often as I can. Riding on the flat quickly is nice, but training on the hills means you get to ride on the flat even quicker.

Some can climb, others glide up them with little perceived effort, the rest of us just grovel to the top having chewed through the stem and be thankful that there are others to be conquered.

 

[Slaav]

Thanks for quick replies everyone.

I was dreading the whole 'it gets easier with time' mantra! But that seems to be the gist of it.

Thanks for the tip re gear at the START rather than half way up when I cant rotate anymore - actually reminds me of a reverse set on the free weight bench press (while ago now) and you just knew that as the last of the weights were slipped off, and you were just squeezing one more out - with grunts etc (and remember no weight at all) - and then the pretty girl walks in and gives you one dismissive glance!

Always happened.

HAve the Easter break to work on hills but the one big question.... How long and how fast does one improve? (I know it depoends etc)

Will I see appreciable improvemnt in 4 weeks?

 

[PpPete]

(MTB cleat type - not full race clip ins if that matters)

This is a GOOD idea. No shame in walking up the hills if you have to, and it is so much easier in MTB shoes.

 

[Hacienda71]

Will I see appreciable improvemnt in 4 weeks?

Yes you should if you ride the same hill over and over. The difference may not be huge but you should notice that the bit you found almost impossible will be hard but doable. You will probably see a little weight loss as well.

Tip. There are different schools of thought on it but occasionaly drop down a gear and stand up while pedalling for a short time, this varies the muscle groups you are using and also incorporates your weight into your power transfer. Don't forget to change back into an easier gear when you sit back down on the saddle though.

 

[summerdays]

I'm my limited experience hill's never get easier you just get quicker reaching the top of them.

I hate them, all of them, but I go out and ride as many of them as I can, as often as I can. Riding on the flat quickly is nice, but training on the hills means you get to ride on the flat even quicker.

Some can climb, others glide up them with little perceived effort, the rest of us just grovel to the top having chewed through the stem and be thankful that there are others to be conquered.

I am one of those ... I still hate hills (apart from going down them and the view), but they get fractionally easier to crawl up with practice.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hills.
Relax
Practice.
Relax
Tecnique
Relax

Did I mention relaxing?

OK, there's more than one way to skin a cat. You can ride hills standing or sitting or both. Which you choose depends on your preference and the type of hill. Whichever you choose you need tp practice and relax.
OK, the relax thing, many people tense-up with hills and waste energy just when you need every drop you have.
So, if you're sitting, select a nice gear in plenty of time. Not necessarily at the start of the climb, but before it gets difficult. Sit at the rear of the saddle, relax your upper body, shoulders arms, hands on the tops or hoods and just gently wind or spin away, all chilled-out, relaxed breathing. Let your lower back and your legs do all the work.
If you need to stand, snick up a gear (or 2 if you're powerful of leg) and stand. Keep the bike upright, hands on hoods, weight slightly forward and again try and relax and move gently with purpose rather than thrashing the bike from side to side which wastes energy for no gain.

So go out and practice and find what works for you!

 

[festival]

As has been said earlier, select an easy gear before you need it and spin the pedals .
You have to train to pedal fast before you can push big gears fast enough to maintain momentum.
Once you can spin the gears to go faster you can up the gears and maintain the cadence.
While doing this concentrate on your form on the bike, e.g. relax your arms, lightly grip the bars, regulate your breathing and aim for a fluid peddling action.
When you start to see an improvement, aim for small victories like click in to a higher gear and accelerate over the top of the hill.
If you can find a small circuit with a hill on it, warm up first, then use it for some interval training. ride a number of circuits until you have reached you limit.

 

[Bicycle]

Yes... Everything that's been said.

I too am a former rower who still rides a bike. The rowing muscles will help you.

For sure, you need to be in a good, low gear.

With your SPD shoes on, you will find that you can start to spread the work more effectively round the whole rotation of the pedal.

That sounds silly, but it isn't.

It will help to spread the work out when you really start to grind up a hill.

Also, sliding a little to the front or rear of the saddle changes slightly the muscles that you use, so that will help to get you up the big hills.

Sitting up and holding the bars to the rear on the outside will help to open your lungs up to that extra little bit of air.

Apart from that, relax as much of your body as you can and just concentrate on tapping away on those pedals.

It does get less difficult, but it never gets easy.