Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[boybiker]

Well in my quest to improve my climbing I knew a beast of a hill (in my eyes anyway!) that I thought I could take on - WRONG! . I've never been up the hill/road before but knowing the area I knew there would be no / little traffic at least I was right about that! As I went up it I got over taken by a very fit chap on a mountain bike who didn't even get out the saddle once to climb any of the hill as he over took me and went into the distance at the top.

On a positive note I made it up the hill. What's the best way to improve climbing these types of hills, long and steep? Keep climbing lots of smaller hills or keep going up these long steep hills and possibly needing to stop?

http://app.strava.com/activities/50614482

 

[stevey]

Well it would seem all road bikes at my local decathlon store are out of stock

 

[IanA]

Well in my quest to improve my climbing I knew a beast of a hill (in my eyes anyway!) that I thought I could take on - WRONG! . I've never been up the hill/road before but knowing the area I knew there would be no / little traffic at least I was right about that! As I went up it I got over taken by a very fit chap on a mountain bike who didn't even get out the saddle once to climb any of the hill as he over took me and went into the distance at the top.

On a positive note I made it up the hill. What's the best way to improve climbing these types of hills, long and steep? Keep climbing lots of smaller hills or keep going up these long steep hills and possibly needing to stop?

http://app.strava.com/activities/50614482

Conditioning to the climbing, but I'm not expert. Just keep doing them ! As for the mountain bike maybe he was in mega low gear !

 

[IanA]

No carbon forks all alluminum

is there a real advantage with the carbon forks ? For me the big plus of the white T3 is the shifters

 

[stevey]

You may want to look at the 5 instead, but this is more expensive.

Been looking at that, the only thing i dont like is the triple chain ring like the granny ring on my MTB it never gets used anymore but for the price could be a starter

 

[stevey]

is there a real advantage with the carbon forks ? For me the big plus of the white T3 is the shifters

From what i have read they seem to soften out some of the bumps on the road

 

[IanA]

From what i have read they seem to soften out some of the bumps on the road

I wish that was true for the damn road surface along the A34 ! seams a direct link to my perineum !

 

[IanA]

btw, Decathlon Stockport have lots in stock, but some distance for you Stevey

 

[stevey]

btw, Decathlon Stockport have lots in stock, but some distance for you Stevey

Could get the train there and cycle back....!!!!!

 

[IanA]

Could get the train there and cycle back....!!!!!

haha, now that would be EPIC !

 

[boybiker]

Conditioning to the climbing, but I'm not expert. Just keep doing them ! As for the mountain bike maybe he was in mega low gear !

Yeah I think that's the best way from what I've read here although I was told cross training by running helps cyclist with bike climbs? It will be interesting to see others views and opinions.

Well done on the TT time Ian very impressive to say the least!

 

[Typhon]

Just been out for 16.5 miles but I was 1mph slower than usual as I just wasn't feeling it today. I've been feeling completely washed out and exhausted for the last couple of days, I'm not really sure why.

On the positive side that was the longest ride yet on the Focus and it didn't hurt my back at all. I've just got to get used to the saddle/seating position now!

 

[Typhon]

Well in my quest to improve my climbing I knew a beast of a hill (in my eyes anyway!) that I thought I could take on - WRONG! . I've never been up the hill/road before but knowing the area I knew there would be no / little traffic at least I was right about that! As I went up it I got over taken by a very fit chap on a mountain bike who didn't even get out the saddle once to climb any of the hill as he over took me and went into the distance at the top.

On a positive note I made it up the hill. What's the best way to improve climbing these types of hills, long and steep? Keep climbing lots of smaller hills or keep going up these long steep hills and possibly needing to stop?

http://app.strava.com/activities/50614482

Well done on completing the hill, that is a big one!

I think to get up hills you need a certain amount of leg strength which is gained practising on hills but mostly it's just cardiovascular fitness. If you improve your fitness and therefore power output you'll get up easier and you can do that by any kind of riding really. I guess the most effective way would be to practice on the big hills or the actual hill you want to conquer but I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as you keep riding regularly you'll get better at pretty much all aspects of cycling and all terrains.

 

[stevey]

Well done on completing the hill, that is a big one!

I think to get up hills you need a certain amount of leg strength which is gained practising on hills but mostly it's just cardiovascular fitness. If you improve your fitness and therefore power output you'll get up easier and you can do that by any kind of riding really. I guess the most effective way would be to practice on the big hills or the actual hill you want to conquer but I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as you keep riding regularly you'll get better at pretty much all aspects of cycling and all terrains.

Tend to agree on this i dont have many steep hills around here but what is around here is 5-10% hills and all i do is go and ride them both sitting and standing (not for long i may add) and trying to keep a constant cadence/rhythm, practise,practise and practise some more

 

[boybiker]

Well done on completing the hill, that is a big one!

I think to get up hills you need a certain amount of leg strength which is gained practising on hills but mostly it's just cardiovascular fitness. If you improve your fitness and therefore power output you'll get up easier and you can do that by any kind of riding really. I guess the most effective way would be to practice on the big hills or the actual hill you want to conquer but I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as you keep riding regularly you'll get better at pretty much all aspects of cycling and all terrains.

In a way I found that hill harder than doing the whole 73 mile ride from Reading to Brighton although I done nearly half the same amount of climbing in 15 miles! I think I'm going to just keep trying to go up this hill on shorter rides and on longer rides stick to more of the small hills like I did on this ride. http://app.strava.com/activities/50239471

Just been out for 16.5 miles but I was 1mph slower than usual as I just wasn't feeling it today. I've been feeling completely washed out and exhausted for the last couple of days, I'm not really sure why.

On the positive side that was the longest ride yet on the Focus and it didn't hurt my back at all. I've just got to get used to the saddle/seating position now!

It might be worth having a few rest days as its easy to get carried away when the weather is nice outside.