Tips for faster/better hill climbing

[Sittingduck]

It's funny how people dismiss the Beacon but it can be tough, especially if you have never ridden it before. Even spinning up hills that are 10% in a low gear is going to knacker out a lot of folks...

 

[ColinJ]

It's funny how people dismiss the Beacon but it can be tough, especially if you have never ridden it before. Even spinning up hills that are 10% in a low gear is going to knacker out a lot of folks...

I'm not saying 10% is easy - that kind of gradient has been a grovel for me since I lost my fitness after 2006. I'm just saying that I learned that I needed to lower my gearing, and be prepared to grovel, so I did!

 

[Peteaud]

My problem on hills is :-

1) I convince myself i cant get up it.
2) I have a stupid technique of standing up and trying to hoof it
3) My lungs are crap, as are my legs

My gearing is compact 11-28 and although I am getting better i still walk up them.

However, round these parts (The Blackdown Hills) we do have a few killers including a 25% and quite a few 20%

 

[Rob3rt]

Colin does have a very good point, with appropriate gearing going up hills around 10% gradients at a "get to the top" pace should be manageable for almost anyone on a bike the problem is, that generally the people with the lower levels of fitness are those who are not experienced and thus don't know what the appropriate gearing is.

It is when you decide you want to get to the top as fast as possible when you start to really hurt. But again it is not much different to any other hard effort of similar duration. Riding for 20 mins at threshold on the flat is the same as 20 mins at threshold up a hill, similarly for 3 mins at VO2 max!

 

[Peteaud]

Most roadbikes (compact) now come with a 11-28 Cassette, in your opinion (no i am not being funny) is that ok for most or are the bike manufacturers having a bit of a laugh?

I had a go on a double the other week, great bike but there was no way i would ever get up some of my local "moderate" hills.

 

[ColinJ]

To put some numbers on it ... (using Bike Calculator)

If you weigh 13 stone and your bike weighs 18 pounds, there is no wind, you are riding on the hoods and have properly inflated clincher tyres, then you would have to be able to generate about 106 Watts to cycle at 15 mph. Most people can ride at 15 mph in still conditions on a level road for at least 15 minutes.

Now plug 106 Watts into the same calculator with the gradient set to 10% and you get about 2.4 mph. That is a grovelling speed, sure enough, but it is possible to ride that slowly without falling off. (I know - I do it!)

If you try doing 2.4 mph in a 39/25 gear, your cadence would be uncomfortably low - just below 20 rpm. You could struggle to get the cranks through the dead spots in the pedal stroke, so ideally you need a much lower gear.

You definitely have the power to ride up the hill, if you go slowly enough, and in a low enough gear to get the cranks round.

Using those figures - it would take about 25 minutes to grovel up the Beacon!

 

[Rob3rt]

Most roadbikes (compact) now come with a 11-28 Cassette, in your opinion (no i am not being funny) is that ok for most or are the bike manufacturers having a bit of a laugh?

I had a go on a double the other week, great bike but there was no way i would ever get up some of my local "moderate" hills.

I would have thought so, my bike came with a 34:25 easiest gearing combo when I bought it (I no longer have this combo as only the frame, seatpost clamp and stem remains of that bike, lol) and I have never walked up a hill, I would imagine with the growing popularity of cycling and the range of abilities that comes with that a 34:28 should be okay for 80% of them.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Not sure if this is true but I watched a youtube video a couple of days ago and the guy said take short breaths in and try and breath heavily out as your body is stretched and creates gasses which affect your breathing. Not tried it myself but will do.

 

[Hacienda71]

For me it is easier to get to my limit on a hill than on the flat. In theory they are both equal ways of training and the end goal is the same to improve your power to weight, but I find it harder to maintain a high power output on the flat. I am not disciplined enough and I suspect a lot of riders are similar. On the flat you can coast for a bit on a hill you can't because you will grind to a halt and fall off. I am not talking clinical intervals on a turbo or long flat road, just general riding at a decent speed. So although yes you can improve the biggest single element of riding hills without going near a hill, there are merits in riding hills as well. It is also rather satisfying to conquer a beast of a hill or see your pb tumble on your favourite climb.

 

[lukesdad]

You dont have to ride hills to get better at them,on the other hand If you want to be the best you can at hills unfortunately you do.

 

[Dusty Bin]

Not sure if this is true but I watched a youtube video a couple of days ago and the guy said take short breaths in and try and breath heavily out as your body is stretched and creates gasses which affect your breathing. Not tried it myself but will do.

Deliberately trying to restrict the amount of oxygen you inhale does not sound like a particularly good idea...

 

[Rob3rt]

Deliberately trying to restrict the amount of oxygen you inhale does not sound like a particularly good idea...

Actually, there is some substance to the point made, it is not about restricting the intake of oxygen, but about exhaling as much waste product as possible in order to utilise the oxygen you breath in more effectively.

That said, I just gasp and pant like a maniac and let the body take care of itself!

 

[Dusty Bin]

Actually, there is some substance to the point made, it is not about restricting the intake of oxygen, but about exhaling as much waste product as possible in order to utilise the oxygen you breath in more effectively.

That makes sense, but that's not quite what was said...or at least that's not how it read to me...