Which fails first for YOU on a hill-your legs or breathing capacity?

[night cycler]

For the last 7 rides I've cycled up the same hill. It has been debatable for me to say which was becoming exhausted first-my legs or breathing. They were about the same.

Yesterday the bresthing was the 'weakest link' but not by much. Relavant or not, it was the latest time I have tried it-about 21.50 hrs.

That sort of poses another question. Ignoring the sun/temp factor, do you find that at certain times of day this sort of thing can be easier/harder? Is it at all possible that the air quality is better/worse at certain times of day even if away from traffic?

 

[Alex321]

It's always the legs which are the weakest link for me.

But yes, air quality does vary by time of day, particularly during hay-fever season. Even if you don't suffer from it, the amount of pollen in the air does make a difference. And I don't think you really can ignore the sun/temperature factors.

 

[Tenkaykev]

For the last 7 rides I've cycled up the same hill. It has been debatable for me to say which was becoming exhausted first-my legs or breathing. They were about the same.

Yesterday the bresthing was the 'weakest link' but not by much. Relavant or not, it was the latest time I have tried it-about 21.50 hrs.

That sort of poses another question. Ignoring the sun/temp factor, do you find that at certain times of day this sort of thing can be easier/harder? Is it at all possible that the air quality is better/worse at certain times of day even if away from traffic?

Humidity is a factor. It's more difficult to exercise in humid conditions.
EDIT: It's breathing first we me, then the legs.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hard to say, but even with CHD it seems my lungs (former heavy smoker) limit my effort, the legs are strong enough.
Losing 15kg would help....

 

[CXRAndy]

I depends on whether you're trying to set a new pb each time. If its just to get up, set gearing where you can spin over 80rpm without going into the red with heart rate or breathing. So many external factors can affect your riding like others have mentioned.

I have strong legs and have gearing to allow me to keep in my comfort zone for any type of hill or mountain climb.

 

[Chris S]

I just get off and use my 24 inch gear. On Saturday I actually overtook somebody struggling up an incline from a canal.

 

[MichaelW2]

With correct use of gears and heart rate monitor, both should fail at the same time.

 

[I like Skol]

I don't understand. What does fail mean?

 

[night cycler]

I don't understand. What does fail mean?

If for example if I was strugling to breath/short of air before reaching the top of the hill then it is the lungs that have 'failed' first. Don't read too deeply in to the word 'fail', just read it in context of the topic.

 

[Slick]

Probably the lungs for me on a tough climb, although I do currently have a bit of an issue with a pinched femoral nerve that can take most of the power out of one leg at very short notice.

 

[presta]

Neither, it's my intolerance of intense exercise. Even slightly misjudging my pace (on a hill or otherwise) provoked a relapse that would take months to recover from.

One year after I got home from a tour I serviced the bike as usual, then took it out for a test ride before the next trip. As I was in a good mood I unwisely gave it some stick up a local hill whilst I was out, then lived to regret it. I felt ok whilst I was riding, but I was unable to recover for months afterwards, and the tour I was planning went out of the window until the following year.

 

[night cycler]

I depends on whether you're trying to set a new pb each time. If its just to get up, set gearing where you can spin over 80rpm without going into the red with heart rate or breathing. So many external factors can affect your riding like others have mentioned.

I have strong legs and have gearing to allow me to keep in my comfort zone for any type of hill or mountain climb.

My goal is always to get up to the top without stopping. I have no interest in the time it takes. I always go up 'this' hill in my lowest gear. Maybe I should try going up in 2nd and see what effect it has? I can always drop it back down near the top of the hill if need be?

 

[night cycler]

Neither, it's my intolerance of intense exercise. Even slightly misjudging my pace (on a hill or otherwise) provoked a relapse that would take months to recover from.

One year after I got home from a tour I serviced the bike as usual, then took it out for a test ride before the next trip. As I was in a good mood I unwisely gave it some stick up a local hill whilst I was out, then lived to regret it. I felt ok whilst I was riding, but I was unable to recover for months afterwards, and the tour I was planning went out of the window until the following year.

What is the cause of the intolerance? I have never heard of that until now.

 

[Rain drops]

Breathing and muscle output are obviously interlinked. I now find that breathing difficulties will be brought on in hill climbing if I try to use all of my available leg strength. Short power bursts O.k., but not for long.
The deciding factor seems to be decreasing maximum heartrate with age (unavoidable) which can no longer keep up with full power demands. I think of myself now as an old and tired steam engine which will quickly exhaust its boiler of steam, which the clinkered old firebox cannot produce more fast enough. i.e. pace at a sustainable power output which must inevitably slowly continue to decrease each coming year.

All the formulas for maximum heart rate v. age are hardly very realistic., since people are all at different states of fitness. The one I find most accurate for giving average (sustainable for as long as a climb may take) max. figures is, 207 - 0.7 x age. For me, at 84, it gives a sustainable figure in the 140's. That matches what I find, while still allowing for sudden power bursts of shorter duration up to around 158 ish. I hope to maintain that for at least a couple more years. (Then, perhaps, an electric bike?)

 

[ColinJ]

[Assuming no underlying health or injury problem...]

If you use low enough gears and you ride slowly enough then there is no reason for your legs OR your lungs to 'fail' even on a very steep a hill. You might find it difficult to balance though!

If you are using high gears and/or are trying to go as quickly as possible, then... it depends!