Climbing hills - whats the best gear to use?

dapa

Hi

When climbing hills what gear should I be in.

I find that the lower gears are too light resulting in my front wheel popping up. Also I seem to be pedaling and getting nowhere fast.

If I go into the higher gears I also get nowhere fast as the lactose acid kicks in and my legs just give up.

As you may have guessed I am a beginner to the sport - maybe I just need to improve my stamina first!

I am riding a Hardrock pro 2008.

Tiger6791

Not sure if its the same but if you going up a hill on a road bike (on a road) then spinning the crank is better for the muscles and endurance than pushing a big gear. There is a point though when you can be in too low a gear.

I don't think there is a magic answer, it's whatever feels right, maybe try and look at it like this and experiment.

If I'm spinning and going nowhere keep changing down at a time until its too much resitance then go back up two and see how it feels.

---

Or change to a single speed.

dav1

depends on the hill length, incline and your riding style IMO.

Usually i will get myself on the nose of the saddle, middle chainring and get the rear sprochet into gear 4/8 and shift down as I lose momentum to 3 or 2/8.

for bigger steaper hills I may hit 1 at the front and do the same thing.

trick is to not try and shift the chainrings when climbing as they dont like being shifted under load like you can with the rear block.

As has been said, try different styles until you fond something that works for you and practice!.

omegas

Some top cyclists recommend a cadence of around 80 RPM and shifting up to a higher gear as you near the top. However others prefer climbing at a lower cadence, noting that the higher the cadence the more oxygen you will consume.
This was backed up by an article in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" that found that "maximum sustainable power to be greater at 60 RPM than at 100 RPM, and blood lactate responses to be greater at the higher RPMs".

ride_whenever

So if you have a huge lactate tolerance, like me then you can blast up hills at 100rpm, if not then you need to be going at around 60rpm. On a geared bike I tend to find I can get up almost anything in the middle ring, and if i use the granny ring then i tend to loop out and not keep moving fast enough. The trick is to ram the saddle up your bum, hunker right down over the bars and find a gear where you can keep the rpm up but remain in control of the traction.

Alternatively get a singlespeed and ignore this "gear" lark anyway...

Nodnol

There is no magic answer to this one.

Find a gear you can still push yourself with, while maximising speed. I can't remember the last time I popped onto the granny ring, even on some nasty fireroads. Middle ring, and then around fifth gear up on the back is what I climb most hills in. I think a large part of it comes down to personal preference, but obviously the science behind it all is very important.

steelo

I'd say its all personal. Only the rider knows what gear to ride up a hill in.

For me, if I can't turn the pedals then i'll drop down a few gears until I can. If i'm spinning the pedals and weaving side to side and not getting anywhere then i'll shift up a couple.

It's all common sense!

If you are really struggling then get off and push and never call yourself a proper MTB'er ever again!

xcracer

If you have a hill you climb regularly remember what gear you are in next time you go up it. Then the time after that try and go up in a gear higher. You'll soon see your strength improve.

FSR_XC

dapa wrote:

Hi

When climbing hills what gear should I be in.

As you may have guessed I am a beginner to the sport - maybe I just need to improve my stamina first!

Your probably right about your stamina

Matteeboy

Keeping highish cadence is important - "spin" the crank rather than "pushing" it.

Too many try to tackle hills and obstacles pedalling too slowly and unsettle the bike by using very uneven pedal strokes.

pete236

With most hills I stay sitting down until I've not gotmuch push left on the pedals, change down one on the cassette and stand up. I always try to keep the cranks turning at the same regular speed and when I'm standing I find it much easier to control the rpms' and uses less energy than sitting!
Just keep shifting around the gears until you find something comfortable then each time you go up try it in a higher gear. Practise makes perfect!

dunker

my most used gears for very steep stuff are the middle and lowest and standing on the pedals with a slow cadence probably 55-60rpm or granny and 2nd or 3rd on the cassette for when i need some weight on the back for more grip and a higher cadence of 65-70rpm. i find standing less tiring though and can do that up very steep hills for longer than sitting, any reason why? am i sitting wrong on hills?

saintadolf

i find the best method of tackling hills is to sprint up them at the start in about gear 23/27 and then get really tired near the top and lose all my speed by switching to gear 4/7 as my legs start to seize up.
*note* this is not he best way to do it but its quite funny to watch people try it when you tell them the it is the right way as cramp or lactic acid buildup usually follows and you can pass them up the hill in a nice sensible gear of about 15/27 (on a standard LX cassette and crank set)

JWYATT-18

I use single speed and the ratio is really tough i found hit it at speed and your fine just keep going for it

allthegearnoidea

i tend to hover around the 2nd and 3rd cog on the rear and the biggun up front when climbing up through thwe woods etc down here, occasionally come down to the middle ring up front (my front mech wont drop the chain down into the granny ring by itself so i never use it! could take it off i suppose! ) but drop a gear at the back at the same time if that makes any sence!
muchly depends how i am feeling on the ride too! if i've been unfortunate enough to have the majority into the wind then the climbing is a little slower at the end!

dapa

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

I kind of guessed that it would be down to personal preference. However you've all given me some things to consider.

Thanks again.

stumpyjon

I find that the lower gears are too light resulting in my front wheel popping up

You may also need to shift your body weight when climbing, you need to get your weight as far forward as possible or if you have forks with on the fly travel adjust drop it down to the shortest travel setting. I've found my Fox Talas forks a revelation when climbing, drop them down from the 140mm to 100mm setting and the front wheel stays planted on all but worst slope.

trimtram

so in conclusion-
if its steep enough to go into the granny-ring (smallest chainring),
then walk it,
at least until you get your breath back,
then you'll have some energy for the down hill.
travis

dunker

well if it's steep enough for the granny you can stay in the middle ring and stand on the pedals in 1st or 2nd gear as long as you've got enough grip as you'll be very forward but i like to climb steep stuff like this.

andyturner28

Do you have clipless peddals? I have fairely recently changed to clipless and it is now so much easyer climbing hills, as you can pull up on the peddals as well as push. I now can't ride flats any more, they'r that good!

Andy.

god1406

my technique for hill climbing is to sprint at the base of the hill, build some momentum, then nail it off the seat in a super-high gear and it usually carries you to the top. It sounds like an awful style, but works on most stuff except steep long drags. there's something about dithering in low gears i just don't like!

Also, i find throwing my weight either side of the bike using the bars helps turn the cranks when i'm really pushing and off the seat. Plus you get forearms like Superman

What tough hill climbs have we all done? My favourite's are Jacob's ladder or Red Bank (on a road...)