Any tips for climbing?

Russell160

I've been doing a regular commute but recently started doing some more ambitious weekend rides with climbs around Lancashire hills. Any tips for climbing? Sit or stand? Select gear at bottom and stickwith it, or change on way up? what of 'weaving'? Read somewhere about the importance of breathing... so how, especially? Any tips gratefully accepted. I have a compact 50/34 and have been thinking of getting a triple on my next bike.

whyamihere

Ride hills more. Climbing is a fairly personal thing (like most things on a bike) and you'll find your own preferences over time.

A couple of general tips though:
Your cadence will drop when you stand, so click up a couple of gears to keep your speed the same
Standing will use more energy, but will engage different muscles, so can be used to give your muscles a bit of a rest

k-dog

A tip I read recently which seems to work for me is to think ahead and choose your gears for what is coming rather than where you are right then.

So at the bottom of a big climb where you know you will be going for your biggest cog do it nearer the bottom and keep your cadence up - you will lose less that way than if you get slower and slower halfway and then only change gear when your legs and lungs are going.

I've found it's made quicker.

The best way to get better at riding hills is to ride hills though. You'll be amazed at the improvements after even just a few weeks.

littleandy0410

I recently got told that sitting further forward on the saddle for climbing helps. I've tried it, and it does seem to make a difference.

Also, using your arms is quite beneficial for climbing - pulling backwards with both arms on each pedal down stroke, whilst keeping the bike steady. Don't rock side to side too much, it just saps energy.

oxon

lose weight,

alwaysOTB

I wish I lived near hills...

Cheshley

oxon wrote:

lose weight,

That's constructive............ :?

dcab

Russell160 wrote:

I've been doing a regular commute but recently started doing some more ambitious weekend rides with climbs around Lancashire hills. Any tips for climbing? Sit or stand? Select gear at bottom and stickwith it, or change on way up? what of 'weaving'? Read somewhere about the importance of breathing... so how, especially? Any tips gratefully accepted. I have a compact 50/34 and have been thinking of getting a triple on my next bike.

just out of interest were in lancs do u ride ?

a_n_t

littleandy0410 wrote:

I recently got told that sitting further forward on the saddle for climbing helps.

strange......i tend to slide further back when climbing

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Rather than getting a triple, perhaps think of the cassette instead...

Chances are, if you are using the original cassette that came with the bike, the range is something like 11-23. If you are wanting to tackle hilly routes regularly, there is no embarressment in investing in a cassette that has more of its range suited to hills, in which case you could go to the extreme of 16-27 in Ultegra (there are 14 and 15-25 too I believe).

If you have the legs for it, a 12-27 would cover all bases, but it does mean that the "gear inches" will vary considerably each shift.

chopper1

dont do them, just makes you realise how unfit you really are!

JGS

NitrousOxide wrote:

Rather than getting a triple, perhaps think of the cassette instead...
If you have the legs for it, a 12-27 would cover all bases, but it does mean that the "gear inches" will vary considerably each shift.

I used to be a die hard singlespeeder and moved to road bikes recently and have found that 12-27 suits me perfectly. It's low enough compared to my usual gearing to make hills feel a lot easier.

I would say that if you find a route near to where you live that has lots of smallish inclines try riding them as though you were singlespeed. Train using a mediumish gear (I use 32-18 on my singlespeed mountain bike) and get used to standing up and climbing, or sitting down and just pushing hard with all your might. It'll be tough at first, but when you go to tackle a long hard climb with an easier gear you'll just sail up to the top and really notice the difference.

wiffachip

Cheshley wrote:

oxon wrote:

lose weight,

That's constructive............ :?

it actually is the best advice on here, assuming you have weight to lose

apart from that it's common sense - do it more often, mix it up - stand, sit, slow, fast

through practise you can get better, but ultimately its either in you or it's not

I prefer going uphill to down, but I'm a bit warped - I have a season ticket for Newcastle Utd andwe are definitely going downhill, fast

knedlicky

whyamihere wrote:

Your cadence will drop when you stand, so click up a couple of gears to keep your speed the same

???

k-dog wrote:

A tip I read recently which seems to work for me is to think ahead and choose your gears for what is coming rather than where you are right then.
So at the bottom of a big climb where you know you will be going for your biggest cog do it nearer the bottom and keep your cadence up

Just be careful not to overdo this idea. Firstly it's always good to keep something (a lower gear) in reserve for when you hit the worst or tire, and secondly, if you change right down too soon, you'll loose a lot of speed and increase your cadence to inefficient levels, both unnecessarily.

a_n_t wrote:

littleandy0410 wrote:

I recently got told that sitting further forward on the saddle for climbing helps.

strange......i tend to slide further back when climbing

Although I don't always think to do it, I suspect sitting very slightly back, not forward, helps.

shockedsoshocked

Ride hills, lots of them. It brings on most areas of your cycling as well, not just your climbing. Practise climbs that allow you to cover all types of climbing, whether it's balls to the wall out of the saddle efforts or methodically climbing sat down.

Leedsblue

I have a very hilly climb to work with a final 1.5 mile climb which really takes me to the limit.

I try and sit down all the way, keep a steady cadence even though I am only doing 7mph at points of the climb.

I tend to sit back in the saddle with hands on the tops/brake levers and pick points ahead, say 25 yards and don't look up until I get there. I break the hill into sections mentally as that way it makes it easier.

I had a 42/52 13/23 and was going up in 42/21 and last night went for a test ride with lights on and my new 34/50 and went up in 34/16 which gives me 4 sprockets spare which is quite nice mentally.

singlespeedexplosif

That's constructive............ Confused

best advice on this thread so far anyway!

il_principe

As others have said this is a personal thing, but my tips are:

Sit up, open your shoulders and chest, relax your arms - this will help you breathe. I like to climb with my hands lightly resting on the bars, unless I’m really honking!
Sit back on the saddle - I find I get more power through the stroke this way.
Spin smoothly, remember to "pedal in circles" getting power through the whole revolution.
Find a rhythm/cadence that is comfy and try to maintain it.
On long climbs try coming out of the saddle now and again.

Enjoy!

robthehungrymonkey

jashburnham wrote:

Spin smoothly, remember to "pedal in circles" getting power through the whole revolution.

I find this is the biggest thing. I'm struggling to do it naturally, but when i think to do it it's noticeably easier. Again, comes down to practice i supposed...

unclemalc

Cheshley wrote:

oxon wrote:

lose weight,

That's constructive............ :?

It is actually. All good climbers are light in weight. The simple physics of moving a heavy object up a slope means that it takes far more energy then moving a lighter weight.
Put it another way: If I ride at a certain pace up my local hills on my lightest road bike it takes a certain amount of energy, which is 'comfortable'.
If I do the same thing, at the same pace, on my touring bike (which is easily twice the weight) it kills me. Simply pedalling the 40lb up the slope rather than the 20lb takes far more energy, all other things being equal.
SO, on my light bike, and I weigh 13st, it takes far more energy to get uphill than if I weighed 11st, which reallyI WISH I did. (I sure am working on it...).

996JAT

wiffachip I agree with

"I have a season ticket for Newcastle Utd andwe are definitely going downhill, fast"

Oh and can Owen come back home where he belongs for christmas, you can have kuyt in return"

singlespeedexplosif

Oh and can Owen come back home where he belongs for christmas, you can have kuyt in return"

Are Everton able to give Kuyt to Newcastle then?

oxon

unclemalc wrote:

Cheshley wrote:

oxon wrote:

lose weight,

That's constructive............ :?

It is actually. All good climbers are light in weight. The simple physics of moving a heavy object up a slope means that it takes far more energy then moving a lighter weight.
Put it another way: If I ride at a certain pace up my local hills on my lightest road bike it takes a certain amount of energy, which is 'comfortable'.
If I do the same thing, at the same pace, on my touring bike (which is easily twice the weight) it kills me. Simply pedalling the 40lb up the slope rather than the 20lb takes far more energy, all other things being equal.
SO, on my light bike, and I weigh 13st, it takes far more energy to get uphill than if I weighed 11st, which reallyI WISH I did. (I sure am working on it...).

didn't mean to upset anyone but as pointed out by unclemalc. simply laws of physics - all the technique in the world doesn't help a 15st beat a 10st of similar fitness but crap techniique race a 1mile 10% on similar weighted bike. That's why generally sprinters cannot climb and climbers cannot sprint due to not enought muscle mass to give power on the flat and vv (obvious exceptions excluded).

Easiest way to climb hills is to ride them and then when tired and just about to die ride again, keep doing put on a triple and MTB cassette and spin away

996JAT

"Are Everton able to give Kuyt to Newcastle then? "

The difference between Everton and the Queen Mary is that Everton carry more passengers!" Bill Shankly

singlespeedexplosif

still, it'd be nice to see a boyhood blue going 'home'. Shame he strayed across the park in the first place. Why was that? Oh yeah - because we're run by imbeciles

996JAT

‘If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, I’d shut the curtains.’ Bill Shankly

I think on saturday i may open my curtains !!

Our owners will be alseep i bet :oops:

idaviesmoore

996JAT wrote:

‘If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, I’d shut the curtains.’ Bill Shankly

I think on saturday i may open my curtains !!

Our owners will be alseep i bet :oops:

Consider...

Thread....

Hijacked....

oxon

ruined..... :evil:

W5454

If soccerball fans want to discuss that sport they should eff off to a soccerball forum. :twisted:

STEFANOS4784

W5454 wrote:

If soccerball fans want to discuss that sport they should eff off to a soccerball forum. :twisted:

+1, same with f1 etc, etc, boring :roll:

996JAT

Sorry guys.

On a serious note i find that riding my mountain bike which is just a heavy cheap carrera bike from halfords actually helps a lot more in building strength and stamina in your legs.

I find that if i alternate as much as possible then it really helps build up muscle.

I'm lucky in a way i first brought a mtb bike and then a few months later a road bike. Also Squats and leg presses in the gym can help a lot