Hills

thelawnet

Just wondering what's considered a hill. We went out, wife and son out on the roads yesterday for first proper ride (about 12 miles in total). It was ok, but she complained about the hills. And by hill I mean about a 1 in 20 gradient for a quarter of a mile! I wouldn't mind, but I had 20kg of baby and bike seat sticking off the back of my bike. She said 'can we find a flat route next time' (although she didn't complain about the fact that the reverse journey had us basically coasting along with no effort at all (and due probably to only a 70 foot change in elevation)).

Is this normal?

bomberesque

normal? yes
a hill? no, not really but to be fair anything that goes from one elevation upwards to another is a hill ... of sorts

Mrs B always complains about riding up hills then gets sheepish when I ask her how she will get to the downhills without going up. She's also been known to bitch about short loops on trails, you know; when you turn left at a gate, ride 5 miles to come back to the same gate again and she says "why didn't we just turn right?" Then I ask her "why don't we just unpack our bikes, turn around once in the carpark then pack them up again and drive home?" at which point she accuses me of being snippy and stops talking to me.

supersonic

5% gradient can be tough for someone who is unfit! Maybe start with 6 miles, then build up?

.blitz

It's very subjective but in the UK a hill is usually a mountain smaller than 1000 ft. Don't get me started on Munros, Corbetts, Donalds, Grahams, Nuttalls, Marilyns and tops :twisted:

Ditch Witch

Yes, it's normal for someone who's unfit.

Be gentle and supportive, and ease her in gently, if you want to keep her interested enough to do it again and get better at it.

She'll soon get her fitness up, but you need to be patient.

supersonic

Ditch Witch wrote:

Be gentle and supportive, and ease her in gently, if you want to keep her interested enough to do it again and get better at it.

We still on about cycling?!

;-)

SpinningJenny

straight to the point, northern bloke

naefearjustbeer

Having only recently got back into cycling last year I could not believe how difficult I found it to cycle up fairly gentle hills. It was not down to being unfit it was just a new way of exercising. However after a few runs it became a lot easier. I think it is a case of your muscles are not used to being used they way you need on a bike so they complain bitterly for a while. Just keep at it and it will soon come easier.

thelawnet

Ok so she just needs to get used to it, good to know that it's probably not the gears, which she mostly keeps fairly low (i.e. easy to pedal).

Dirtydog11

Just wondering what's considered a hill.

Don't quote me on this but in this country I think its anything less than 300 meters in height i.e. anything over 300 meters is classed as a mountain.

But that could be total bollox. Can someone confirm this?

Ditch Witch

thelawnet wrote:

Ok so she just needs to get used to it, good to know that it's probably not the gears, which she mostly keeps fairly low (i.e. easy to pedal).

Excellent, that's good news! Better that than trying to grind up in the wrong gear.


Just get her out as often as you can, and let her go at her pace. You'll be amazed at how quickly her ability develops.

thelawnet

We went up the same 'hills' today, and she didn't moan at all.

She did however moan at my route which turned out to be 30 miles on and off-road, most bitterly when we took a 1mile detour to buy ice creams. She did swear at this point never to go out with me again.

My 7 year old said 'I'm not tired, I'm not even sweaty' at the end, so he didn't mind....

My wife calmed down after I went out to get her an entire peri-peri chicken, and said she didn't mind apart from getting home after dark.

mac_man

Dirtydog11 wrote:

Just wondering what's considered a hill.

Don't quote me on this but in this country I think its anything less than 300 meters in height i.e. anything over 300 meters is classed as a mountain.

But that could be total bollox. Can someone confirm this?

It is total bollox

A mountain in the UK is anything over 610m (2000 feet).

belugabob

I have a similar problem with my wife - she has a spirit level on her handlebasr (I kid you not) and complains when the bubble moves forwards)

I even found a nice flat route that we could do - Rye to Camber Sands, on to Lydd (for lunch) and then back again.
Unfortunately, the return journey was into a ferocious head wind and I ended up leaving her at a Cafe in Camber while I went back to Rye for the car.

She is, however, getting better at hills - it's just a matter of practice.

Daz555

thelawnet wrote:

Just wondering what's considered a hill. We went out, wife and son out on the roads yesterday for first proper ride (about 12 miles in total). It was ok, but she complained about the hills. And by hill I mean about a 1 in 20 gradient for a quarter of a mile! I wouldn't mind, but I had 20kg of baby and bike seat sticking off the back of my bike. She said 'can we find a flat route next time' (although she didn't complain about the fact that the reverse journey had us basically coasting along with no effort at all (and due probably to only a 70 foot change in elevation)).

Is this normal?

12 miles is probably too far for a first ride.

Anonymous

thelawnet wrote:

We went up the same 'hills' today, and she didn't moan at all.

She did however moan at my route which turned out to be 30 miles on and off-road, most bitterly when we took a 1mile detour to buy ice creams. She did swear at this point never to go out with me again.

My 7 year old said 'I'm not tired, I'm not even sweaty' at the end, so he didn't mind....

My wife calmed down after I went out to get her an entire peri-peri chicken, and said she didn't mind apart from getting home after dark.

30 miles seems WAY too much for someone who's just starting.

redwinnie

belugabob wrote:

I have a similar problem with my wife - she has a spirit level on her handlebasr (I kid you not) and complains when the bubble moves forwards)

I even found a nice flat route that we could do - Rye to Camber Sands, on to Lydd (for lunch) and then back again.
Unfortunately, the return journey was into a ferocious head wind and I ended up leaving her at a Cafe in Camber while I went back to Rye for the car.

She is, however, getting better at hills - it's just a matter of practice.

What day you going back to get her?

I live in Kent so I know that route to be flatter than Kiera Knightley.

belugabob

redwinnie wrote:

belugabob wrote:

I have a similar problem with my wife - she has a spirit level on her handlebasr (I kid you not) and complains when the bubble moves forwards)

I even found a nice flat route that we could do - Rye to Camber Sands, on to Lydd (for lunch) and then back again.
Unfortunately, the return journey was into a ferocious head wind and I ended up leaving her at a Cafe in Camber while I went back to Rye for the car.

She is, however, getting better at hills - it's just a matter of practice.

What day you going back to get her?

I live in Kent so I know that route to be flatter than Kiera Knightley.

(On both fronts!)

Tommy1234

redwinnie wrote:

belugabob wrote:

I have a similar problem with my wife - she has a spirit level on her handlebasr (I kid you not) and complains when the bubble moves forwards)

I even found a nice flat route that we could do - Rye to Camber Sands, on to Lydd (for lunch) and then back again.
Unfortunately, the return journey was into a ferocious head wind and I ended up leaving her at a Cafe in Camber while I went back to Rye for the car.

She is, however, getting better at hills - it's just a matter of practice.

What day you going back to get her?

I live in Kent so I know that route to be flatter than Kiera Knightley.

rofl, good one:)