Hill Training

Justinjured

How do you attack hills???!!!
There is one long biggie on my commute home, and even though I have been doing it regularly for about 18 months, i only ever improve marginally, depending on how many times I am doing it each week.

Whats the best way to build up strength for this? I often think that I should take it off the granny ring and just step up a few gears and persist, but dont know if this would do more harm than good. Its right at end of my xc part of the ride, and comes after 12 miles of riding so motivation to attack it harder isnt great!!!

Would attatch a picture here but havent got a clue how!!!

XxxBFGxxX

you answered ya own question. take it of the granny rings and push ya self mate.

i have been riding a very hilly route now for just under a year. on both a susser and a commuting bike. i have my gears on the middle at the front now and about half way on the rear and i push my self. Dont get me wrong i somtimes am lazy and drop int the lower rings but i use more energy if i do.

Justinjured

picture on the link i hope!

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/3737422/

XxxBFGxxX

ok thats a little bit of a hill.

as you sad ya self should you come out of the granny gear. yes ya should. the more ay push the better and easyer it will become. thats how i lost the weight i have a got fittter

jmillen

I recognise that hill :-o

Looks like the one which goes from near Double Waters on its way out to Tavistock in Devon ?

Justinjured

Thats the one!!
i am always glad to see the top of it going up, but is an absolute blast going down, getting some air over the drainage channels!

TimesLikeThese

I've got a hill I've been pushing for a few weeks now.
tend to do 20-25 miles then hit the hill.
I force myself to go up in a higher gear each time.
Today was my 4th day at it and gone from granny to 6th.

So just keep pushing.

rhyko7

go up it at your normal pace
then when you know there is less than 3 mins to the top, drop 2 or 3 gears, stand up and power it to the top at which point you will feel like your lungs are going to explode!
but thats how you gain power and top end fitness!
perhaps start by doing this for the last minute 1st go then the last two mins then the last 3 etc...