Beaten by a hill - bah!
briantrumpet
Posts: 20,366
There I was thinking that I'm quite reasonable at climbing hills (I was 44th out of 800-odd on the beast of Peak Hill in the Tour Ride last year) ... so today's ride included a few climbs (about 4,400ft over 64 miles). Serves me right - I thought that this little climb would be interesting:
But it beat me. First one since I've taken up reasonably serious cycling. I'd only done about 20 miles by the time I got to the hill, but once it rakes up half-way up, there are no 'shelves' where you can sit down and catch your breath. I got round a bit of a bend where I thought I might be near the top - looked ahead - saw loads more steep stuff .... and got off and walked, with much swearing, as neither my lungs nor my legs had enough left. First time I could really have done with a granny ring. Bah indeed.
But it beat me. First one since I've taken up reasonably serious cycling. I'd only done about 20 miles by the time I got to the hill, but once it rakes up half-way up, there are no 'shelves' where you can sit down and catch your breath. I got round a bit of a bend where I thought I might be near the top - looked ahead - saw loads more steep stuff .... and got off and walked, with much swearing, as neither my lungs nor my legs had enough left. First time I could really have done with a granny ring. Bah indeed.
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Booo the only time you should bail on a hill is when you fall off!
Only kidding, good effort. Any ideas on the gradient?
I was on a long ride today, about 50 odd miles in I was ready to climb in a hole and die, instead I was greeted with a lovely 20% road sign. Didnt expect it which made it worseIf you do what you have always done, you will get what you always got....0 -
What worries me on steep hills is the fact that I don't carry any spare speed to allow me to unclip safely. I stop pedalling and the bike stops.
How do you get your feet out quickly enough to be able to get a foot down?0 -
You probably just misjudged it. Now you've done it once and know what to expect, try it again but hold back a little on the lower part and save enough energy for the last bit...0
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Just found that hill on ridewithgps and it reckons its about 10-11%.
But ive never seen a 11% hill with contor lines that close before!If you do what you have always done, you will get what you always got....0 -
How do feel in yourself you could have been lacking in food maybe coming down with something, there are a range of possible reasons also the need to man up and put some man power down
Fcn 5
Cube attempt 20100 -
Yes, I think that's probably it. I hadn't anticipated properly the length and steepness of the climb - looking at the map, the two separate arrows made me think that there would be a bit of less steep stuff in between, but it just kept on going. I had three long hills in the remaining 44 miles, and I gobbled them up as I would have hoped. It normally only takes a short less steep bit (20 yards will do) on a steep climb to change the rhythm and catch the breath, and I'll carry on. It was turning the corner and seeing the unrelentingness of the hill that did it this time. I suspect I'll be going back there sometime to get up there properly. I don't like being beaten.neeb wrote:You probably just misjudged it. Now you've done it once and know what to expect, try it again but hold back a little on the lower part and save enough energy for the last bit...
EDIT - BTW, here's the profile of the whole of the ride:
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According to simple maths, it goes up about 86m in 350m (from 0.51 to 0.86km) which I make over 20%-25% or 1in4 1in5 territory (if I have that convention correct). That, to me at least, makes it Very SteepROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0
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Ah, screwy labelling of the X-axis - that's in miles, not kilometres. So Not Very Steep Really, even if it felt it.meanredspider wrote:According to simple maths, it goes up about 86m in 350m (from 0.51 to 0.86km) which I make over 20%-25% or 1in4 1in5 territory (if I have that convention correct). That, to me at least, makes it Very Steep0 -
briantrumpet wrote:
Ah, screwy labelling of the X-axis - that's in miles, not kilometres. So Not Very Steep Really, even if it felt it.meanredspider wrote:According to simple maths, it goes up about 86m in 350m (from 0.51 to 0.86km) which I make over 20%-25% or 1in4 1in5 territory (if I have that convention correct). That, to me at least, makes it Very Steep
Ah - OK - 14% but relentless for 0.5k in that piece alone - steep enough. Are you pretty light, Brian?ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
6ft and 73kg (See - I'm mixing metric & imperial again.) I normally stay in the saddle as long as I can, and only get out of the saddle to relieve the legs and change the rhythm (that's how I do Sidmouth's Peak Hill). This one had me out of the saddle for too long, and it was too steep to sit back down again to replenish oxygen supplies.meanredspider wrote:Ah - OK - 14% but relentless for 0.5k in that piece alone - steep enough. Are you pretty light, Brian?0 -
That's pretty light for 6'. I'm about 20kg heavier for the same height so I enjoy hills less than my cycling mate who weighs about what you do with his bike. I hardly ever stand for hills - only for short extra-steep slopes. Cycled in with son's PS3 on my back the other day (7kg) - made me realise what losing 7kg would do for me.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0
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I have similar concerns to Navrig. Any advice on unclipping at slow speeds on a hill?Van Nicholas Zephyr
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book sprite wrote:I have similar concerns to Navrig. Any advice on unclipping at slow speeds on a hill?
Never needed to
But if I did I can't imaging it being too hard, just practice by slowing to a stop on the flat and the quickly snapping your ankle to the side to unclip. Its the clipping back in on a hill that's hardIf you do what you have always done, you will get what you always got....0 -
It's going to be slightly more difficult than unclipping on the flat because at the point you want to unclip the drivetrain will be heavily loaded - but you just need to time it right - unclip the "unloaded" pedal somewhere between the 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock position, and just before you have come to a stop.R8JimBob88 wrote:book sprite wrote:I have similar concerns to Navrig. Any advice on unclipping at slow speeds on a hill?
Never needed to
But if I did I can't imaging it being too hard, just practice by slowing to a stop on the flat and the quickly snapping your ankle to the side to unclip. Its the clipping back in on a hill that's hard
One time I had real trouble was climbing a short hill covered in sheet ice (literally as slippery as an ice rink) with Nokian studded tyres. Just like on loose gravel, you need to keep seated to maintain rear wheel traction. On the steepest bit I realised that I wasn't going to make it as the rear wheel was starting to lose it's grip... it wasn't unclipping that was the problem, it was standing up afterwards! Promptly fell over and very nearly slid all of the way down the hill with the other foot still attached to the bike,,,, 0 -
It is not the thought of unclipping that worries me doing it on hills, it is the hassle trying to start again on a steep bit. I have had a few laughable moments when I have pushed off tried to stamp a few times and get clipped in only to fail miserably and have to start all over again. One time I had 3 goes before getting it right, a couple at the side of the road almost cheered when I managed it. I bear that experience in mind every time I am struggling and I somehow manage to keep going...0
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Sounds like you asphyxiated yourself.briantrumpet wrote:
6ft and 73kg (See - I'm mixing metric & imperial again.) I normally stay in the saddle as long as I can, and only get out of the saddle to relieve the legs and change the rhythm (that's how I do Sidmouth's Peak Hill). This one had me out of the saddle for too long, and it was too steep to sit back down again to replenish oxygen supplies.meanredspider wrote:Ah - OK - 14% but relentless for 0.5k in that piece alone - steep enough. Are you pretty light, Brian?
Now you know it's a challenge you can go back and get your own back on it next time, but knowing not to go too hard off the bat and allow yourself oxygen to take the whole hill on.
I hate climbing, so kudos for going at it and those stats for the amount of climbing done ont hat ride are the things of nightmares for me.0 -
Did you go down it once you'd go to the top?0
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double chevrons on an OS map means over 20% [i think]0
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Nope - if you look at the whole ride profile, the big 'up' was at 19 miles, a dip at about 28, but the long 'down' going down to Colyton at 38 miles. Though then climbing straight out of Colyton for another big 'down' into Ottery (That 'down', at about 47 miles, is in the same range of hills as the Awliscombe one, and has a very similar profile - steep at the top with a gentler run-out. It almost caught me out going up it last Autumn, but I did make it to the top... just.)lemoncurd wrote:Did you go down it once you'd go to the top?
My ideal ride profile has steepish 'ups' followed by long gentle 'downs' - I reckon I'm just about as fast on those as flat rides, as I can normally go up pretty fast, and then enjoy the 'superman' feeling of pushing 30mph for the extended descent. I must admit I don't really enjoy steep descents. I'd rather be going up them, on the whole.
It's two singles in this case - which I now know means it keeps on going, as well as being fairly steep!a_n_t wrote:double chevrons on an OS map means over 20% [i think]0 -
a_n_t wrote:double chevrons on an OS map means over 20% [i think]
The singles mean 14% to 20% - as above, I calculated it at a shade over 14% on average in the latter stages. Will remember to avoid chevrons!ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
I am preparing myself for along ride out in The Peaks on Friday which is planned to include Winnats Pass for the first time - mentally telling myslef it is just another hill, but also aware it probably tougher than anything else I have climbed. I really don't want to walk
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If you get off and walk, what's so bad about it?
Other than being a failure as a cyclist, the questioning of your manhood and the taunts of children peering from the back seats of cars there's no shame in it.0 -
Your max power for however many minutes it lasts is probably a better indicator of how able you are to get up than how heavy you are.
See Tour of Flanders etc.0 -
sparkins1972 wrote:I am preparing myself for along ride out in The Peaks on Friday which is planned to include Winnats Pass for the first time - mentally telling myslef it is just another hill, but also aware it probably tougher than anything else I have climbed. I really don't want to walk
Winnats is a great climb, a pretty relentless 1:5 all the way to the top. I can't think of anything I've been up in the Peaks that is that good. I ground my way up it on a double last weekend - it isn't the worst hill I've been up (Mow Cop holds that record) but once I was at the top the 45 miles to get home suddenly felt like a VERY long way.0 -
thanks for that el gordo - I feel much more comfortable about the whole thing now
I can get up Winnats
I can get up Winnats
It is not steep
It is not steep
I am a machine
Repeat...0 -
“I must not fear hills.
Fear of hills is the mind-killer.
Fear of hills is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me as I pass over and beyond them.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing… Only I will remain.”0 -
One Man And His Bike wrote:“I must not fear hills.
Fear of hills is the mind-killer.
Fear of hills is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me as I pass over and beyond them.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing… Only I will remain.”
I bet that comes in handy in the Norfolk Alps 0 -
I live at the bottom of 4 hills, no matter what way I head out on my bike it always starts uphill.
They ain't very big hills but it's the principle of the thing. :P
I'm not built for climbing, nor do I enjoy it, so anything to give me motivation works, and some tweaked Frank Herbert does the trick.
I did used to live over the border oop North like, reet on't foothills of them there Pennines long ago though.
(Though I only started speaking like that when I moved South and because it was expected, heh.)0 -
.... hope you faked injury or mechanical failure. Why tidy the house when you can clean your bike?0
