Climbing Technique
Comments
-
0
-
A lot of it's mental. For example, on the Phill and Friends Winnats is just after lunch - I can easily relive the moment of dread that kicks in just as it starts to steepen. Mentally I 'm never in the mood for that sort of thing just after a plate of pasta. I just have to tell myself I can. Technique? You have to be fitter to spin and even more so, en dansant. So it's both really..0
-
If I've looked at the right OS map, there isn't much height gain in that lane! So the hill you refer to must be short and steep??
If so, then not much technique is required apart from MTFU :roll:Plymouthsteve for councillor!!0 -
'Technique' is as follows:
- reach base of hill
- turn cranks until you get to the top"That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! " - Homer0 -
The only thing I want to know is...Which is the 'easiest' way up a hill.
I used to cycle all hills seated and thought that getting out of the saddle which resulted in a 10bpm increase was 'harder'. But I suppose using more muscles causes the increase in bpm, for me it feels does feel 'easier' out of the saddle.
Loved the 'Ultra-Climber', he was in fact faster than weight challended boy with the yellow t-shirt walking alongside!
0 -
Hey, I did this climb today to see what it was like. Started from Quedgeley Gloucester, up to Bishops Cleeve, the climb, Winchcombe then over to Andoversford, Birdlip.
It is quite steep, I got up alright (34/26), but was beginning to puff a bit.
Starts fairly ok, I was wondering what the fuss was about, then there is a quite steep section that goes on for slightly longer than is comfortable.
I prefer not to zigzag, but if you have to, so what. On my other bike ( which only has 42/23 lowest gear) I often have to zigzag on very steep hills to get up.0 -
Climbing technique is actually a combination of both sitting down and standing up. Sitting down is more energy efficient so for longer climbs, sitting in the saddle for longer is better. However it's best to work the muscles in your legs in differant ways for a prolonged period of time otherwise you'll get a build up of lactic acid in your muscles. So the idea is to, Sit down for a while stand up for about 30 seconds, sit down again and peddle and then stand up again for 30 seconds, etc.
In this way you're working your leg muscles in differant ways giving some parts of your legs a chance to relax a little bit whilst others do the work, and at the same time your getting up the hill.
The second trick is cadence. Keeping a constant cadence everywhere is brilliant for effeciency. So keeping it between your effecient bands (they say between 80 to 100 rpm but it does vary between person to person, and i dont know my cadence i just go with what i can sustian for the longest) and keeping at that cadence all the way up the hill.
I ride a singlespeed on the road as i've yet to get my proper road bike... I tell you know i sit down for every hill, and on group rides leave the rest of the group in my smoke. How do I do it?
I'm young and fairly fit but by no means excellent. I cheat to a degree. A lot of people when standing up on a bike rock the bike side to side with their arms. I do exactly that but whilst sitting down. I however do not make the bike physically move side to side like you see some standing up roadies do. I use my arm muscles make small defined movements in accordance to my pedal stroke. These subtle movements effectivly keep the power on the road and no wasted energy goes anywhere. Well thats the theory.
Sitting down provides more weight on your rear wheel as well which does make it easier for MTB riders on loser gravel etc to get up a hill. On the road the same principle applies it's good to give your rear wheel traction, especially in the rain or on those snowy days when you feel like riding on the ice :P Sitting down and chugging away like a turtle does work and leaves you less tired towards the end.
Or so i think...0 -
0
-
The "easier" way is slower. Whether you go slower by using a lower gear, or pedalling more slowly, is up to you. My lowest gear is 39/25 which many here would think is very high; however, I might ride a very steep section as slowly 5-6mph. That's turning the pedals slowly, and standing. That's always suited me fine, and I don't prefer to go the same speed pedalling faster in a lower gear.zexel wrote:The only thing I want to know is...Which is the 'easiest' way up a hill.
I used to cycle all hills seated and thought that getting out of the saddle which resulted in a 10bpm increase was 'harder'. But I suppose using more muscles causes the increase in bpm, for me it feels does feel 'easier' out of the saddle.
Loved the 'Ultra-Climber', he was in fact faster than weight challended boy with the yellow t-shirt walking alongside!
The rest of it is conjecture for Internet forums, clubhouses and pubs. When you're actually faced with a steep hill and a big effort, you just do what you can. Notice that the top racers in the televised races all ride up the same mountain in conspicuously different styles.0 -
balthazar wrote:My lowest gear is 39/25 which many here would think is very high
Not at all my lowest gear (only gear) is a 36-13 no problem going up hills on that!
In fact its harder to go up hills slowly (By slowly i mean it'll be faster to walk/jog) on such a tall gear than it is to go fast. If you go too slow you end up not being able to do a full revoloution of the pedals. I find it's best to go at a speed you're comfortasble with. Some people stand up and go slow i sit down and rocket my way up the hills.0
