Cant stand it

Nijinsky

Im having problems on very steep hills. I live in the pennies so its hard to avoid them. I've been cycling now for a few months seriously and loving it, but only invested in a road bike last month.

I do enjoy hills but when it comes to a steep gradient where I have to stand it feels like the blood goes from my legs and I just dont have the endurace to keep going. We're talking about 15% gradients and above. I'm 6"2 and about 14.5 stone at the moment, which is rapidly reducing (the weight not the height).

There is a particular hill right by my house, about half a mile long, and hits about 17% at its worse, I can get half way up sitting in the saddle and then it starts to get really steep, I stand up and my legs just burn out after about 10 seconds.

Any advice to develop the strength?

just to note, I've ran out of gears by this point too, despite that I'm still attempting to shift in the hope there there is a secret gear to be found

Kieran_Burns

What gearing are you running with?

I expect you'll say 50/34 with a 12-25 on the rear which is kind of the answer to your woes there

Colinthecop

I found myself running out of gears (here in the Highlands where we also have hills), so I built my latest bike with a compact up front and a 28t sprocket at the back.

Made a big difference for me. 8)

Nijinsky

no its a compact and a 12-28! Just lack of fitness?

diamonddog

Yes, keep going at it and your fitness will improve.

markhewitt1978

15% gradients are always going to be hard work. Over time they will become less hard but they are never going to be easy aim afraid. Best thing you can do is what you are doing lose weight and practice.

Colinthecop

Nijinsky wrote:

no its a compact and a 12-28

Sounds like you need one of those mountain bike things then...

arran77

Colinthecop wrote:

Nijinsky wrote:

no its a compact and a 12-28

Sounds like you need one of those mountain bike things then...

No, what he needs is one of these .....

http://www.haibike.de/produkte_detail_en,72219,18875,detail.html

Nijinsky

haha oh dear... i can get up it on my mountain bike. I'm going to attack it every day till i do it and get to the top. proper rocky moment

supermurph09

"attacking it" maybe your problem, you are probably going too hard at the bottom. Start the climb on the small ring at the front and in the middle of the cassette concentrate on spinning up a high cadence. Remain seated, change gear if you need to. Then when you hit the steep bit, stand up but don't increase the effort, standing up will naturally give you a short burst, hopefully this will see you over worst bit.

ic.

Technique plays a part too.

For really steep stuff and out of the saddle, your upper body gets involved too, so think about how you're using it and if it's effective
Are you using clipless pedals and shoes? If so, are you using your legs to pull up on the pedals as well as push down?

You'll get better through repetition, but try to learn each time. Don't invest all your energy and strength right at the bottom of a climb and burn out before the top. Set yourself a tempo and cadence and use your gears to stick to it. Don't shift down when you are dying and absolutely have to, pre-empt it and keep your cadence high if you can - around 80-90 if possible - but this may plummet to 50 if you get really steep! I remember I was doing 45rmp up a 25% gradient on a 39/27 for example

34/28 should be fine for 17% after you've had a bit of practice - but everyone is different and rides differently, but 30t cassettes are available. If you want an instant fix and have the cash, a Sram WiFli climbers kit would give you a 32t cog at the back

Nijinsky

Thanks guys. I think im hammering it too much lower down. Im also making the psychological mistake of staring at the very top.

ic.

Also, practice out of the saddle efforts more often.

Moving away from traffic lights, pulling out of junctions, smaller hills where you don't "have to" etc. It will all help build strength and fitness for when you need it

Nijinsky

IC. wrote:

Also, practice out of the saddle efforts more often.

Moving away from traffic lights, pulling out of junctions, smaller hills where you don't "have to" etc. It will all help build strength and fitness for when you need it

I've always read never get out of the saddle as it builds fitness more? so i've tried to stay in as much as possible. I'll do this from now on.

ic.

Well if you never do it, how do you expect your body to cope when you need it to?

secretsam

Nijinsky wrote:

Thanks guys. I think im hammering it too much lower down. Im also making the psychological mistake of staring at the very top.

Dunno if it still holds, but the old advice was "look just ahead of your front wheel"

Dippydog2

If you can't get up it in a 28 then change to a 30, or a 32, or a 34.

I use 34/34 or 34/32. That's what I need on my rides to spin at my comfortable cadence which is about 85.

The numbers are not important.

What is important is being able to comfortably spin YOUR legs on the hills YOU ride at YOUR comfortable cadence.

What other heroes can put up with is irrelevant.

w00dster

Agree with dippy dog, make sure you have the correct gearing for the ride your doing. If you can't get up with a 28t rear, change this for a 32. Don't worry about trying to be man enough to get up using the same gears as other people.
My personal technique for the longer climbs is to try to maintain the same cadence throughout, changing gears accordingly, don't hit it too hard at the start, then keep changing. Spinning is winning as they say.
I do stand up, but that's generally for shorter sharper climbs where I'm trying to keep my speed high.
And practice does help. I use a single speed for certain rides, not massive hills, but for getting me used to working out of the saddle when the need arises. I find it helps me when I then ride hilly routes on my good bike.

StillGoing

Stay seated. I rarely stand other than to temporarily change muscles or give the backside a rest and to power over the top.

Zingzang

If you have appropriate gearing and/or you are fit enough you never need to get out of the saddle, however steep the gradient.

davem399

If this hill is right by your house, are you trying climb it from cold without having a few miles in the legs first?

markhewitt1978

DaveM399 wrote:

If this hill is right by your house, are you trying climb it from cold without having a few miles in the legs first?

Certainly an issue for me. My favourite route involves some about 6% right out of the door which is always difficult when cold.

Personally I've always sat and spun but recently I've been trying to stand more like standing doing 8 pedal strokes then sitting and repeating as and when needed.

cesco

cyd190468 wrote:

Don't be put off by the raodie tradition of denying the need for smaller gears. There are riders in the pro-tour that regularly use compact cranks and even some ride triples occasionally. The way I see it if one pro needs a triple for anything then I'm happy to use one for general riding. Plus as you also have an mtb you are probably used to having gears that allow you to spin up just about anything.

Just curious: who and when? Don't recall ever seeing this.

On topic: in my humble opinion, training makes more of a difference than buying a cassette does. If I'm struggling on 34/26, I know that I'll be struggling on my 28 as well. And take any advice regarding "having" to sit down vs standing up with a grain of salt and just listen to your body. Sometimes standing up and raking works for me, other days spinning feels better. I also tend to like the Bahamontes method the previous poster mentioned.

Zingzang

cesco wrote:

[And take any advice regarding "having" to sit down vs standing up with a grain of salt and just listen to your body. Sometimes standing up and raking works for me, other days spinning feels better.

Not everyone can climb out of the saddle; upper body handicaps can see to that. In 28 years of cycling with an upper limb handicap I've never climbed out of the saddle yet on steep gradients. In my youth I more than once climbed Winnat's Pass sitting in the saddle using a 42 chainring and 24 sprocket.

Initialised

I run 50/34x11-32 gearing, in the Pennines I still find myself getting out of the saddle. Try both ways, try alternating every minute or so see what works best for you. Nibali didn't bag the KOM, a stage win and further secure the yellow jersey yesterday without the odd out of the saddle effort.

Moving up to a 32T does mean getting a GS derailer. It may be more economical to go to a smaller set up on the front like 46/30 although this does sacrifice a little top end speed for the descents.

markhewitt1978

I guess there's a big difference between racing up a hill when getting out of the saddle occasionally gives you that bit extra speed and touring or just getting up the hill at all

Sometimes I see if I can get up a hill in the big ring just for the challenge but I'm under no illusions that was the quickest or easiest.

desweller

Zingzang wrote:

If you have appropriate gearing and/or you are fit enough you never need to get out of the saddle, however steep the gradient.

There are a number of hills near me where you risk popping a lot of wheelies if you don't climb out of the saddle.

Zingzang

DesWeller wrote:

There are a number of hills near me where you risk popping a lot of wheelies if you don't climb out of the saddle.

Yes, climbing steep hills whilst sitting down requires you to lean as far forward as possible (not easy) to minimize lifting of the front wheel.

Nijinsky

Thanks guys. No I've never attacked it cold. Normally on the way home from work after already climbing 500ft, I attempt it. Dont think that helps either

kajjal

Near me there is a climb that's goes through a 25% section and I stand up for this part. I find it easier to get the power down and maintain my speed better. I am stood up pedalling in a steady , controlled way and not attacking it like a mad man. For the rest of the climb I am sat down as normal. If climbing stood up it is best to do it in a smooth , well balanced , controlled way as too much effort will really hurt.

cesco

Zingzang wrote:

cesco wrote:

[And take any advice regarding "having" to sit down vs standing up with a grain of salt and just listen to your body. Sometimes standing up and raking works for me, other days spinning feels better.

Not everyone can climb out of the saddle; upper body handicaps can see to that. In 28 years of cycling with an upper limb handicap I've never climbed out of the saddle yet on steep gradients. In my youth I more than once climbed Winnat's Pass sitting in the saddle using a 42 chainring and 24 sprocket.

I'm sorry to hear this, but in the end we agree.

Nijinsky, have you tried zig-zagging by the way (if there's room for it?).