Pesky hills

failesa

I have taken up cycling to improve my fitness and the weight is coming off well having lost 5 stone since February. My fitness has increased so I’m regularly riding 30-35 miles occasionally 40. However my routes are predominantly flat with only slight hills or long gentle inclines. I can do long gentle climbs but on anything remotely steep I just run out of steam really quickly and quite often end up pushing the bike uphill.
I don’t think it’s a gearing issue as I have a giant talon 2 which is quite low geared but it is still dragging 25 stone uphill, is this something that will naturally improve as I gain more fitness or is it something I can improve by specific training?

reaperactual

5 stone loss since February, good for you, very impressive Mate, congrats! 👏

Yes it will improve as you gain more fitness. I don't do anything else except cycling for fitness so don't know about hitting the gym etc.

My climbing ability on steep hills improved by simply going up steep hills and sticking with off road riding, helped a lot with leg strength by riding through mud and uneven terrain. Also seem to hit a lot more short but steep climbs on off road trails. Not scientific advise but worked for me.

Making sure you're saddle is the optimum height for you will ensure you're leg muscles are all working to aid pedal stroke, too low and the quads start to hurt almost instantly on steep climbs in my experience.

Since riding with my saddle too low I found this method on YouTube and has made climbing a lot more manageable now.

https://youtu.be/sUNgZ_aRRL8

steve_sordy

Don't forget that losing 5 stone in 6 and half months is awesome! It is a huge effort and unless you have been very careful to maintain nutrition and a balanced diet you will be feeling the strain, and then some!
Take the tips from reaper above and just keep doing what you are doing, it will come.

My riding weight is 14.5stone, so if I were to carry another 10.5stone (147lbs or almost 67 kg in new money), I believe that I would struggle with hills!

tight_git

As said above we'll done on losing the weight - that is a real achievement already and shouldn't be underestimated.

I remember reading many years ago that hills don't get easier - you just go up them quicker as you improve! As you lose weight it will make the hills seem easier, so keep going and try and enjoy your cycling .

failesa

Yeah. I’m literally getting down in to low box as soon as I get to the bottom of the hill as I find it I run at it then try to change down as I’m climbing I just end up stopping.
I will try adjusting the saddle to see if that helps also thanks.
In the meantime I guess even pushing the bike is exercise as well until I’ve got the power to pedal up the steeper inclines😂

mully79

Gravity is cruel. it really is just harder to push more weight uphill but doesnt really seem to pay you back on the way down. Try to pedal a gear that is easy enough for you to talk while pedaling up the hills. Once you can make the climbs and gauge the effort required, then you can push a little harder.

wilberforce

Well done on the weight loss already achieved.
You do not say at which point you are currently stopping, but try and set a goal of getting to the next tree/gate/etc and take it in small steps.
Once you achieve a certain point it becomes that little bit easier next time as you know you can do it.
Keep going!

reaperactual

Your doing something right to get where you are already Pal! 😎👍

My rule was get up that hill no matter how slow. I've been puffing and panting up a hill while being overtaken by old ladies walking their dogs when I started riding! 😂🤣

webboo

I remember when I first started cycling. I would hit the bottom of the hill and gradually go up the sprockets till I ran out of them and ran out of breath. A more experienced cycling friend advised me not to so low I.e. don’t always go into your biggest sprockets. Just grind it out a bit. Worked for me.