struggle just before a big hill

ballbag
ballbag Posts: 9
edited June 2007 in Training, fitness and health
During several training runs I have been a little confused as to why on several downhill sections just before a big hill I really seem to struggle to get any sort of speed up. These are sections where I would expect to achieve at least 40kpm but only manage 26kph say. The bike feels really laboured. Even to the point where I have got off to check the brakes are not stuck on. Why? I thought it might have something to do with the wind affect down the hill I am about to climb, but doesnt feel like it. Maybe it is just the sight of the hill in front. Has anyone else had this or know why?

Comments

  • pw1brown
    pw1brown Posts: 243
    There's a few possibilities there, as you've mentioned. Could be something wrong with the bike - brakes, hubs, wheel alignment. Could be headwinds. Could be you've been tired or struggling with a fitness problem like a cold. I would try to eliminate these one by one. Check the bike out or have it checked. Then observe your speeds in different weather conditions. See if you're better when you feel less tired. Are you doing the same hills each time? That would make comparisons easier, of course. Your last suggestion, that it's psychological, is the most interesting one, I think, and I do think that's affected me personally. It should get less as you get fitter too.
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  • walkercp
    walkercp Posts: 1,012
    Are you a lighter rider with a light Bike? Gravity takes a huge part in this too. Or you could just be aiming to high

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  • chuckles
    chuckles Posts: 44
    Going by your moniker, could something be getting stuck in the back wheel?
    Chuckles
  • PhilofCas
    PhilofCas Posts: 1,153
    ballbag,

    I'm sure loads of riders have experienced this, if they know their bike well and done sufficient miles/rides then they would have experienced it, i know the feeling well. It's only happened a handful of times and it's just like you say, the only thing i can think of is, that it's one of those optical illusion roads that only seem slightly uphill/level/or even downhill that just makes you peddle more than you think you should.

    Anyone else ?
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    If it is real decent you should get above 40km easily.
    if it is your brakes slowing you that much I am more than sure you would notice it even more going uphill? You would fall off!!!



    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ballbag</i>

    During several training runs I have been a little confused as to why on several downhill sections just before a big hill I really seem to struggle to get any sort of speed up. These are sections where I would expect to achieve at least 40kpm but only manage 26kph say. The bike feels really laboured. Even to the point where I have got off to check the brakes are not stuck on. Why? I thought it might have something to do with the wind affect down the hill I am about to climb, but doesnt feel like it. Maybe it is just the sight of the hill in front. Has anyone else had this or know why?
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

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  • ballbag
    ballbag Posts: 9
    This is only my second year of riding but keep myself pretty fit with other sports as well. I am 76kg, I average 30kph on rides of all distances and my bike weighs just under 18lbs. Their is definitely nothing wrong with the bike cause it is fine the rest of the journey. It has happened approaching one hill (8% according to the sign) the 2 or 3 times I have riden it. I had put this down to the crap road surface. But happened on a different hill last week. The comment about tiredness is interesting and the illusion of the approach being downhill. I will give it ago again this weekend and eat before I get to it and also use the altitude reading on my HRM to check the slope. Thanks for comments so far [:)]
  • martincroxall
    martincroxall Posts: 102
    It could well be the optical illusion thing, it's well weird when it happens to you. The drop into Llangollen that the Dougie Mac Ride route follows has an uphill bit in it that you'd swear was downhill in a car.

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  • somekindofwizard
    somekindofwizard Posts: 120
    Were you going along this road?

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  • kp_nuts
    kp_nuts Posts: 10
    What was the road surface ?
    Spent last week cycling the byways of Brittany and on several flat sections i had the same sensation, only to realise that where roads had been surfaced with hot tar and chippings then it was a real struggle to maintian any sort of speed. The chippings weren't loose by the way but rolled in to the surface.

    Bit concerning as I'm off to the Pyrenees this summer and if the mountain climbs are done in the same stuff I'm gonig to struggle

    kev
    kev

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