Do you prefer going up or down big hills.

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Comments

  • declan1
    declan1 Posts: 2,470
    I nearly had an incident with a duck today, and one of those deadly wandering dogs but thanks to my new bike with awesome brakes I avoided both safely!

    Road - Dolan Preffisio
    MTB - On-One Inbred

    I have no idea what's going on here.
  • Tjgoodhew
    Tjgoodhew Posts: 628
    Mentally i prefer going up hills - love the achievement and find my self competing on times when im going up hill and always trying to push myself to gain those extra few sectors on my strava segments. But i do find climbing a struggle. Im not particularly large (6ft 13.5st) so i guess my technique is a bit off

    However technically i find descending quite straightforward and regularly hit in excess of 40mph without really pushing or feeling scared or nervous.

    I think i must be a climber trapped in a descender's body !!
    Cannondale Caad8
    Canyon Aeroad 8.0

    http://www.strava.com/athletes/goodhewt
  • djm501
    djm501 Posts: 378
    IanREmery wrote:
    For the first month after I had my roadbike at the end of March I would have said neither, as I was having to get off and walk up climbs :-( and was petrified going down them again.

    Now though, the fitness have improved greatly but the nerves are still there so I'm much happier climbing than descending.

    Sunday morning I knocked a full 2 and a half minutes off my climb up the Rhigos mountain http://app.strava.com/activities/62295953#1173810633 but then the very wet and windy descent frightened the living daylights out of me http://app.strava.com/activities/62295953#1173810642

    Ooh, if I was you I'd be going up to Aberdare via Maerdy and coming back through Hirwaun. That way you get to do the tough Maerduy climb and Rhigos from the more challenging side. Circular routes are always better than there and back again too.
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    elderone wrote:
    Today on my hilly ride it actually occurred to me that I actually prefer going up long hills rather than coming down them.When I climb a big hill even at my own slow steady pace,once I get to the top I always seem to patt the bike and myself and offer up lots of praise.
    Now coming down a big hill I get to the bottom and just feel relief at making it down,shiny side up.No joy or praise,just thank goodness that,s over.
    Taking the above as my cycling experience to date,it seems to me hills are more rewarding.
    So am I alone in this?.What is your preference. :?: :D

    Up, especially given the condition of the roads round these parts.
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    SmoggySteve wrote:
    I love going up hills. Whenever I go out riding, I always try to take in at least 1 cat 3 climb which are plentiful around where I live. Unfortunately, I am moving soon to another job near the dutch border which is as flat as a pancake. Nearest climbs are at least 50 miles away. Boo.

    Learn to love the wind instead.
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    I still remember the rabbit which dashed out of the grass by the side of the road and went BETWEEN my wheels at about 20-25mph (my speed). Paranoid about fauna and potholes on descents.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Not sure I have a preference.

    I can get 10mph on the way up and 50mph on the way down if I get my daily hill right, of course I would like to be faster on the way up so looking to lose another 10kg and starting a training plan next week/month should help. Faster on the way down isn't realistic.

    Up and over is great, the endorphins released from the exertion of the climb followed by the adrenaline of the descent (especially if you're over taking traffic) is amazing.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • IanREmery
    IanREmery Posts: 148
    djm501 wrote:
    IanREmery wrote:
    For the first month after I had my roadbike at the end of March I would have said neither, as I was having to get off and walk up climbs :-( and was petrified going down them again.

    Now though, the fitness have improved greatly but the nerves are still there so I'm much happier climbing than descending.

    Sunday morning I knocked a full 2 and a half minutes off my climb up the Rhigos mountain http://app.strava.com/activities/62295953#1173810633 but then the very wet and windy descent frightened the living daylights out of me http://app.strava.com/activities/62295953#1173810642

    Ooh, if I was you I'd be going up to Aberdare via Maerdy and coming back through Hirwaun. That way you get to do the tough Maerduy climb and Rhigos from the more challenging side. Circular routes are always better than there and back again too.

    It was planned to be a circular route via penderyn & storey arms but the weather put paid to that. Rather stupidly had fingerless mitts so hands froze.

    I know the route you mention, shall give it a go, cheers!
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Like most on here I really enjoy the sense of achievement from tackling a big climb. I used to like descending too, but since a big accident last August that I miraculously walked away from, I have completely lost my bottle on descents.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    rpherts wrote:
    SmoggySteve wrote:
    I love going up hills. Whenever I go out riding, I always try to take in at least 1 cat 3 climb which are plentiful around where I live. Unfortunately, I am moving soon to another job near the dutch border which is as flat as a pancake. Nearest climbs are at least 50 miles away. Boo.

    Learn to love the wind instead.

    Well, I just spent £600 on a new set of 50mm carbon tubular rims since I am confined to living in a wind tunnel

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