Tiddly hill repeats

JoeLiam · February 2015

Hi all, Noob here. Pretty new to road cycling, took it up as a way of trying to defeat the ever expanding waistline. Seem to have varying success.

Anyway, my question is, I'm not a fan of hills of any kind, and living on the Welsh borders this is a slight problem. One disadvantage of living in the sticks is zero street lights and crappy road surfaces. Due to this I'm limited to what I can do in evenings to get some saddle time (tried the turbo, we don't get on) and I'm still not fully confident to strap some lights on and MTFU.
Close to me is a slight rise of approx. 60ft in 200 yds ( and is nicely lit by a neighbours security light). Is there any point or gain in going up and down this bump as a means of getting some saddle time and slopes into the legs ? :?:

markhewitt1978 · February 2015

Yeah why not, any riding is decent, it won't get you a massive benefit but it's all pedalling.

Try tackling it in a variety of gears, some far too lows so you're spinning your legs off, then far too high so you're standing.

It'll be light before too long anyway. But watch out for your neighbour complaining about their electricity bill!

bianchimoon · February 2015

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Yeah why not, any riding is decent, it won't get you a massive benefit but it's all pedalling.

Try tackling it in a variety of gears, some far too lows so you're spinning your legs off, then far too high so you're standing.

This^, anytime on the bike is better than none if you get your heart rate up. Lights are so good these days and relatively cheap make the effort and get out in the dark it can be safest time to ride in rural areas

jgsi · February 2015

Mate of mine has been using his CREEbay lights ( dont think very legal) but he's been hammering dark Cheshire lanes all winter on fixie.. I've been wimped on turbo...

rick_chasey · February 2015

Just ride around - use the gears to go faster or slower.

Focus on the effort you're putting it, not how fast or slow you're going.

It's more fun riding around than doing the same hill again and again.

keef66 · February 2015

If reducing your waistline is the objective then concentrate on what you're eating / drinking. Exercise is commendable, but it's not nearly as effective in reducing weight as limiting your calorie intake. Best to do both.

I cycle a lot, but I think I've reached an age where it's far easier to put on weight than shed it. In order to shift this year's post christmas bulge I've just started on the 5:2 diet. Done it before so I know it works for me, but now the plan is to stay on it indefinitely.

larkim · February 2015

I'd not had a road bike until Dec 2013, but still had no problems venturing out on to the dark Cheshire lanes once I had a couple of LED torches strapped to the bars, and made sure I had a couple of red lights to the rear with a hi vis jacket on for good measure.

It did feel a little lonely the first time I was out, but once I'd reassured myself that on quiet lanes at night you get really good fore-warning of anyone coming (headlights on the hedges, engine noise etc) I soon lost any trepidation about venturing further afield. The most heart-stopping experience was a badger dashing across in front of me!

If you're OK about not being self conscious hitting the same stretch again and again, go for it - but don't be too fearful of the dark country lanes either! At worst, they are dark, and the good thing is you can't see how far away the top of the hill is!

markhewitt1978 · February 2015

For me the main issue cycling in the dark isn't the dark, more that it's bloody cold!

Bobbinogs · February 2015

If your objective is to lose weight then I don't reckon hill reps up a 200M long climb is going to do much as endurance training won't kick in until after some time in the session. As others have said, you can make it of more benefit/interesting by using the gears...but I reckon that would be just as boring as the turbo so doomed to failure when enthusiasm wanes after the first few evenings.

Lights are definitely the best way forward as you need to get a couple of midweek 1-2 hour rides in for fat burning/endurance...but also look at the turbo again for improving fitness as you appear to have one (??). The best way to turbo is to make it count so specific sessions like HIT (Sufferfest is great but plenty of other alternatives out there) and then a good recovery session (watching tv, etc.). You could match turbo (for fitness/performance) with some long endurance rides at the w/e, watch what you eat and things should come together. There is no fast fix so patience will be the key in whatever you choose.

larkim · February 2015

Until this year when someone in my family found all the bargain winter stuff at Aldi, I just rode in shorts even on crisp winter evenings, with a couple of layers up top and a pair of gloves. No fancy leggings, neck warmers, crab gloves, buff etc. A little nippy at first, but that just encouraged me to put some effort in to warm myself up!

Now I find I get a little too hot in all the garb!

cycleclinic · February 2015

I live in the sticks and through winter I have no choice but to put the lights on and go for 2 hour evening rides in the dark. The road surfaces maybe be poor but with good lights you will be fine. You will also find it is actually safer at night because other drivers actually slow down and pull over on narrow roads which rarely happens in the day time. I actually prefer riding at night. Give it a go. Like you I hate s I would rather gut myself than spend 10 seconds on one.

Confidence on comes from doing. So you know what you need to do.

JoeLiam · February 2015

Thanks chaps, Ive added the climbs into a slightly longer route going both ways to break it up a tad. Lights on order . Thought about putting some old Cibie Daylighters I have in my garage on, (might be a tad on the heavy side though

).
Plus the nights are beginning to draw out, so will start going straight out after work to catch the light.
Cheers

Anonymous · February 2015

Bobbinogs wrote:

If your objective is to lose weight then I don't reckon hill reps up a 200M long climb is going to do much as endurance training won't kick in until after some time in the session.

On the contrary. Short high intensity activity is better for fat burning. If you did hill reps in the form of sprints and get your heart rate up you will burn more calories quicker than a slow laborious grind or spin up a hill. If you want the same effect off the bike look at tabata exercises.

fatdaz · March 2015

keef66 wrote:

If reducing your waistline is the objective then concentrate on what you're eating / drinking. Exercise is commendable, but it's not nearly as effective in reducing weight as limiting your calorie intake. Best to do both.

Couldn't agree more. I had to lose a lot of weight last year to do the Etape and after the first few months' success I hit a plateau. I was riding 400+ km every week including lots of hill work and I still struggled to shift weight. I had cut down on alcohol and the wrong foods but it wasn't until I made reasonably major changes to what I was eating and drinking that the weight started to come off steadily and its stayed off (over 20kg). A friend who is a personal trainer gave me the advice that I could ".. out eat or out drink any amount of exercise"

Tiddly hill repeats

Posts