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View Full Version : today, I was a cyclist....




fc_
08-12-07, 06:53 PM
....or at least felt like one.

My ride today took me over a hill that I haven't tried to climb for a while, preferring recently to stay on flatter rides and build up mileage without hurting myself too badly.

Now I know I can do this climb (about 500 ft over 1 1/2 miles, which I know doesn't sound like much, but a) it usually ends up kicking my ***** and 2) I hit it dead cold without any warm up).

I can usually grunt over it with my lowest gears (26/34 or 26/32 depending on which bike I'm on at the time)

Today, the hill was MINE! Mine I tell ya! I managed to stay in a 36/34, or 36/30 all the way up! I kept on telling myself I was stronger than the hill (after all, all the the hill needs to do is sit there ;) ) and made it to the top!

This is the first sight of maybe I can do the hills again, after being off the bike for I think about 7 years :eek:

Tonight, the quads are burning, but its a burn well earned, and I feel good about!
piper_chuck
08-12-07, 06:58 PM
Great progress! Long hills like that can be quite a challenge.
jaxgtr
08-12-07, 07:09 PM
500 would kill me at the moment, but I live in the flat lands so it's to be expected. Nice job
hr2510
08-12-07, 10:37 PM
Congrats on concurring that hill! I have a smaller 150 ft high X 1/2 mile hill nearby and I'll be happy when I can make it to the top. I get a little closer every week.
(51)
08-13-07, 01:34 AM
Nice work! I have a whopping 16 feet in elevation change my entire ride.
lebowitz
08-13-07, 10:34 AM
Glad to know I'm not the only one using those low gears
(36/34 and 26/34). I have been trying to stay in the middle chainring as much as possible
Spartan112
08-13-07, 10:44 AM
I live on top of one of Worcesters (the local bike club is known as the Seven Hills Wheelmen...Worcester is "wicked" hilly) bigger hills so if I start from home my ride will always end with a hill.
v1k1ng1001
08-13-07, 03:48 PM
you'll own that hill in no time
fc_
08-13-07, 05:02 PM
Glad to know I'm not the only one using those low gears
(36/34 and 26/34). I have been trying to stay in the middle chainring as much as possible

Its true, I have low gears, and I'm not afraid to use them (or when that fails me, hop off the bike and walk) :)

Its just silly imho not to have a good range of gearing based on the terrain you ride, and what your fitness level is. Just because its a "road bike" doesn't mean you need to ride around with a 39/25 low gear! Not everyone is a racer that wants to ride a road (or any other style of) bike.