Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - hills and big clydes

So I decided to take the Leader and myself up our first hill on Friday, it was a balmy 80 degrees with high humidity. I realized one thing, the bike is a great climber, the rider does NOT have mad climbing skills. So how have you guys trained for hills, and how do you gear your bikes? Do you climb out of the saddle?
Thanks
Brian

I use the granny gear on my bike, and don't stand up. I'm just getting started though.

The best way to train for hills is to ride more hills.

The short steep ones you can power through out of the saddle. The longer gentler ones you just sit and spin, but in all cases, it's just a matter of legs getting stronger and you getting lighter, and the hills will get faster.

Id like to tell hills to "sit and spin".

Im 280 and did my first 30mile ride yesterday it was in the 90s the whole time and was mostly hills... I stayed the granny gear almost all day and never stood up...

A good time to learn pulling up with one foot while pushing down with the other. Don't have hills here but do have some pretty steep bridges, trying to stay seated and spin up them.

Well what's a Big Clyde? I'm 240 and did a 12,000 114 mile ride last year. 99% of the climbing in the first 72 miles. I use a standard double (53/39)/ I hardly stand at all. I feel better if I remain seated pacing myself. Plenty of other guys pull away when the stand but i know I can rell them in once they sit back down.

It's all about making yourself comfy on the climb. I did much better when I trained and dropped down to 220 lbs. I did a 10,000 ft century 3 years in a row. Got to the point it was a breeze. Best workout is to do long climbs, 20 -30 miles long. Just complete the ride. It will make you stronger. Later you can worry about trying to power up the climb but to start, making it is the key!:D

If you train properly, being a Clyde doesn't mean much. Maybe speed on a short section but a Clyde can overtake several skinnies on long climbs. On a few of the climbing centuries, I had skinny racer types blow by me on the lower slopes (10-20 miles). You should see their faces when you ride by them after 30-50 miles!:eek:

Well what's a Big Clyde? .........(snip).........
If you train properly, being a Clyde doesn't mean much. Maybe speed on a short section but a Clyde can overtake several skinnies on long climbs. On a few of the climbing centuries, I had skinny racer types blow by me on the lower slopes (10-20 miles). You should see their faces when you ride by them after 30-50 miles!:eek:

I'm a Big Clyde 361lbs. (Down from 397 in November)
Sit and spin is the way to go for my size.
Finished the Collin Classic 31 mile route (they advertised 34) then commuted to work that afternoon!
Weight = speed on downhill runs though.:D
I need to train more on rollers though.
This was the route elevation view:

You guys are awesome, so what I gather is
-more hills
-stay in the seat
-more hills

Got it and thanks

You guys are awesome, so what I gather is
-more hills
-stay in the seat
-more hills

Got it and thanks

Ummmm remain seated? That depends on your strategy! Some guys like to stand to crank for speed. I do better in a groove. Some like to stand to do intervals to increase strength on training rides. I like to train according to my ride strategy!:D

On a hundred miler, I might stand once or twice only to relax the legs for a few second or to stretch. But I won't pick up the pace when I stand, burns my energy. When I stand I like to pretend I'm on a light jog. Relaxes me!

You guys are awesome, so what I gather is
-more hills
-stay in the seat
-more hills

Got it and thanks

Correct. All the geniuses on the roadie forum have come to the conclusion that "sitting and spinning" is the most efficient method to climb a hill and "standing and dancing" is the fastest way to climb.

This guy no longer races but was a pretty good climber, his name slips my mind...

http://www.cyclinghalloffame.com/riders/pics/Armstrong_L5.jpg

Here's Michael Rasmussen, perhaps the best climber in the world.
Climbing is all about your Power-to-weight ratio. Clydes have plenty of power, but too much weight :(

http://outdooraddict.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/rasmussen20finogm4.jpg

Here's Rasmussing climbing out of the saddle. I love that "Night Of The Living Dead" look on his face!
Also note the tiny man riding on top of the Phonak car!

http://www.cyclingrevealed.com/july05/images/Rasmussen.jpg

Here's Team Astana (http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/Rider_Overview.aspx) at the front. Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astana).
Naturally Kazakhstan sent their most famous journalist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borat) to encourage the team!
Levi Leipheimer (http://www.letleviride.com/) is on Team Astana and they have been banned from this year's tour..
Note that they are all climbing while seated.

http://sportswrap.berecruited.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/Borat%20crashes%20Tour%20de%20France.jpg

Just remember that when climbing out of the saddle you are supporting your clyde body with your upper body as well which can be exhausting.

I generally try to sit and spin, but on the tougher climbs I'll break it up by getting out of the saddle from time to time.

Climbing is one place where developing some upper body muscle really helps.

Really long climbs don't provide a lot of time for your muscles to relax, so some strategies are required to get the most out of your body while doing a long climb.

1) Sit and spin
2) Every few minutes, stand to pedal for a bit. It uses different muscle groups and will allow for your spinning muscles to relax and flush some lactic acid.
3) You can also use an alternating power pattern to allow your muscles to refresh. Do a hard stroke with one leg, then two easy strokes, then a hard stroke (now with the other leg) and then two easies. The pattern repeats. Blood flows more easily through muscles if they're not working hard, so this will allow your muscles to "breathe" a little better and recover while still making good upward progress. The first few times you do it will be strange, but you'll eventually learn to smooth it out and get it to be not even noticed.

My 'secret' is to have a really low granny gear. 26/34

Really long climbs don't provide a lot of time for your muscles to relax, so some strategies are required to get the most out of your body while doing a long climb.

1) Sit and spin
2) Every few minutes, stand to pedal for a bit. It uses different muscle groups and will allow for your spinning muscles to relax and flush some lactic acid.
3) You can also use an alternating power pattern to allow your muscles to refresh. Do a hard stroke with one leg, then two easy strokes, then a hard stroke (now with the other leg) and then two easies. The pattern repeats. Blood flows more easily through muscles if they're not working hard, so this will allow your muscles to "breathe" a little better and recover while still making good upward progress. The first few times you do it will be strange, but you'll eventually learn to smooth it out and get it to be not even noticed.

I agree. If it's a short climb standing is the fastest way to get up the hill. On really long climbs spinning with intermixed standing will help spread the work over different muscle groups.

Try single speed mountain bikes on technical climbs. It'll learn ya a thing or two. :D

Sometimes the gearing forces you to spin, sometimes you gotta mash. Other times you have to use every trick in the book just to try and maintain traction.

After that, anything on a road bike will be easy.

Here's Team Astana (http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/Rider_Overview.aspx) at the front.

http://sportswrap.berecruited.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/Borat%20crashes%20Tour%20de%20France.jpg

Incorrect. There are zero riders from Astana in this picture (apologies to Borat).

(l-r) Milram, Gerolsteiner, CSC, Credit Agricole, (Lotto rider hiding) and Lampre (with a Barloworld over his shoulder).

Really long climbs don't provide a lot of time for your muscles to relax, so some strategies are required to get the most out of your body while doing a long climb.

1) Sit and spin
2) Every few minutes, stand to pedal for a bit. It uses different muscle groups and will allow for your spinning muscles to relax and flush some lactic acid.
3) You can also use an alternating power pattern to allow your muscles to refresh. Do a hard stroke with one leg, then two easy strokes, then a hard stroke (now with the other leg) and then two easies. The pattern repeats. Blood flows more easily through muscles if they're not working hard, so this will allow your muscles to "breathe" a little better and recover while still making good upward progress. The first few times you do it will be strange, but you'll eventually learn to smooth it out and get it to be not even noticed.+1

I've actually gotten to the point where I almost prefer to stand going up climbs. It also helps alleviate back soreness and butt-fatigue in the saddle. I cannot tell you how numb my nether regions get after racing a 40-minute criterium where there's very little standing because the course is flat.

update.
Well I found a few small hills and tried standing and sitting. I found it somewhat challenging to get a rhythm out of the saddle. Sitting vs standing definitely seem to work different muscles. I actually enjoyed out of the saddle once I established a rhythm because it did allow me to get off the saddle,
Thanks for all the great input.