Road Cycling - Finishing off hills

My fitness is wanting right now, and that is the biggest factor in my poor climbing skills. But I was wondering what tips you folks may have for finishing off a climb. When I hit the top of a hill after battling it, my butt hits the saddle, my legs struggle to keep peddling, and I have to pause to suck wind before beginning the descent. I tend to charge up hills (what modest ones there are around here) as hard as possible, and I know this isn't the wisest idea. I have trouble measuring my effort.

So I'm wondering how do you keep your cadence up as you reach the top of a climb and continue into the descent?

My fitness is wanting right now, and that is the biggest factor in my poor climbing skills. But I was wondering what tips you folks may have for finishing off a climb. When I hit the top of a hill after battling it, my butt hits the saddle, my legs struggle to keep peddling, and I have to pause to suck wind before beginning the descent. I tend to charge up hills (what modest ones there are around here) as hard as possible, and I know this isn't the wisest idea. I have trouble measuring my effort.

So I'm wondering how do you keep your cadence up as you reach the top of a climb and continue into the descent?


I wish I knew what to tell you. right now my hill climbing sucks big time. There is a hill I ride that I have yet to make up with out stopping. It is just too steep for me. Yet my riding buddy makes it up everytime.

I think it has something to do with my skinny chicken legs :eek:

I not sure if its the best techinique but I usually rise out of the saddle and just pump the pedals and concentrate and just breath until I get to the top. If I have enough strength or speed before then I will usually sit in the saddle and pump the pedals for awhile before I have to rise up, works pretty well for me.

Get a triple! :D

If I'm wanting to go straight from climb to fast descent without a short break, I just make sure I don't burn out and simply climb slower. Otherwise, I enter the hill fast, shifting down as necessary to keep my spin up, and look up to spot where I'm gonna get out of the saddle. After experimenting, I've gotten a feel for how much hammering I can do before burning out. Save your hammer for the very top/end of the climb.

You should continue pedaling hard past the crest of the hill to keep up your momentum. Sit down only after you're on the downhill.

In all honesty, I find keeping my cadence up a hill is important, as it part of keeping your pace. If you were say, a runner, and had to stop because you hit a steep hill, then the rest of your run is going to be very difficult, because you ruined your pace.

To keep your cadence, shift down quite a bit, even use the granny gears if you have to until your legs get alot stronger. Who cares if you are going slow, as long as your leg motion keeps up, then that is what's important.
I am a beginner, and that is what I do all the time, if need be.

Patriot

You say you charge up the hills, not the wisest idea? I really think your doing the right thing because it works for me big time. Run the biggest gear you can handle, get out of the saddle and hammer like hell on it till you feel like your gonna die; sit and repeat. Keep it up and you will eventually be stronger for the top. Why sit there and spin a little gear, sure you may have more cadence at the top because you did less work. Main thing: get to the top, hill sprint and get it over with. Then, what's really neat is when you reach the top of a big one you have time to turn around watch your club climb it and see all the funny facial experssions. ;)

When you see the crest of the hill, don't look at it. Glue your eyes on a spot the is 15 - 20 ft beyond the crest and make that your finish line.

I just think about what a loser I'd feel like if I quit, seriously, it only hurts for a few minutes, you'll feel good at the top once it's done with.

i generally hit the base of hills going as fast as i can, and shift as necessary to keep my cadence up. i climb in the saddle until i start to feel the burn in my thighs, and then i stand up to use my body weight to hammer the rest of the way, while pulling up on the upstroke of the pedal. i tend to lean pretty far forward when i stand. if i'm really straining and getting really winded, i sit down again and regulate my breathing with my cadence (one complete breath per 1.5 crank revolutions)...i'm not exactly sure what my cadence is because i don't have a computer, but i think i keep it relatively high. i really try to focus on the exhale part of the breath. and when i'm breathing regularly again, and i feel my heart rate relax a little bit, i get up to charge again.

it's all relative, of course, and it depends on the route that i'm taking. if it's early on in the ride, i usually will conserve my energy so i have something left for the end. i also tend to go out without energy shots or stuff like that (my last ride, i took a banana, a full water bottle, and one of those "energy" vitamin waters.

I agree with what steveE said. I stay seated on longer hills until I get close to the top, then i upshift two and stand and stay standing until I'm back up over my average (pace indicator) speed.

Some tips that helped me a bit...I still suck though but am getting better...

Bike Mart Tips on Climbing (http://bikemart.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=172)