Mountain Biking - Climbing, man do I need help!

Ok, Im trying to figgure out, how the hell some of you, (and you know who you are...) can climb like big horned sheep!!

Is it genetic? I never see a Dane leading the Tour de France mountain stages....

But how can one work on their climbing?

Im kinda lost here... any advice?

:confused:

I think the ingredients are pure effort and lots of practice. I do a hill climb during lunch because it takes exactly 1 hour round trip.

Now if I had my wish I'd have a climbing bike, weigh myself at 160lbs and have lots of lung capacity. But I don't have a climbing bike, I weigh 170lbs and can only use about 1/2 of my lung capacity so I breathe really fast or do they call that gasping?

Either way I'm not getting up the hill any faster unless I put in a strong effort and I practice. I've become familiar enough with my route that I know if I don't make it past this mile marker or mailbox at a certain time them I'm off. Break it down. You need a baseline then work up from there. Great climbers know exactly how fast they can go on a section. Then put it in your lowest gear and hammer away!

Good luck!

Hey Cannondale

Whats the line below about?

"Ik hoop dat u vind wat u zoekt"

just curious :D

I hope you find what you seek. It's Dutch. Sometimes words are expressed better in a different language.

Cannondale

Originally posted by cannondale
I hope you find what you seek. It's Dutch. Sometimes words are expressed better in a different language.

Cannondale

see toolfreaks message for proper spelling....

Originally posted by Scooby Snax
Ok, Im trying to figgure out, how the hell some of you, (and you know who you are...) can climb like big horned sheep!!

Is it genetic? I never see a Dane leading the Tour de France mountain stages....

But how can one work on their climbing?

Im kinda lost here... any advice?

:confused:

Intervals and
Climbing intervals
I’m a flat lander so i have to train going over, over passes.

Scooby Snax,

Are you getting uphill any better with this advice? If you can, watch any mountain stage on OLN of any bike race. Good for inspiration. By the way I saw an older lady (like 60 something) standing up on her bike over a small hill this morning during my commute. Let's me know I have a long way to go. What an inspiration! You can always do more or handle more than you think!

Art, how's my spelling now? Sorry to butcher your language. You should hear me talk.


Cannondale

Going clipless helped me get good stamina for going uphill as I used to want to push my bike and now I'm committed or I go boom. :beer:

johnny blaze

I'm a road biker, but I can throw in my few advice here.

-Cadence (high RPM) is important. Don't be ashamed to put into granny gear. Put into a gear that you can maintain pedalling at about 70 RPM.

-Put your ass at the end of the saddle and lower your back. This helps in transfering more power when you are in an incline because your bike itself is now tilted up.

-Get off the saddle every once in a while. Although doing this won't help you catch your breath, you are using different muscles when you are standing, so it will allow the other muscles to get some rest.

When you get to hills alternate between the seated and standing position.

[QUOTE-Get off the saddle every once in a while. Although doing this won't help you catch your breath, you are using different muscles when you are standing, so it will allow the other muscles to get some rest.

When you get to hills alternate between the seated and standing position.[/QUOTE]

What he said!

I suck at climbing. I don't have the strongest legs, but this technique works best for me.

Originally posted by Scooby Snax
Is it genetic? I never see a Dane leading the Tour de France mountain stages....


Dont you remember that epic day in the Pyrenees when Bjarne Riis put an end to Indurains 5 consecutive wins. In Big Migs own backyard, Riis toyed with the peleton, riding up and down, switching to his big cog, psyching them out, then just tore off up the mountain.
The following year, as team leader, he practically dragged Jan Ulrich up a mountain, sacrificing his own victory for that of his team.
Danes have given us some of the most memorable mountain stages of all time.

I tend to opt for the chair lift (if available!) otherwise, I don't do uphill

Rich :rolleyes:

All good advice in these posts. 3 quotes come to mind... "Pantani is 125 lbs, that helps" , "Nothing substitutes for time on the bike - timein the saddle" , "Intervals when climbing/training - and don't forget the flats".

Here it is,
I'm 180 pounds and climbing is my strong point. The is no replacement for displacement. Every ride is a training ride, Ride often, ride far and ride hills. I find long steep grades, find the biggest gear I can push at around 80 or 90 RPM and spin it to the top pulling in slow, deep, steady breaths, over and over and over again. Keep at this and you'll get there, nothing is easy unless someone else is doing it. I always ride a loaded bike when I ride alone, bike weight around 55 to 60 pounds, that way, when I ride with others, I unload and remove the panniers and burn their legs off.

Im taking abit from all, well, Im leaving the chairlift bit out, Ill use that in December...

Im doing repeats on hills, they're only 300' high so Im doing 4 reps...

And a little more determination on the trails of course!

Thanks again:beer:

Yup, I agree with most. It's about fitness and technique. However, it's mostly about fitness. Work on your cardio several times per week, and you'll see a vast improvement. In terms of technique, I have a few thoughts:

-On very steep hills, stay seated but move up on the saddle, lean forward and get low - also maintain a good cadence. Use good balance, and you won't spin your rear tire - nor will you pull the front

-When traction is not an issue, switch between seated and out-of-the-saddle positions to give some muscles a rest and get your body stretched out

-Breathe in slow and exhale quickly - do this in a consistent rhythm

-If you're facing a long and punishing climb - KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN and peddle. Looking up @ a huge climb can be a bit intimidating and zap your ambition

Good luck! :D

Most of what's gone before makes sense, though I find staring at the road/ trail under my front wheel a bit demoralising - better to look up and see that you are actually winning. If you're going to climb out of the saddle remember to change up a gear or two. Clipless pedals are a great help - concentrate on a good spinning action. You can practise this by pedalling with one leg (if you have clipless pedals). Try not waste energy moving your upper body too much while climbing. Move the bike away form the side that the pedal is going down on, this helps pull the pedal up against the foot that is pushing down. Try to plan your route so that you ride up roads and down trails.

Cardio vs. Power or Heart vs. Legs

In you are spinning you're building the heart. Low cadence builds the legs. However, you need both. Consider 1: Weak legs, strong heart. When on a hill your legs are not strong enough to push your heart to its upper ranges, so you are underutilizing your strong heart. Consider 2: Strong legs, weak heart. You'll go anerobic quickly as the heart can't keep up with the power generated, so you are underutilizing your strong legs.

When on a hill determine your deficiency. Do you max your heart rage and gasp all the way up? Then your leg power is unbalanced and you must strengthen your heart and raise your anerobic threshold.

Is your heart rate lower than it should be, or do you struggle to reach threshold or max on a climb? Do you gring up hills with a low cadence and arrive at the top with sore legs? Then you need to improve your power.

60 - 80 rpm on a .5 to .75 mi hill. 4 to 6 intervals. Ride it hard and your legs will burn, but your heart rate will probably stay under control. Leg power will increase.

95 - 110 rpm anywhere. 5 to 10 minute intervals at anerobic threshold, 4 to 6 intervals. Will raise AT. Don't go anerobic, stay just below. No gasping, but heavy breathing. Burn will accumulate slowly as you reach end of interval. This takes discipline, especially on the flats. Can be done on a hill or false flat, but if the hill is too steep you can't maintain cadence.

If all this sounds complicated, then just ride hills a lot and work hard on them. With a big gear even the flattest road can become Alpe d'Huez, it just takes more discipline as the temptation to give up becomes very real.

Climbing is not my forte (partially because I've got a fair bit of weight to move against gravity... :( ) however my climbing is slowly improving.

With me much of it is psychological rather than fitness - I just gave up too early because I didn't think I could do it, rather than not being able to do it... Just pushing yourself to resist the temptation to ditch might help. I also found approaching the hill in a bigger gear gave me the initial impetus to make a mark on the hill before slowly gearing down.

Richard