Metol

I'm a newbie in the forum and also a noob bike commuter. I started to bike commute last year with a newly acquired Trek 7.5 Fx but because this is a snowy area and I also don't have to go to my office everyday, I only bike commute twice a week on average between late spring and early fall. From my house to work, it's all downhill, about 3.5 miles on roads with fantastic pavement. I wish it was longer

My problem is the way back home. I can't take the same route for various reasons (traffic, one-way streets, steep hills, lack of shoulders). Depending on the route I take, it's between 4 and 5 miles. Regardless of the route, I have to deal with long climbs. On top of that, pavement is bad in all routes, which greatly irritates me when I'm crawling up hills inch by inch. Here's how my Strava ride report looks like for one of the return routes. The steepest section is like 18% grade, and about half of the route is in the 5-12% range. On a good day, I can average 10mph coming home; 6mph on bad days especially when wine or beer is involved after work like this evening.



My legs are slowly getting stronger but in many sections the gear is dropped to the lowest (26 front 26 rear) and I'm basically completely spent by the time I finally reach my house. I'm beginning to doubt my ability to continue bike commuting.

Do I simply live in an area with bike-unfriendly topography? Or are my legs/lungs simply too wimpy and they will get stronger over time? I'd like to hear how those of you who have hilly commuting are coping with the challenge. By the way, I'm 43 and overweight.

bored117 

I think you live in great area for training type commute. If you don't have absolute need to drive the car once you get to home, you could do half way to build yourself up. One day climbing up, next day riding down for reward... and driving back up.... repeat. Also gives you more days you are riding (not more distance...) so your body can adapt better (especially the downhill can be used as recovery ride)
Kind of what I did as my commute was 15 miles one way with about 1800ft of climb one way and 200ft the other... Eventually started having some days where I would drive a little less, less. I only drive now a days when I really need my leg rested after hilly centuries, or want to do return trip of 45miles without train I use in between for endurance training.

Andy_K 

That hill is definitely nothing to sneeze at, but you've been doing it and it will get easieer not harder (or you'll get faster). Ultimately though it's a personl choice and if you aren't enjoying it maybe you should take a break until you feel motivated. Before making that decision, you could consider lowering your gearing. An 11-34 cassette could make that hill more palatable.

jsdavis

Just keep going at it and soon you won't think much of it. Do you have a place to rest a minute or two maybe? It is certainly discouraging in the beginning but you'll get stronger as you keep riding. You'll get faster and eventually you'll even be able to hold a conversation while riding that hill.

Check out one of the rides I do a few times a week for errands. I have about the same amount of elevation gain.

acidfast7

would it be possible to move to a more commute-friendly area?

also, I have this stupid little hill at the end that I hate as well, in the morning. but, in the evening, I get to ride down it

Metol

It's a tempting idea, bored117. Sounds like a great way to keep my motivation without getting wiped out completely. But I kind of worry about my self-esteem because my commute is only 4-5 miles.

no1mad 

1. As AndyK suggested, swap out the rear cassette.
2. Look into getting an electric assist kit installed.
3. Put some wider tires on to soften the ride over those bad roads.
4. Get a tadpole trike- if you get tired going uphill, simply pull over, set the parking brake, and take a quick nap.

no1mad 

It doesn't matter how far your commute is. The fact that you've realized covering that distance under your own power is a viable option puts you miles ahead of plenty of people.

It's not really important about why or what you ride, or how far you ride it- so long as you're riding is all that we (I, at any rate) ask.

CMillerRosales

If the bike is stock, then it might already have an 11-34 casette. (https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...ness/fx/7_5_fx)

I say stick to it, and the ride will only get easier as your body gets in better shape! Cycling should be fun though, so don't kill yourself over it--take a few days off when you need to!

commo_soulja

Stick with it.

I've got a hilly 12 km one way commute and it always sucks once winter fades and gets warm enough for me to get back on the saddle to adjust. Change your cassette to a mtn cassette with 11-32 or 11 34 but you'll probably gonna have to get a new derailleur.

Metol

Thanks. I'm indeed getting better, but I'm feeling the commuting challenge is a bit bigger than what I can comfortably take in the commuting context. I've been able to do this only because I do it only a few times a week. When I ride my MTB, which is 2-3 times a week, I do and enjoy 1200ft climb in the 8 mile trail. It's steeper than my commute but I'm dressed more correctly and without a backpack or other things dangling from me or the bike. I wish it was the other way around in my commuting, climbing up to work and bombing down to my house. I haven't thought about lowering the cassette. Do I need to change the rear derailleur to match a larger cog like 34?

Metol

Thanks for the encouragement, jsdavis. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. I'v been insisting on not resting or getting off the bike. I guess I should take it more easily. Right now I can only dream about having a conversation when riding my hill

SlimRider

Don't stop commute cycling. Just watch your diet. Lose about three pounds per week. In only two months, you will see a drastic difference. Keep losing three pounds per week, until you're at your ideal weight.

Metol

No, I'm not moving because I love my neighborhood too much. I wish my commute is like yours, going up the hill to work and cruising down on the way back.

Metol

I'll probably take up your #1 and AndyK's suggestion. Where did #2 come from?!?! I'm not there yet and I will never be (I hope) there.

Metol

Thanks no1mad. I'll ride to work tomorrow again!

Metol

The lowest is 26t on mine. I guess Trek changed the cassette for the '12 FX. You are right. I should take it easy. I need to switch my mindset between my MTB ride (more serious but damm fun) and commute ride.

deanp

Think about lightening your load and using racks instead of backpacks. Not having the weight hanging on yourself makes you more comfortable.

Metol

Ha ha, that's going to take a quite bit of time. I'm kind of weird. I'm overweight with lots of fat but still feel more athletic than not.

Metol

I was thinking about this. My only reservation is that this bike doubles as my fast long-ride bike so I wanted to keep it as light as possible. Perhaps it's time for getting a real road bike.

MichaelW

18% is a serious gradient. People who have never ridden this steep probably dont realize just how steep. When I am touring, I class 18% as a gut-busting ordeal, whereas 14% is merely hard.
Fit some lower gears. You may be able to shed a small amount of weight but that wont help a lot.
The options are:
Larger rear sprockets with an MTB rear mech.
Smaller chainrings using an MTB style chainset.
You may have to change your derailleurs to MTB style to cope and you may have to change your shifters to be compatible with the mech.

no1mad 

Depending on your budget and cargo capacity needs, maybe consider a Carradice instead of a rack. Less of a hassle to remove than a rear rack- especially if the rack shares an eyelet with a fender.

acidfast7

there's a traffic signal at the bottom of the hill on the way home and if I time it correctly and get lucky (which happens about 10% of the time) I can cruise through at 40kph and ride with the cars for the next 2-3km (speed limit is 30kmph) and it's make the ride much easier. also, I pass right through the middle of the city (where the shopping streets/outdoor wine markets are), which makes it nice to have a glass of sparkling wine or wheat beer on the way home!

edit: if you can't change the residence, change the workplace

a1penguin

I'm a total wimp. Hills don't agree with me. I can't make it up a 1/4 mile 13% grade. I think you are being hard on yourself. 10 mph on roads that hilly seems fast to me! 6 mph is grinding it out. I get depressed because my coworkers (most are half my age) are always getting personal records and KOMs daily. I am not that good. Old, overweight, female. But riding is good for me and I enjoy it. So I keep going. Focus on you and not other people. At least you have the hilly ride on the trip home.

Keep up the good work!

SlimRider

This is at the very crux of the OP's problem, if he's able to do 10 mph on an 18% incline!

***************

Again OP,

Just lose three pounds per week. After only a couple of months, you will find the hills much easier. When you enter the carradice instead of the backpack into equation, things will get better still.

Work = mass X acceleration X height

Work = force X distance

* Reduce any of those factors going against you and suddenly life gets easier.

Since g (acceleration of gravity) ain't changing anytime soon, you'd best just reduce the mass, unless your hill is quickly eroding.