Frankfast

I am repeating an event I did last year when I stalled on a hill, couldn't unclip in time and over I went. I don't want to give in and walk up this hill but at the same time I fear the same thing happening. I may have been in the wrong gear because I wasn't familiar with the route. Unclipping before the hill obviously doesn't help since it's difficult keeping your foot on the pedals without slipping off. Any experiences willing to share?

BlazingPedals

Get into your smallest ring early and don't be afraid to downshift before you really need to. What gearing are you using? Is getting lower gears an option?

10 Wheels

Time to stop using clip less pedals.

jolly_ross

Splooge of copperslip grease on the cleats before each race.

Frankfast

Expected this response. There's at least one in every crowd.

qcpmsame 

Frank,
What is the tension set to for the pedals' clip? If these are Shimano SPD-SL pedals you can set the release tension with a screw, I'm not familiar with other clipped pedals like Speedplay, Look, Crank Bros., etc., so I won't pretend to have a suggestion for them. I'd agree with the thoughts about trying to anticipate the gear needs, too. I shift down as soon as I can, it helps me a lot.

Hope you find the answer, Club Tombay awards are not my favorite things.

Bill

cplager

I used to have a 48/38/28 crankset on my bike until the hill during the metric century I rode last year. I didn't fall, but I did stop half way up and rest. I now have a 48/38/22 crankset that was very much motivated by that hill.

NOS88

I've done the same thing. Fortunately, I've been able to laugh at myself because I didn't get hurt and no one was watching. Yes, those who suggest getting into a lower gear earlier are spot on. The hill that's taken me down twice is one I learned to approach in my lowest gear (It's very short - 1/4 mile and very steep 17 - 19% coming off a 90 degree left turn.... so you can't gain any momentum before hitting it). I find now, after really getting to know the hill, I can approach it two gears higher than my lowest and shift down once as I reach the steepest part.

Frankfast

Gonna try that. See if it helps. My Look pedals are in the lightest setting. Considering switching to platform/clipless for the event but would have to wear mountain shoes. I really don't want to do that.

Not sure of gear I was in at the time but believe I was not prepared for the hill and wasn't in the right gear. By the time I realized it, it was too late.

tsl

Work on hill training before the ride.

I do an extremely hilly ride every September. Living in the flatlands, I start hill training at the end of July. No stalling with good legs.

Also, learn how to judge a hill visually before you get to it. Being in the wrong gear is a failure of judgement, not of the legs.

lenA

Expected this response to that response. There's at least one in every crowd

Dudelsack 

Expected your response to the responder of the initial response. Or something like that. There's one in every crowd.

Seriously, this is a big problem for me with a recumbent, where I can't take advantage of low gearing because I don't have the balance to keep the bent upright at very slow speeds.

This is what I do. I bought some M324s (SPDs on one side, platform on the other) and replaced the cleats from SH51 to SH56 which is multirelease. If I encounter something scary steep, I clip out and use the platforms so I can bail more safely.

By the way, I set the tension as tight as it will go, but I spray the pedals fairly often with WD40. It works for me.

big john

Didn't expect the counter-response. Seriously, to stop using clipless pedals seems like a step backward and I hope it never comes to that for me.

If I'm on a hill and need to stop, (doesn't happen on the road but sometimes on my driveway or on the mtb), I try and plan to unclip one or two pedal strokes ahead. You can practice this.

Allegheny Jet

Frankfast- You know all about the hill from prior experience so use that knowledge to your advantage. As others have stated be prepared in advance and be in the proper gear before you hit the dreaded spot on the hill. You don't define what kind of hill it is or if it is a very steep bit on a longer hill. If you were gassed last year then encountered the steep hill you might not have had the power to continue to move. You might also have panicked and tried too hard, then gave up (most all of us have done that). You might be surprised how slow one can ride up a hill if they are relaxed and are just standing on the pedals and in a smooth motion “ push and pull” with both legs in an easier gear. You can train for that on a local hill even if it isn't the "killer hill" by putting your bike in a bigger gear that forces your cadence way down, then concentrate on the pushing and pulling motion using both legs by taking advantage of your clipless pedals.

JohnDThompson 

Practice track stands so you'll be able to balance for a few moments until you can unclip.

10 Wheels

50,000 miles and rode the mountains in Tennessee last summer..one 20% hill.

CraigB

Assuming you have no lower gears and you see a bailout is inevitable, try to get one last downstroke in, with as much energy as you can muster, to gain even a tiny bit of momentum, with the plan to unclip that foot at the bottom of that stroke.

Frankfast

Thanks for all the good advice here. It encourages me to try again after all it was my first attempt at an event with hills. I feel I have more experience now and should be able to get up these hills without unclipping. There are too many advantages to clipless pedals to give up on them.
For more information I'm using a Record 11 speed setup with a 39/53 crank and an 11/25 cassette.

cplager

When I was young, my father sat me down on his knee and said: "Son, in life there are hills. Get a triple."

O.k. That never happened. But the advice is still good.

volosong

Now, that's the "funniest" thing I've read all week. You had, (or still have), a good dad!

I've switched all my bikes over to a compact and a 12-30, except for one that is a triple. I just can't bring myself to convert that one over. It's my "climbing bike". Hopefully, it will get a workout tomorrow when I'm going to try and assault the Baldy Ski Lifts.

zonatandem

Stand up and PUSH harder!

StanSeven

Also there's nothing wrong with getting a different cassette for that ride. You can switch back later or switch it in and out as needed.

contango 

Interesting, I think I'd enjoy hills much more on my bike if I could trade 50/39/30 for 50/39/24 or similar. Did you have any FD issues with a jump from 38 to 22 teeth, or with the difference between outer and inner rings being 26 teeth?

B. Carfree

My dad never said that either, but an old Iranian who sold me my first touring bike used almost those exact words to me. Years later, while still using those same cranks on a different bike, I was quite grateful as I cruised up the notoriously steep hills of the Lost Coast of CA with a full load of touring gear.

Frankfast

Thanks, I'll try to remember that.