Originally Posted by
apesrunner58
I put 4900 miles on my bike last year. But I always get kill going up hills. I know that I don't have the body type for hill climbing. I am 5'6" and 185. I have 21% body fat. I know I need to lose some weight. I did weigh 170 in college in the off season of wrestling. I start the hill in a lower gear. I do seem to lose my form as my heart rate goes up. I am 55 and when my heart rate hits 160 I get anaerobic. I spin at 85 to 70 rpm going up hills. Here is an example 1 mile hill 250ft of climbing. I have 11 to 12 mph while my group ave 14mph. The rest of the ride I am with my group. Do any of you have any good suggestions so I can climb hills faster? thanks.
You are doing better than "most" riders.
250 feet per mile is a 4.7% grade. The
kreuzotter.de bike calculator says that's 250 watts at 11 mph and 185 lbs.
At 14 mph, its 350 watts. That's a big power increase. If you only weighed 155 lbs, it would still be 300 watts.
The 11 mph speed is about what I would do on that climb.
Trying to keep up with the rest of my group on climbs is my best hillclimbing exercise. I don't push nearly as hard on my own.
I do much better on familiar hills. I know how hard I can go on those.
Riders lose the most time on the steepest parts of the climb. Push a little harder there, and recover on the flatter sections.