Originally Posted by Maelochs

Generally, when climbing I try to be positioned on an incline.

If you sit and spin, you are loading up your heart and working your quads ... but if you sit and pedal slowly, you are asking your quads to do what they are least good at----slow power strokes. If you want to pedal slowly, try to push through your heel (but not With the heel) to bring the hamstrings into play. Hamstrings tend to be slow-twitch power muscles while the quads are smaller, faster muscles.

For a long hill, hit it quick in a medium gear, downshift early (don't wait until you can't pedal in a gear before shifting, you will lose too much momentum) and try to keep the pedals turning at a good clip. When your heart or lungs or legs can't take a quick cadence, stand up and push hard for a couple strokes, then sit and push with the hamstrings and try to catch your breath a little.

You don't want to start in a low gear ... use your momentum at the bottom, keep the pedals spinning, and work your way down the gears as needed.

It is more efficient to pedal a little faster because you lose less between power strokes, but when you simply cannot push the pedals quickly, alternate between pushing with your hamstrings, standing, and then spinning a little. By alternating load you can (sort of) rest a little and last longer.

Another point: if your quads hurt a lot when you stand, then ... they will grow a lot. Don't hurt yourself or push yourself unnaturally, but ...well, for myself, I learn where I need to improve with every ride. So you might need to build strength in your quads ... Maybe because you use a low cadence, you rely more on your hamstrings in regular riding.

I find that I need to consciously force myself to spin faster or I will cruise around in a high gear at 40 rpm all day, which isn't bad, but I want to be able to do more than that. I am training myself to be comfortable at twice that cadence, which hurts my quads, but only because they are being asked to do more. It doesn't mean anything is wrong, but rather that that is where I could use more improvement.

I still tend to cruise in a bigger gear and a lower cadence at the end of my rides, or when I am just relaxing. Nothing wrong with that. But I know a higher cadence in a lower gear is more efficient, and I know what I develop using that (aerobics, circulation, cardio, quads) will help me a lot when I hit the hills, where I absolutely suck and suffer.

Can't say what might work for you.