Originally Posted by
BengeBoy
The most important thing I think about on a long climb is cadence, and riding with (only) light pressure on the pedals. If I feel like I'm working too hard, I drop down to a lower gear. If I'm not working too hard, I shift to a higher gear. The more tired I am, the more I think about maintaining a nice, smooth cadence, and trying to make perfect circles with my feet. For some reason, a long time ago I decided the worst thing to do on a long climb is to get sloppy, so I think about not getting sloppy.
And I try to remember to relax. I find that moving my hands off the hoods or drops and putting them on the flats of the handlebars right next to the stem helps me relax. It opens up your chest and lets you take nice deep breaths.
+1. Nice summary.
The only thing I'll add is when the gradient gets serious, it's sometimes useful to focus just on the pavement a few feet immediately in front of you. I find it's easier to relax and focus on form if I don't look up the road (and get caught up in, "holy s--t, does this thing ever let up?")
