Technique for climbing hills?
03-26-17, 04:48 AM
#26
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It gets tiring because you're not in climbing shape. There's no one correct technique, I mean I climb in the drops. You need a workout program to get in better shape, like hill repeats at 2-3 minutes at a time until you want to puke. Ideally you probably want to spin @ 90rpm. After awhile you'll figure out what's comfortable to you. Then you have to think about other things like are you overweight, have enough carbs, ect.
03-26-17, 05:30 AM
#27
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Are we talking about getting up hills, or are we talking about climbing? If it's a quarter mile of who-cares-how-steep, use whatever technique you have to get to the top. Grind it, spin it, whatever-- hills of short duration can be done anaerobically, just muscle up them. To me, climbing is +4% (+200ft/mi) for miles and miles, and that relies on the mix of equipment, technique, and aerobic fitness. Don't have low enough gears, you're gonna have a bad time, no matter your fitness level. I just try to find the gear that's comfortable, and that I can sustain while keeping power output and heart rate relatively steady. Surging will wear you out much more quickly, and getting aerobic recovery while climbing is difficult. I don't love climbing as much as some folks seem to, but I do know that the best way to get better at it is to do it. Climbing more makes you a better climber.
That's called Zone 2, and endurance paced riding is fine if you never wish to get any faster, or ride longer distances. Non-injured, I average 200 miles and ~9,000ft of climbing each week, and there's at least one ride in there that leaves me with sore legs. Soreness is muscles repairing themselves, and it's completely normal. I can give myself sore legs from an hour on the trainer-- you can't do an hour at 85% intensity and not be sore the next day. If you did, then that 85% wouldn't actually be 85%. Low intensity doesn't make you sore because you're acclimated to it. Throw an LTHR/FTP test in there one day. Your legs will be sore for 2 days after 30 minutes on the bike.
That's called Zone 2, and endurance paced riding is fine if you never wish to get any faster, or ride longer distances. Non-injured, I average 200 miles and ~9,000ft of climbing each week, and there's at least one ride in there that leaves me with sore legs. Soreness is muscles repairing themselves, and it's completely normal. I can give myself sore legs from an hour on the trainer-- you can't do an hour at 85% intensity and not be sore the next day. If you did, then that 85% wouldn't actually be 85%. Low intensity doesn't make you sore because you're acclimated to it. Throw an LTHR/FTP test in there one day. Your legs will be sore for 2 days after 30 minutes on the bike.
03-26-17, 05:55 AM
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I suck on hills. Mostly because I have the college football player body (which I was) but at age 70 no longer have that strength. Strangely, I love hills. I think it''s because that's where all the gains are for me. I once had really good fast twitch fibers so spinning was what I went to on the hills. And, having trained only on rollers for 20 yrs. I am pretty smooth. What I found is that, as a rule, I climb better using power rather than high rpms. I've read and heard cycling coaches say that what works for one body type doesn't always work for another. So, it's something you will have to experiment with to find out what is best for you.
03-26-17, 06:53 AM
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It depends on the size of the hill. I size up the hill as I approach. If it is only a short climb, I dont even shift down, I just power up the hill. IMO it just makes your legs stronger.
If it looks like a long hill I shift down to a gear that I feel from experience I can spin to the top, that is what I do.
If it looks like a long hill I shift down to a gear that I feel from experience I can spin to the top, that is what I do.
03-26-17, 07:06 AM
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I've done some long climbs (Whiteface Mtn NY, Mt Mitchell NC, etc), I found it best to be in the my lowest or 2nd to lowest, spin at about 60-75rpm, hands on the flat part of the bars, and just look down. I'll stop when I see a scenic view. Or like in the case of being 5000+ elevation, stop to catch my breath.
I'm getting into my upper 40's and always been a bit overweight. But I love a good climb. I'm not in a race or looking to KOM any mountains. So, this is how I do it.
I'm getting into my upper 40's and always been a bit overweight. But I love a good climb. I'm not in a race or looking to KOM any mountains. So, this is how I do it.
03-26-17, 08:57 AM
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This makes perfect sense. For a rider blowing up, or having to walk up a hill, he tried to put out too much power (not slow enough) to begin with. Get up the hill in the first place, then get stronger, then try faster.
03-26-17, 09:34 AM
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This depends a lot on the area you live in and the condition you are in when you start trying to build your climbing ability. If you are in Kansas, Nebraska, Florida.... then the hills you are going to run into are quite different than the Seattle area, or an area like Seattle. And, if you are already in good shape and no knee problems, you can approach the hills differently.
The OP needs to look at his/her environment and own health, then look at the suggestions. If your muscles are hurting and lungs burning, you are probably still safe, but you might give up if you overdo it. But, if you knees are hurting, you are definitely overdoing it and will likely injure yourself. Push yourself, don't hurt yourself. Getting better on hills is likely to be painful, but should not cause injuries.
The OP needs to look at his/her environment and own health, then look at the suggestions. If your muscles are hurting and lungs burning, you are probably still safe, but you might give up if you overdo it. But, if you knees are hurting, you are definitely overdoing it and will likely injure yourself. Push yourself, don't hurt yourself. Getting better on hills is likely to be painful, but should not cause injuries.
03-26-17, 10:04 AM
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+1
Or if your knees are hurting, the bike fit is what may be the problem.
I think if the OP can spin up in a 42/32 they really don't have any hills.
Here in Seattle, for road bikes at least, A 50/34 and an 11/28 or 11/32 cassette is a pretty standard configuration. and still results in grinding up more often than most people would probably care to admit.
Or if your knees are hurting, the bike fit is what may be the problem.
I think if the OP can spin up in a 42/32 they really don't have any hills.
Here in Seattle, for road bikes at least, A 50/34 and an 11/28 or 11/32 cassette is a pretty standard configuration. and still results in grinding up more often than most people would probably care to admit.
This depends a lot on the area you live in and the condition you are in when you start trying to build your climbing ability. If you are in Kansas, Nebraska, Florida.... then the hills you are going to run into are quite different than the Seattle area, or an area like Seattle. And, if you are already in good shape and no knee problems, you can approach the hills differently.
The OP needs to look at his/her environment and own health, then look at the suggestions. If your muscles are hurting and lungs burning, you are probably still safe, but you might give up if you overdo it. But, if you knees are hurting, you are definitely overdoing it and will likely injure yourself. Push yourself, don't hurt yourself. Getting better on hills is likely to be painful, but should not cause injuries.
The OP needs to look at his/her environment and own health, then look at the suggestions. If your muscles are hurting and lungs burning, you are probably still safe, but you might give up if you overdo it. But, if you knees are hurting, you are definitely overdoing it and will likely injure yourself. Push yourself, don't hurt yourself. Getting better on hills is likely to be painful, but should not cause injuries.
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Last edited by base2; 03-26-17 at 10:29 AM.
03-26-17, 10:22 AM
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42/32 is about the same as 34/26 which is a reasonable gear but I suspect the OPs definition of 'spinning' still needs a little work. 90RPM with a 42/32 is close to 10mph which might feel slow but isn't walking speed.
03-26-17, 10:54 AM
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But there is still nearly a 20 percent difference between her "spin" up the hill gears and our "grind" up the hill gears. This is what makes me think they don't really have hills.
Being from Vancouver, now YOU guys know hills. I'm surprised that you would say 35 gear inches is reasonable. Perhaps a lifetime of all those hill just make you guys stronger? Last I was there, I had 36/25 with 700c's and I thought I was going to die!
We might be on to something here...defining terms we are using. I've always considered anything over 100 rpm as spinning, and anything under 75 0r 80 grinding. In my mind nothing is more than an incline or a rise in the road until at least 3 or 4 percent. A "hill" is steeper.
Being from Vancouver, now YOU guys know hills. I'm surprised that you would say 35 gear inches is reasonable. Perhaps a lifetime of all those hill just make you guys stronger? Last I was there, I had 36/25 with 700c's and I thought I was going to die!
We might be on to something here...defining terms we are using. I've always considered anything over 100 rpm as spinning, and anything under 75 0r 80 grinding. In my mind nothing is more than an incline or a rise in the road until at least 3 or 4 percent. A "hill" is steeper.
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03-26-17, 11:05 AM
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But there is still nearly a 20 percent difference between her "spin" up the hill gears and our "grind" up the hill gears. This is what makes me think they don't really have hills.
Being from Vancouver, now YOU guys know hills. I'm surprised that you would say 35 gear inches is reasonable. Perhaps a lifetime of all those hill just make you guys stronger? Last I was there, I had 36/25 with 700c's and I thought I was going to die!
We might be on to something here...defining terms we are using. I've always considered anything over 100 rpm as spinning, and anything under 75 0r 80 grinding. In my mind nothing is more than an incline or a rise in the road until at least 3 or 4 percent. A "hill" is steeper.
Being from Vancouver, now YOU guys know hills. I'm surprised that you would say 35 gear inches is reasonable. Perhaps a lifetime of all those hill just make you guys stronger? Last I was there, I had 36/25 with 700c's and I thought I was going to die!
We might be on to something here...defining terms we are using. I've always considered anything over 100 rpm as spinning, and anything under 75 0r 80 grinding. In my mind nothing is more than an incline or a rise in the road until at least 3 or 4 percent. A "hill" is steeper.
03-26-17, 11:15 AM
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Coming from mountain biking, a trick we always use is to never use your easiest gear unless you're at the hardest part of the hill. It is only your "bail out" gear. When the hill eases up a bit, shift one gear harder and make it work. If you stay in your easiest gear the whole time, you have nowhere to go, no way to ease up the pressure on you heart other than to slow down or in most cases, stop.
When you do SUPER long climbs, you start to look forward to the "easier" sections of the hill, even if they're still at 8%. Small grades start to look flat.
Whatever you do, don't GRIND up the hill.
When you do SUPER long climbs, you start to look forward to the "easier" sections of the hill, even if they're still at 8%. Small grades start to look flat.
Whatever you do, don't GRIND up the hill.
03-26-17, 11:57 AM
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or the other way around, maybe the legs cant put out the rpm and going up a gear and just pushing more weight in it might work, mashing is easier than spinning for most beginners
03-26-17, 12:17 PM
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Hey so I have learned how to spin on the flat and downhill at a good cadence. But I find that its hard to do that at a low gear while climbing a hill, should I just go to a slightly higher gear and grind my way up hills or is spinning still more effective while climbing?
I find that when im spinning my low gear (42/32) I seam to be going at close to walking speed and still gets tiring.
I find that when im spinning my low gear (42/32) I seam to be going at close to walking speed and still gets tiring.
So, where do you ride, and how long and steep are these hills?
03-26-17, 12:39 PM
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I've found this to be so. About seven years ago when I began cycling, as I slowly got stronger and the ability to recover from hard efforts improved, I was able to recover some on the shallower parts of a hill. My riding area is generally flat, the only hills being climbing out of river valleys or from estuaries. For this reason, to have any climbing ability I seek local hills and will go out of my way to ride them. I also have a pretty low bottom gear but there is no substitute for riding hills. The idea being that if one wishes to play the violin, practice. If one wishes to play it well, practice a lot.
03-26-17, 01:34 PM
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Yes, wholeheartedly agree. Big hills are to be avoided at all cost unless you have some insane fitness goals that the average "keep fit" rider doesn't. Small hills are fun though, I always start out of the saddle and climb as far as I can standing then drop back onto the saddle, lower the gearing and spin over the last bit. I do this to vary the muscles I exercise and rest the ones I have been. Often I stand for hills I don't need to just because it varies the ride and is good practice. IMO at least.
03-26-17, 06:18 PM
#42
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When I encounter the hills on my daily commute, I approach them differently just to give myself some variation.
Sometimes I keep in high gear and push as hard as I can all the way up. Sometimes I keep in low gear and keep at steady cadence as when I'm on level ground. Sometimes I'm in moderately high gear and peddle pretty slowly trying not to break a sweat. Sometimes I race to the hill on high gear and down shift as I feel the deceleration climbing. Sometimes I zigzag on the way up simulating a lower grade climb.
Sometimes I keep in high gear and push as hard as I can all the way up. Sometimes I keep in low gear and keep at steady cadence as when I'm on level ground. Sometimes I'm in moderately high gear and peddle pretty slowly trying not to break a sweat. Sometimes I race to the hill on high gear and down shift as I feel the deceleration climbing. Sometimes I zigzag on the way up simulating a lower grade climb.
03-26-17, 07:08 PM
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I purposely include several steep climbs in all my rides. I think a lot of riders avoid them which is too bad, because they're very important for strength building, imo. I do a combo of standing and sitting. In any case, my advice is: do lot's of them.
03-26-17, 11:52 PM
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As many have said, depends on what you mean. I have a lot of hills around me and that is where most of my rides are. Most climbs are less than 1/2 mile, and are 8 to 11%. These are short enough that you just get up them and they are over. We have a ride in WA called RAMROD, which has 10K of climbing in 150 or so miles. One climb is 9 miles at 6%. Different strategy for that. Not that steep, but it just keeps going. I settle into a rhythm and ride. I will stop every few miles (at a point when I feel out of energy) and get off the bike for a minute or two, then back on. Helps me get up the hill. Had a long climb up Teton Pass (8,400' elevation at summit), same thing, get off every so often. Gets me up the more challenging climbs. Obviously depends on age and conditioning. At 69YO, I need to take a few more breaks on the bigger climbs than I used to. Some of it depends on your attitude towards climbing. I enjoy it in a perverse way.
Last edited by temoore; 03-26-17 at 11:56 PM.
03-27-17, 12:04 AM
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Looking forward to 9% ? 
It's true! I have a 3 mile 4% road right outside my front door. After that I hit the mountains. A couple of the roads through the residential foothill areas have 11%-18% grades. I hit them then once I'm over them my Gamin shows 7-9% again, I'm thinking Thank God!
It's true! I have a 3 mile 4% road right outside my front door. After that I hit the mountains. A couple of the roads through the residential foothill areas have 11%-18% grades. I hit them then once I'm over them my Gamin shows 7-9% again, I'm thinking Thank God!
03-27-17, 12:11 AM
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Hey so I have learned how to spin on the flat and downhill at a good cadence. But I find that its hard to do that at a low gear while climbing a hill, should I just go to a slightly higher gear and grind my way up hills or is spinning still more effective while climbing?
I find that when im spinning my low gear (42/32) I seam to be going at close to walking speed and still gets tiring.
I find that when im spinning my low gear (42/32) I seam to be going at close to walking speed and still gets tiring.
Can you clarify a few things for us?
What does "spinning" mean to you?
Can you post an elevation profile of a "hilly" route that you are currently doing?
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03-27-17, 05:45 AM
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To be honest I never really thought about the best way to climb a hill. I just pedal through it. I know that the quality of the bike can have a small part to play. On my Specialized Tarmac I can climb much easier compared to my older Fuji Sportif 2.5, there is a 15 pound difference between the two.
03-27-17, 05:48 AM
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Or Alberta, where we had long gradual hills.
Or Victoria, where we had the choice of flat or hills, and usually chose flat.
But then I moved to Tasmania. And here I have to think about the best way to climb hills.
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03-27-17, 08:22 AM
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Were talking about short but steep hills, say a mile at most. However some have traffic lights right in the middle of the steep bit and I dont like jumping lights in london.
03-27-17, 09:07 AM
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I recommend, regardless of skill level, strength, or experience, that people follow a few basic rules:
Start at the bottom,
Head up
Bring a bike.
I lived the first half of my life in what is considered to be a very hilly region, but I was too poor to afford hill-climbing instructions. Those are things I picked up on my own. Sorry if they are incorrect; one can only do his best.
Start at the bottom,
Head up
Bring a bike.
I lived the first half of my life in what is considered to be a very hilly region, but I was too poor to afford hill-climbing instructions. Those are things I picked up on my own. Sorry if they are incorrect; one can only do his best.
Last edited by Maelochs; 03-27-17 at 10:59 AM.