Hill climbing advice

[Blackadder]

OK like a lot of us on here I am now in my 40's but only just and I am starting to feel it a little bit going up hills.

I now live in the land of hills (Barnet) and my commute to work every day I hit 5 just to go to work .

Now I have never been a good hill climber but I won't lie it is a little more harder than it used to be.

So is there a particular way to make the hell of climbing hills just a little easier on me? I could really do with some advice as the minute I come out of my front door the first thing I hit is a steep hill and a short straight and then another long hill climb and then at the top I am dead so is there a method of climbing that is easier to use.

I am not a lover of rigid bikes and love my full bouncers and I know this is a hindrance due to the suspension sucking the life out of my pedal strokes so what can I do? cheers fellas

 

[chaser]

Hi there,

Have you considered your bike set up.. can you post a pic.

Generally a long low front end will be good for climbing.

Also try varying your pedaling between spinning in a particular gear seated. then click up two gears and stand up a while.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Chaser.

 

[tintin40]

The fitter you get the easier it will become. No pain no gain

 

[drystonepaul]

The only way to get better at climbing is to do lots of climbing. In a way you are lucky where you live because it sounds like you've got the ideal training ground.
I've got plenty of long, steep climbs on my doorstep and I always ride either a hardtail or fully rigid, but that's also a durabilty choice against the abrasive Peak District grit.

In terms of technique, aim to pace yourself for the early parts of a climb, and attack the top section if you've conserved the energy. Then turn around roll back down and start again.
On longer climbs it helps to break it up into smaller sections and use visual cues to aim for too, don't just focus on the summit.
Finally it's good to accelerate a bit over the top of a climb and carry some of that momentum into the flat or descent, rather than just crawling along or just stopping to throw up.

 

[CAS]

Is your journey on roads - in which case have you thought about a roadbike? Could be a flat bar job if you don't like drops!

If you only ride MTBs I suggest rigid is best and road type tyres pumped hard.

Regarding technique - straight into a hill is hard! I'd spin a low gear to begin with and on the long hill set a gear you can sit in to get a good rhythm going.

I always have a small challenge for regular hills - the top speed over the brow of the hill is a favourite - crack up a gear or two as you approach the top and push it over the brow. See if you can beat your previous best! Or try to do it one gear higher?

Anything to break the journey up and keep the motivation going basically

 

[daj]

unleash the fury

 

[Blackadder]

Hi there,

Have you considered your bike set up.. can you post a pic.

This is one of my babies, as I said I do like full sussers more than anything and don't want to stop riding them.....So what do you think?

 

[suburbanreuben]

Get some bar ends on there pronto. It'll give you a better variety of hand positions, and apparently, the more natural grip opens up the chest cavity slightly for better breathing.
Really, though, if you insist on riding a full susser on the road, especially that one, on those tyres, you're asking for unnecessary aggro. If you do switch to rigid, you'll fly!

 

[hamster]

Try a singlespeed - the first two months will be horrible, then you will fly up hills.

It's amazing what you can get up if the only alternative is walking. A winter of singlespeeding transformed my fitness and also made me much tougher mentally about climbing.

My singlespeed is a monster climbing machine - 1999 Alu Kona Cindercone with P2s plus a long stem and barends. All up it's about 21lb (no weight weenie build, it's just that no sus or gears saves a shedload of weight!)

 

[JeRkY]

Get a shock with rear lockout, or better still something like an specialized epic. Best climbing full susser I have ever owned.