begbie
Peloton Rider
Posts: 14
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Post by begbie on Sept 5, 2013 8:35:59 GMT
As per the title, how do you tackle hills? What do you find the best method for getting up them or do you have certain secrets on how to do it?
Round my way, I've got a selection of hills to choose from, Box Hill is about 12 miles away, Newlands Corner is about 5 miles away, plus I've got other hills in the vicinity that I do on a regular basis.
I did this one a while back by looking at google maps for a suitable route, it wasn't until I started cycling up it and looking at Strava afterwards that it was 3 miles long!!! www.strava.com/activities/76740638#1535971385
So what tips can you give to a newbie like me? Currently I stay in the saddle as standing I can't do for long as my muscles really start to hurt / ache. I try and keep my cadence up, but find that I have to keep going into a lower gear to keep the cadence going.
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Post by robertsims on Sept 5, 2013 8:44:44 GMT
Personally I very rarely stand. prefering to sit and spin. Tip is take it easy on lower half of hill. can always speed up if want to push towards top but better to start slow and finish strong then blast off and then die before summit! Also as you said try keep cadence up but it will naturally drop going up hills but try keep it in 70s at least.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 9:21:03 GMT
I sit and spin for long hills but if it's a short, steep one I'll just get out of the saddle and power up. Needs to be very short though or my legs can't take it
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 9:35:22 GMT
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 10:06:55 GMT
Like the others I'll sit and spin with brief bursts of out the saddle efforts.
Concentrating on the following things has helped me:
Breathing out deeply. Breathing in will take care of itself.
Keeping your entire upper body relaxed. People tend to naturally tense up when putting in the effort. Bobbing a bit is fine but shoulders up around your ears is not.
Pedalling circles. In your head just visualise pedalling in circles. Don't ask me why but it works for me.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 10:18:38 GMT
I've been adding more hills recently. Remenham Hill in Henley is especially painful.
Like others I try to keep spinning and let my lungs do the work. I'm getting better at pacing myself and using the gears - anticipating how much I need to spin.
One other trick I found while getting up the big hill was to not look up to the summit. I focus only a few meters ahead, enough to see hazards and stop. This way I concentrate on my pace rather than being overwhelmed by the task. I've started using this on all hills and seems to make a real difference.
With the fitness and strength that comes from regular riding I'm not dreading hills (as much!).
The gradient on your long climb does look (to my novice eyes) like one you'd want to spin to save leg strength.
<edit>
Just to say there's absolutely no shame at all in using the lower gears, it's what they're there for. The objective is to get up the hill and you'll get the kudos for it :-)
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Post by Whitestar1 on Sept 5, 2013 11:09:49 GMT
I rather sit in the saddle, it works for me. Change my mindset too, its all about cadence and not speed. Once on the top then its all speed and pace. As I said it works for me.
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Post by captslog on Sept 5, 2013 12:23:25 GMT
Like the others I'll sit and spin with brief bursts of out the saddle efforts. Concentrating on the following things has helped me: Breathing out deeply. Breathing in will take care of itself. Keeping your entire upper body relaxed. People tend to naturally tense up when putting in the effort. Bobbing a bit is fine but shoulders up around your ears is not. Pedalling circles. In your head just visualise pedalling in circles. Don't ask me why but it works for me. All sound advice. So much better than my technique of saying "FFS! will this never end?" between gasping for breath and waiting for a coronary.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 12:42:23 GMT
slowly... don't over do it at the beginning. spin at the start and when I run out of gears I stand on the pedals. otherwise I just accept that I am much slower than everyone else, but I do get there without stopping. I also count pedal strokes in batches of 8, something from my mountaineering. I do find it helps you to keep going.
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Post by Rocket on Sept 5, 2013 12:57:55 GMT
When I encounter a new hill I start off in a very low gear to make sure I can get all the way up it. As you near the top you will have a feel for how much faster you could have done it. Make a mental note and try the next higher gear next time. I spin all the way up until I feel I can stand to the sumit and then really push to the top and over so I start the descent at a decent pace.
Some days the wind will be behind you making it easier, others it will be in your face. You also have to factor in how you feel at the start of the hill. We all have good days and bad
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 13:31:02 GMT
Even on a small hill that is more just a lump in the road even at 30/25 my cadence is easily below 60 by the end of it - just can't pedal any faster, and that's for not even half a mile of climbing. Maybe I should just try powering up out of the saddle on these small inclines
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 13:51:35 GMT
Like the others I'll sit and spin with brief bursts of out the saddle efforts. Concentrating on the following things has helped me: Breathing out deeply. Breathing in will take care of itself. This. Also I like to focus on a object at the side of the road such as a lamp post in the distance and concentrate to passing it. Seems to help me block out the burn.
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Post by cocopops on Sept 5, 2013 14:08:06 GMT
get off and walk..
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Post by sodafarl on Sept 5, 2013 14:28:14 GMT
Very f'in slowly no matter what size.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 14:33:19 GMT
Like the others I'll sit and spin with brief bursts of out the saddle efforts. Concentrating on the following things has helped me: Breathing out deeply. Breathing in will take care of itself. This. Also I like to focus on a object at the side of the road such as a lamp post in the distance and concentrate to passing it. Β Seems to help me block out the burn. Maybe that's why my pedalling in circles seems to help, takes your mind off the burn.
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