Help with hills

PeterMcC

** MOD note ** if this is in the wrong section please feel free to move.

To cut a long story short, got myself a Cube Peloton Compact two months ago and have really gotten into cycling.

Average trip around 30-50 km cycles every other day.

I recently did a 85km charity cycle last week and have another one planned for the end of the month.

Cycling from Derry to Mount Errigal with a climb to the summit at the end of it.

I can't seem to get a proper grasp on getting my ass up hills. They always seem to beat the living hell out of me.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can get better at them?

I don't want to be completely worn out prior to the climb at the end of the month.

Many Thanks

Peter

dragratchet

all i can say is keep doing hills and whilst you'll never find them easier, you'll find your times tumbling for the same level of perceived effort.. i started on the bike @ 92kgs and hills were a major issue for me. getting dropped constantly and burning myself out trying to hold wheels.

first thing that helped me was wearing a heart monitor and assessing what heart-rate i could sustain while climbing. helped me no end in avoiding burning out and having to stop, and also gave me a general guide as to whether i could crank up the pace a bit more or not. dont wear one anymore as ive grown better at understanding my body's feedback, but it helped at first when i was trying (in vain) to keep pace with stronger lads

second thing.. the more you train and healthier you eat the lighter you'll become, ive gone from 92kgs to 84 and the uphill pace difference is incredible. if you're recording your rides on strava watch your segement times fall as you become stronger and lighter.

lastly have faith that your climbing will improve with time and effort. it was my greatest issue starting out and now i quite enjoy it.

Fian

since I am similarly new at all this cycling lark what follows is what i find helps:

Hills are hard. They seem to get easier the more you do them. you just have to endure. I can climb hills now i could never have done at first. If you do give up don't walk up the hill, if you have to rest wait until you have recovered and cycle the rest of the way up. If you do stop at all costs make sure that you stop further up than the previous time.

Reaching the top of a hill is alot easier to repeat than to do the first time. So it is a psychological as well as physical challenge.

Spin in a low gear, don't mash in a higher gear. Don't push too hard at the beginning, keep some energy for the top.

Stay in the saddle, maybe rising to a stand for the steepest bits.

If i know a big hill is coming up i figure that is a good time to drink and maybe eat to raise blood sugar - before i get to the hill not while i am climbing it.

Open jacket/remove armwarmers/ do what you can not to overheat before you start up.

if you are heavy remember that as bad as it is dragging that weight up, it will work for you on the way back down.

Refuse to give up.

Painful as hills are they also bring the most satisfaction when you are over them and contibute to teh great feeling you have when you are home and you know you have given it socks on the cycle. They also tend to deliver the best views.

Imagine how boring cycling would be if it were all downhill.

Eamonnator

Two tips:

1) Lose weight.
2) Train on hills.

triggermortis

Like was said before, keep doing hills and they will get easier. When I started out cycling (not too long ago) I was living in Meath and found any hills there tough enough. Then I moved to Monaghan, where I'm sure there are no flat roads, and now I've moved to Zurich, so there is no way I can avoid hills. My problem is - I'm terrible on them, but I don't find them so bad once I've been over them once or twice.
Just don't go too mad at the start and pace yourself. I've read on here before you should start a hill like an old man and finish like a young man. I've tried it myself and am yet to see the young man, but it helps me focus while I'm crawling up a hill like a snail...

Cianmcliam

Someone with more experience might contradict me here but in my own limited experience I had two different challenges on hills and needed to use the gears differently to overcome each. On some hills my lungs would give up long before my legs, leading to gasping, dizziness etc. On these hills I would need to actually switch to a harder gear to use brute muscle strength rather than relying on my lungs to get enough oxygen throughput to sustain spinning in the easiest gear. On other hills I would need to use the easiest gear and try to pace myself as best I could if my legs felt fatigued.

I would suggest trying both. It depends on whether you have better strength in your legs or better ability to get oxygen flowing.

PeterMcC

Thanks guys. Gonna hit the hills this weekend.

I live about 13 miles from An Grianan Aileach in Donegal, it's pretty hilly to get there.

Did it a few weeks back, then 13 miles felt like 113 miles

Raam

You've only been at it two months. Patience and plenty of cycling will see you become much better at it.

Lusk_Doyle

PeterMcC wrote: »

Thanks guys. Gonna hit the hills this weekend.

I live about 13 miles from An Grianan Aileach in Donegal, it's pretty hilly to get there.

Did it a few weeks back, then 13 miles felt like 113 miles

Do it in kms. It feels longer that way.

RobFowl

Raam wrote: »

You've only been at it two months. Patience and plenty of cycling will see you become much better at it.

Been doing it 33 years and still sh*te, any tips....

Raam

RobFowl wrote: »

Been doing it 33 years and still sh*te, any tips....

Try harder?

RobFowl

Raam wrote: »

Try harder?

Can I just not buy a lighter bike???

Raam

RobFowl wrote: »

Can I just not buy a lighter bike???

Yes, yes you can Then try harder.

Unknown Soldier

"Spinning" and get a cadence sensor.

The cadence sensor is possibly the one item I have used that has changed how I cycle. It's great and the time flies by while concentrating on it.

Since I stopped "attacking hills" and learned to do the whole "spinning" thing I have found I have got up hills a lot easier. Still tough but easier. Not necessarily faster.

I never (unless it is really, really called for) get out of the saddle, I sit up, hands on the bars, and concentrate on breathing, while spinning.

I don't do a lot of hills but when I was doing the LL 90KM I gained most of my time on the hills versus cyclist who were out of the saddle. Still not really sure what that was all about tbh.

I'm only a newbie though and spinning is what I have found to work best.

Tenzor07

1. Lose Weight
2. Join a cycling club
3. Vo2 Testing
4. Buy a Power meter
5. Hire a coach

Not necessarily in that order..

Domane

I think we're all agreed here that the best way to get better at hills is to cycle up as many as possible. I used to struggle up even mild inclines but practice, practice, practice and the fear factor diminishes. I had a great 103km cycle from Killarney up to Molls Gap, onto Sneem, then Kenmare with the long 9km drag back up to Molls Gap when heading back to Killarney last Sunday. The climb from Kenmare up to Molls Gap isn't that steep but it is a continual climb with no flat bits or downward stretches but I kept an even pace all the way to the top for the nice long descent back to Killarney. My method is choose your gear correctly and stay in it with an even cadence. Naturally starting off easy and finishing strongly is the way to go.

Hills are fun, you get a great buzz from reaching the top. Stop to enjoy the view and then belt down them again!

crosstownk

Spinning is always best up a hill if it's an option. Whether or not it's an option will depend on your gearing.

Se&#225 wrote: »

Why stand up when you can sit down?

Standing on the pedals usually slows you down but sometimes it's more comfortable to stand.

The way I deal with it is to stand and mash or sit and spin. If you can sit then do so. Look at the gradient ahead and determine what you may need to do to tackle it. Each hill is different.

Then practice.

As my old woodwork teacher used to say: Perfect practice makes perfect.......

Wishbone Ash

PeterMcC wrote: »

...I live about 13 miles from An Grianan Aileach in Donegal, it's pretty hilly to get there...

Isn't that the flat end of Donegal? Manor, Newton, Burt, Bridgend etc.?

Kinet1c

GCN are not everyone's cup of tea but you're bound to pick up information from these vids.

outfox

Tenzor07 wrote: »

1. Lose Weight
2. Join a cycling club
3. Vo2 Testing
4. Buy a Power meter
5. Hire a coach

Not necessarily in that order..

I'm sure I've seen that before somewhere...;)

Tenzor07

outfox wrote: »

I'm sure I've seen that before somewhere...;)

Well, there is definitely no magic bullet to make someone a better climber, though this seems to be pretty informative:

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/fly-hills

PeterMcC

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Isn't that the flat end of Donegal? Manor, Newton, Burt, Bridgend etc.?

Afraid not.

I'm coming from Derry. If you Google the Goarty Road in Derry and follow that to An Grianan its one hilly SOB.

Have some pictures of the previous cycle - will get the up so you have a rough idea

YeahOK

My 2 cents, attack hills. Ride at a manageable mid to high intensity, when the gradient goes up that little bit, attack it, get your arse out of the saddle and push through it, it'll eventually level out again and then get back to pushing along at mid to high intensity.

What I've found though is that each rider has their own approach. Find what works for you. Work at a pace that is comfortable for you. Anyone who saw Chris Froome in the Vuelta earlier in the week would have seen this. Froome was being ridden off wheels on the final climb, but kept to his own pace and made it back on time and again. When everyone else had burned themselves out, there was the bowld Chris at the front of the group dictating the pace for a time.

Hills hate me and the feeling is mutual. But there is nothing better than the view form the top. As others have said the only way to improve your performance on hills is to cycle up hills.

BailMeOut

OP they never get easier. The trick is to find the right gear and the right consistent pace/cadence, put your head down and pedal. Ignore everyone around you as you need climb at your own pace and rate. Remember the folks you see that have been cycling for years tearing up hills are suffering too!

loinnsigh

I agree with BailMeOut - climb at your own pace and ignore everyone else.
I never used to stand when climbing, but now if the going gets really tough I'll go up a gear and stand for a short while, then drop back down a gear and sit again. The temporary change in position seems to give a bit of relief to some muscles. I've no idea if this is right or wrong but it works for me.

loinnsigh

PeterMcC wrote: »

Afraid not.

I'm coming from Derry. If you Google the Goarty Road in Derry and follow that to An Grianan its one hilly SOB.

Have some pictures of the previous cycle - will get the up so you have a rough idea

Thanks for the tip - will be in Derry next weekend, might take a spin up Groarty Rd to Grianan so

zl1whqvjs75cdy

If I'm on a tough hill I find it psychologically easier to pick way points up the hill and cycle to those, then see if I can push past them. So for example, I look up at the foot of a long climb, I say ok make it to that gate. Then once you make it to the gate pick something a bit further along and aim for that. If you have to stop, fine but I find breaking the hill in portions so much easier than thinking about reaching the summit. /2cents.

magicbastarder

all other things being equal, climbing is easier the further up the hill you are - because the force of gravity is less.
albeit not by much; 1km higher in altitude corresponds to a drop of 0.03% in the force of gravity.

quozl

Indeed. At 8km altitude apart from suffocation you'd bomb up those hills!

PeterMcC

Thanks for the tips.

Some good advice. Just hoping I can put it all to good use.

PeterMcC

loinnsigh wrote: »

Thanks for the tip - will be in Derry next weekend, might take a spin up Groarty Rd to Grianan so

If you have time you should do the Tour de Foyle.

Its a lap of Lough Foyle.

Derry to Malligan, get the ferry over to Greencastle, down through Moville, Redcastle, Muff and back into Derry. That will net you 83km

Here is the Strava details for the Tour de Foyle

http://www.strava.com/activities/184108807

Here is the cycle to An Grianan

http://www.strava.com/activities/177655320

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Whats this miles malark that's creeping into this forum now? I like my distances metric.

PeterMcC

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

Whats this miles malark that's creeping into this forum now? I like my distances metric.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#24



You think I would read the rules

{edit} KM has now been added

zl1whqvjs75cdy

PeterMcC wrote: »

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#24

Thusly

Carawaystick

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Do it in kms. It feels longer that way.

and your speed is higher!

magicbastarder

quozl wrote: »

Indeed. At 8km altitude apart from suffocation you'd bomb up those hills!

less air resistance too, especially coming back down.

Pharma

Track your rides in terms of elevation instead of distance. Aim for a few thousand metres of climbing per week.

It takes time but it works. The strava climbing challenges are great motivation.

Best thing is it improves your form on the flat just as much.

Do one or two big weeks of climbing followed by an easy week and you'll fly.

Stokolan

For some strange reason if I'm on a tough hill ill start count my pedal strokes. For example I might do 20 sitting then 20 standing ad keep alternating like that.

Or I'd pick a point get to it while sitting. Getoutof the saddle and do the same.

The distraction of counting and alternating helps pass the time on the climb and I get over them.

Wishbone Ash

Stokolan wrote: »

For some strange reason if I'm on a tough hill ill start count my pedal strokes...

I do something similar on really steep bits - I count my breaths - up to 4 and then repeat

One, two three, four, one, two, three, four etc.

Doc07

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I do something similar on really steep bits - I count my breaths - up to 4 and then repeat

One, two three, four, one, two, three, four etc.

I dance on the peddles (imagine a 90 year old dancing at a wedding) and shake my bike from side to side and pretend I'm Contador (even fully unzipped on sunny days-apologies to anyone offended by the chest rug at the viewing point today!)

I do think alternating in and out of the saddle is helpful in breaking up the climb but may not be the most efficient way.

thesimpsons

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I do something similar on really steep bits - I count my breaths - up to 4 and then repeat

One, two three, four, one, two, three, four etc.

I had to double check i didn't write this post, I started counting my breathing this summer too - seems to take my mind off the climb.

loinnsigh

PeterMcC wrote: »

If you have time you should do the Tour de Foyle.

Its a lap of Lough Foyle.

Derry to Malligan, get the ferry over to Greencastle, down through Moville, Redcastle, Muff and back into Derry. That will net you 83km

Here is the Strava details for the Tour de Foyle

http://www.strava.com/activities/184108807

Here is the cycle to An Grianan

http://www.strava.com/activities/177655320

2 great options for the weekend - thanks for the tips!