Getting better at steep gradients?

BMKN · 03-07-2014 12:53PM #1

I love climbing but more so gradients of 5%-7% I fly up them, to the point I nearly made my mate get sick who always used to be faster

When it comes to the 10 + gradients I am so slow, I speed up and burn out towards the top and and I lose him, I am lighter by far. I do hill reps around Vico and Killiney and Step lane but still suck at sever inclines. How can I get better I do hill reps once er week.

derealbadger · 03-07-2014 01:16PM

Buy a new bike

Lumen · 03-07-2014 02:13PM

Use easier gears.

The tax man · 03-07-2014 02:19PM

There was a saying around these parts a while back.......pace yourself.
Find a nice long climb don't speed up on it or go all guns blazing at the bottom and try to find the speed that suits your ability.
I'm much the same, fly up stuff under 10%. Before on the stuff over that I'd go too hard and go into the red but now I've learnt what pace I can set myself up a climb and have enough left in reserve for a good sprint towards the top.

What gears are you running?

flatface · 03-07-2014 02:47PM

Not many fly up 10% plus gradients. What you need is long relentless climbs to practice on?

I don't know Step lane but Vico and Killiney have relatively short blasts so you can try to power up them and its easy to burn out.
Head out to the Dublin mountains the climb to 3 Rock is "only" 8% but its a long climb and you will need to find your right pace in and out of the saddle.

As the tax man said you need to pace yourself, first find the speed you can comfortably climb at and then push that pace with each training session.

Gears help too, I have moved from a standard double -> compact double 11-25 -> compact double 11-28 and find my climbing and speeds have improved.

Try spinning in easy gears, try spinning in harder gears bending low, try getting out of the saddle and finding a comfortable mashing rhythm, try sweating and swearing profusely.

CramCycle · 03-07-2014 05:34PM

Lumen wrote: »

Use easier gears.

Lower gear and spin

smacl · 03-07-2014 05:52PM

I'm a crap climber, but I find to improve steep climbs, taking on steeper climbs still makes the merely steep seem relatively flat. A few repeats of Kilmashogue lane, Grassamucky Brakes, and the Devils Elbow should have you laughing at other more run of the mill steep hills.

That and drink less beer, and eat less junk. I struggle with those two.

The tax man · 03-07-2014 06:56PM

Grassamucky Brakes??? Where or what is that? Never heard of it before.

Darkglasses · 03-07-2014 07:16PM

Find a technique that works for you, for me that involves moving around quite a lot on the bike. Then maintain steady breathing while doing so. Then rule 5

jgreene83 · 03-07-2014 07:47PM

Start a climb like an old man, finish it like a young man.

i.e. don't kill yourself at the start, don't try keep pace with others, find your own rhythm and stick to it and tell your head (and legs) to shut up. Personally I find looking at the few meters in front of me, as opposed to where you'll ultimately be, helps an awful lot, but that could be just me! And like Darkglasses said, Rule 5!

detones · 03-07-2014 08:42PM

How about turning the bike around and going down said steep hill instead of up. I have found great results doing this. I go much faster, i barely have to touch the pedals, I can enjoy the scenery, I sweat less, I'm happy, I don't want to cry, I look more attractive to the opposite sex etc. Down is the new up.

Brian? · 03-07-2014 08:46PM

CramCycle wrote: »

Lower gear and spin

I love when people reccomend spinning on steep climbs. If I can spin any gear I'm not in trouble. That's usually when the gradient tops 15%.

CramCycle · 03-07-2014 10:38PM

Brian? wrote: »

I love when people reccomend spinning on steep climbs. If I can spin any gear I'm not in trouble. That's usually when the gradient tops 15%.

It can be very hard to drop down when your struggling as I found the pedals just drop from you slightly. Its quite uncomfortable and slows you down more, nor did It mean spin like a lunatic, just if its troublesome, the next time try a lower gear before the ramp. I have been over in Scotland where it doesn't matter what gear you are in, you can't spin, the hills are difficult to walk up.

If you know the climb, drop down a gear or two before the ramp, and click back up if it flattens out, if you hit it at speed in a high gear, you will burn up and struggle to keep going and the dropping mid climb could slow you severely. Drop right before the ramp and spin into it.

The breathing is also great advice. On the long audaxes, if I am tired, I find focusing on my breathing and trying to get that right helps more than focusing on the climb sometimes.

Bloggsie · 04-07-2014 01:31PM

flatface wrote: »

Not many fly up 10% plus gradients. What you need is long relentless climbs to practice on?

I don't know Step lane but Vico and Killiney have relatively short blasts so you can try to power up them and its easy to burn out.
Head out to the Dublin mountains the climb to 3 Rock is "only" 8% but its a long climb and you will need to find your right pace in and out of the saddle.

As the tax man said you need to pace yourself, first find the speed you can comfortably climb at and then push that pace with each training session.

Gears help too, I have moved from a standard double -> compact double 11-25 -> compact double 11-28 and find my climbing and speeds have improved.

Try spinning in easy gears, try spinning in harder gears bending low, try getting out of the saddle and finding a comfortable mashing rhythm, try sweating and swearing profusely.

try sweating and swearing profusely.

i love that part, i scared the bejaysus out of some poor divil who passed me a few weeks ago, an explosion of expletives that nearly made him jump off the bike (or leave a mess in his shorts)

smacl · 04-07-2014 01:56PM

The tax man wrote: »

Grassamucky Brakes??? Where or what is that? Never heard of it before.

Here you go, you've probably been up it but may not have used this name. Note how after a long drag the road turns sharply to cut the contours at 90 degrees. I believe the Tiernan's crew go on from here up to the mast at Kippure. Me, I take a sharp left and get the flock out of there.

The tax man · 04-07-2014 03:23PM

smacl wrote: »

Here you go

Yeah I've been up it a few times,just never knew it's name. I call it something completely different...it's a bold word.:D

Brian? · 04-07-2014 04:40PM

The tax man wrote: »

Yeah I've been up it a few times,just never knew it's name. I call it something completely different...it's a bold word.:D

Went up there recently. My language turned the air blue.

Getting better at steep gradients?

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