Tip for Hills

[VeganBikeChick]

As a newbie, hills are my worst enemy...right now ;) A friend told me a tip I thought I'd pass on...

She said when you're climbing a hill, look down at the ground, not at the hill, and it will seem much more doable. I tried it today on my commute in, and it worked :). Instead of walking my bike up the 3 blocks I normally can't ride up, I only had to walk it up 2. Major accomplishment!

[jlnc]

Someone told me the same tip a few weeks ago and it does help! I also have to keep reminding myself to relax (drop) my shoulders and not to get so anxious about trying to get up the hill fast. Just relax!

[Velocivixen]

Excellent for you! Now that you mentioned it, I've noticed the same thing.

Keep up the good work.

[azfiddle]

And smile when you ride up a hill. It helps you relax ...

[grey]

I do the "look at the ground" thing on really long climbs - and focus on breathing rather than the hill itself (I count seconds for lengths of breath). I will try to smile. :-)

[Grog]

And smile when you ride up a hill. It helps you relax ...

Agreed, except I'd add: when you see a hill (before you start climbing it), smile. Even if you don't feel like it. It will become a habit and make you embrace them rather than resist them.

[szsz]

And smile when you ride up a hill. It helps you relax ...

Also, sing Climb Every Mountain !! (When I have enough breath to do so.)

[westtexas]

I look at the ground and talk to myself - "you can do it! almost there!" - it really helps. As soon as you feel the ground level out again it's awesome!

[marni]

it also helps to sit up straight and breath deeply while looking at the ground and pushing down and back on your shoulders and smiling- it realeases tension, prevents the death grip crouch of desperation, and assures adequate air to keep the legs moving. REmember the top of thehill will still be there whenever you get there so unless you are in a race, there is absolutely no reason to speed, focus more on endurance and and enjoyment and less on suffering and dreading.

[crazycanuck]

Another thought-don't hold onto the bars for dear life & relax your shoulders/keep them away from your ears. Remember to breathe & tell your legs to keep quiet.

The hill will end!

[new2ride]

Great advice . . . I've had to conquer hills and I'm finally able to do so. I have a ride coming up at the end of this month and there is one hill in this ride that is really going to be a challenge. Last year I had to walk my bike up this hill and this year, I am determined to ride the mother of all hills. I've been riding every night, taking different trails to include hills. I've also been advised that when riding up a hill to kind of zig zag from one side to the other. It helps with the climb. I've also been told to try and stand and peddle, but that's not working for me. It feels too awkward.

I keep telling myself hills are my friend (don't know if I'm convinced yet) :D

[Tri Girl]

never thought about that- great tip!! :) A couple years ago, someone told me to pull up on the pedals on the upstroke when going uphill- that's helped me a lot, too.

After 6 years of riding, I still suck at hills. I can descend like a mad-woman (FAST) and I'm pretty decent on flats, but throw in a hill and I immediately fall to the back of whatever pack I'm in (even if we are equal cyclists on all other counts). It's so frustrating to me. I hit a hill and I go backwards. :rolleyes:
I've tried everything, gearing down, gearing up, spinning, mashing, etc. Nothing works for me. I wish I could figure it out.

[wackyjacky1]

Someone on this board once posted "boobs to the tube" with regard to hill climbing (meaning lean forward). When I do that, and keep an easy, loose grip on the bars, that really helps. (In fact, I find myself saying it over and over in my head as I climb: boobs to da tube, boobs to da tube! :D ) Don't remember who said it, but it stuck with me, and it does work.

That, along with not looking up at the hill you're climbing (just look far enough ahead to keep from crashing into something) are the things that help me get up those #@% hills.

[Tri Girl]

"boobs to the tube"

Well, thanks to age and gravity- I don't have far to lean. ;)
Good tip as well!

[colorisnt]

I hate hills, too, ever since moving to a hilly place.

If it is a small "hump" (a lot of them in my hometown are short climbs), I have found that getting out of the saddle is appropriate. If they are legit hills, I do the following:
get UPRIGHT like people are saying. Hands close to my center of gravity. Sit up and look at the crest of the hill or just where you are going.

Breathe!

Just focus on how fast I am spinning because that is the thing that will get me up the hill.

I feel that riding with more experienced road riders helps because I can hear when the shift and better know what to do. That has been helping A LOT.

[Velocivixen]

I rode to the Oregon Zoo the other day and there is one .2 mile VERY steep hill that I go up and as I was at the mid point, huffing and puffing (as well as smiling) a female pedestrian said, "Keep going. You can do it!" and that made me feel great! I replied "Thanks" and it made me feel like I could continue on.
I guess hills are partly mental and partly physical. I think they require practice.

[wackyjacky1]

Well, thanks to age and gravity- I don't have far to lean. ;)
OMG that totally cracked me up!

[new2ride]

LOL - yesterday I tried to the boobs to the tube suggestion. It worked, great suggestion! ;)

[Tri Girl]

so a friend and I were riding up a hill (in the city on the way to a trail system) and a little homeless man pushing a shopping cart screamed at us. What he screamed had us laughing out loud the rest of the ride. He screamed "Power through that sh#t, girls." So now I'll be doing boobs to the tube chanting my new mantra as I do it. Thanks, cute little homeless man. :p

[wackyjacky1]

The next TE jersey, perhaps? :D

[Bike Writer]

The next TE jersey, perhaps? :D

Love it! You are pretty clever!

[Tri Girl]

Wackyjacky-that is AWESOME!!!!! You make me laugh! :D I almost spit my water out when I clicked on the picture.

[wackyjacky1]

You all inspired me! :D

[Crankin]

Since I don't stand when I climb, I definitely used the boobs to the tube last week in the Berkshires, on what I think was a 20% grade. It worked.

[MojoGrrl]

I have to say, I took three things from this thread: look at the road, not the hill, drop my shoulders, and smile, and I used them today climbing some crazy steep hills (stoking a massive tandem no less) and IT WORKED! In fact, my boyfriend said he wasn't even pedaling that hard, that I was pushing us up the hills ;)

Thanks TE ladies! :)

[MojoGrrl]

The next TE jersey, perhaps? :D

I would TOTALLY buy that. You should make some!!

[MojoGrrl]

I rode to the Oregon Zoo the other day and there is one .2 mile VERY steep hill that I go up and as I was at the mid point, huffing and puffing (as well as smiling) a female pedestrian said, "Keep going. You can do it!" and that made me feel great! I replied "Thanks" and it made me feel like I could continue on.
I guess hills are partly mental and partly physical. I think they require practice.

The second real hill I climbed was a TERRIBLE street in Carmel, CA. I had only been riding for a month. So on this hill, I was dying; I kept stopping and was almost in tears (at the end, I was pretty much crying and my boyfriend said "That's a really hard hill for even an experienced cyclist, honey"). Well, at one of my stops where I was panting and saying "I don't think I can do this," this random guy walking down the street said, "You go girl! You can do it!" And that totally made my day and I climbed the rest of the hill (before almost puking on my boyfriend).

[colorisnt]

Wacky Jacky, I would totally buy that as well!

[Tiffany_S]

The next TE jersey, perhaps? :D

I would totally by that jersey as well. Actually, more than one so I'd always have a clean one to wear when I ride. :)

[chincitop]

Wow, you may have just become my new hero. There's some serious hills on the way to and from work and I've been killing myself trying to get up and down them, I'm going to try this Tuesday when I head to work (Or tomorrow if I end up biking to my sisters house)

[MojoGrrl]

Climbed some gnarly hills today and I tried to "boobs to the tube" when I didn't feel like standing up, and it worked. I also kept saying in my head, "Boobs to the tube, power through that sh*t!" ha ha

[Catrin]

I do not stand and pedal, but have been trying to remember the "boobs to the tube" approach to hill climbing and it does seem to help :D I am unsure how it helps, in my case it probably makes me a little more aerodynamic since I've such a very upright riding position, but regardless, it helps :)

I was riding with my trainer and his wife a few weeks ago and did this - thinking about what we call it made me chuckle. I wasn't about to mention this to him but it was funny.

[itsalldownhill]

I've had luck with looking at the ground with quick glances up to "see where I'm at". Then I find a spot and say (in my head) "All I have to do is make it to that sign"...then when I get to the sign, I often feel like I'm okay to find the next point "All I have to do is make it to that driveway" etc. etc. and before I know it, I'm up the hill!

[Bike Writer]

I can give a tip that is more related about what not to do than what to do and that is to change strategy mid hill. Whenever I've done that it has not worked out well. Either stick to attacking the hill with power or decide to spin up it.

The one piece of advice or tip for hills is to keep doing them and doing them, eventually it does get better. When you are feeling particularly strong is a good time to go do the hill that you have avoided. You may surprise yourself.

There have been a lot of good tips here, good thread!

[Bike Writer]

I used all three tonight when climbing an ornery hill.


Boobs to the tube
Power through that sh*t
Shut up legs!


Worked! Made me giggle too.

[amb]

I'm not a great climber but I did some pretty good hills on my MS150 ride and I was actually doing all these things: boobs to the tube (thought I didn't know this clever saying) and look down. I only have a double ring in the front so I just have to buckle down and PUSH! It works!

And I'd wear that jersey too!

[ShubieGA]

I have to remember these on my next hill conquest! :cool:

[nscrbug]

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but the "boobs to the tube" method doesn't seem to work for me. When I lean too far forward on a climb, my diaphragm feels like it's getting smooshed and I can't breathe well. I have to do the exact opposite, and sit very tall and upright with totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs. :o

Linda

[smilingcat]

... totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs. :o

Linda

Yes that is exactly what you want to do. Also don't grimace, keep a dead pan look. Watch the mountain stage of the Tour and watch the faces of the leaders. They are not smiling, they are not grimacing, their facial muscle is relaxed into dead pan look. And yes do breath all the way from the bottom of your lung and not just the top of your lung. And don't tighten your chest Try to relax your chest as much as possible. Pace yourselves and above all enjoy the climb.

If you want to get better on climb, only thing that will make it easier is to do hill repeats.

[ny biker]

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but the "boobs to the tube" method doesn't seem to work for me. When I lean too far forward on a climb, my diaphragm feels like it's getting smooshed and I can't breathe well. I have to do the exact opposite, and sit very tall and upright with totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs. :o

Linda

I sit up and put my hands on top of the handlebars rather than the hoods. You're right, this does allow you to open up your lungs better. I only stand sometimes on very short hills. Otherwise I shift into an easy gear and spin, slowing my cadence if needed to avoid triggering an asthma attack.

I learned to like hills by doing a few pancake-flat centuries and metrics. They were so boring. And you can never stop pedaling no matter how tired your legs might get.

Then I did a crazy hilly century that made me cry. But I finished. And I no longer fear hills because I know I can handle it.

[Ritamarie]

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but the "boobs to the tube" method doesn't seem to work for me. When I lean too far forward on a climb, my diaphragm feels like it's getting smooshed and I can't breathe well. I have to do the exact opposite, and sit very tall and upright with totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs. :o


Linda,

I agree completely. I don't get the "boobs to the tube" advice at all. If you watch good climbers, they sit up and back with shoulders down and relaxed, and hands light the handlebars, sometimes with fingers open. The position opens the lungs, keeps you from expending energy in the arms/hands which is useless, and allows you to use the big muscles in the back of your legs/butt, which are much stronger than those in the front. It's not an aerodynamic position but you don't need that on a climb generally.

[Ritamarie]

And I no longer fear hills because I know I can handle it.

Do enough hills and they lose their power over you.

[Bike Writer]

Regarding the boobs to the tube and breathing, agreed that for most of the climb I am upright and breathing in gulps of air. About mid hill I did the self talk of "power it up" followed by telling my legs to shut up. In the last leg of this I lowered myself down, attempting to make myself "small" (no small feat by any means) and for some reason got an additional boost of power to the top. I am thinking this is more of a mental boost than anything else. But whatever it takes ;)

Plus I have been riding this same hill for several days.

[OakLeaf]

Well I know anyone in the TdF is a whole lot stronger than I am, but I think anyone who can keep a light touch on the bars while climbing is either a whole lot stronger than I am, or has much lower gearing. I have to pull up hard on the bars to get enough leverage to pedal a steep hill.

And +1 on not closing off the airway. Getting out of the drops is probably the first thing I do at the bottom of a hill - before I downshift, even, often. The hoods give me the best grip and the widest open chest (I don't really like bars wide enough for me to use the tops).

Sticking out your tongue really opens the airway - they do it for a reason when they climb and sprint - but I haven't needed to do that on the bike since I took up running. :)

[Catrin]

My riding position is quite upright all of the time, but I have found on harder climbs that it does help for that last bit if I lower my body a bit - closer to the boobs to the tube position. My bike doesn't have road bars, so I probably do this different than others. I have noted that for some reason when I do this if my legs were burning that it decreases and my breathing gets a little easier.

I am unsure what causes this - but as tall as I normally sit in the saddle it may be that this moderates things just enough to give me a LITTLE more aero position without restricting my airways.

The decreased quad burning is of most interest - I can't explain it, but it works for me.

[ny biker]

If you're more upright at the start of the climb and then lean forward part way up, it's probably shifting the effort so your muscles are working differently, and this might give you a feeling of more energy/less burning.

On steeper climbs I am more comfortable with my hands on the hoods. Probably because I need to shift my weight forward to keep from feeling like I'm going to fall backwards. :eek:

[OakLeaf]

I find myself with my weight too far forward a lot of the time while climbing. I'm not sure whether it's a fit issue or what. But you need most of your weight over the drive wheel, or the tire is just going to slip.

[itsalldownhill]

It so depends on the hill...but for a very steep climb I find that an upright position with my hands actually close to the stem (on either side) seems to be helpful. On longer slower climbs I've had more luck being a bit less upright, or even in the drops (which allows me to focus on charging up the hill vs. how long, boring and uphill it is going up the hill).

I do have a tip for descents....

Even if you're sucking in air from the hill you just busted up...keep your darned mouth closed! (she says from experience)

[featuretile]

So, I was on a bike tour and we were riding from Paso Robles to San Simeon, CA (over a REALLY BIG MOUNTAIN). I am the last person. I kept singing in my head 'I am climbing the ridiculous mountain' to the tune of 'the bear went over the mountain'. I did make it to the top.

I started riding almost 3 years ago, and belong to a club where most of the people have been riding their whole lives. I am getting to the point where I can keep up on the flats and most of the downhill, but they lose me on the uphill. However, lately, I am getting up grades that were hard before easily, and only struggling on the really steep ones. One problem is that there are hills everywhere and I have a compact double and not a triple. I put a larger rear cassette on the back and that helps some. But I don't have enough gears for the really steep ones.

What has been helping is doing intervals on my bike trainer, and being able to spin more without running out of breadth. I find that I am no longer last all the time! This feels great. You have to just keep at it. I also try to get the most out of the downhill momentum. When I see a hill in front of me, I start pedaling really fast - because the hill is my brake.

[wackyjacky1]

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but the "boobs to the tube" method doesn't seem to work for me.

My personal interpretation/execution of BttT is to relax my hands, unlock my elbows, and then lean slightly forward, while keeping my back pretty much straight (no hunching). I find this position opens up my lungs, and it feels like I am engaging an ever-so-slightly different set of muscles, which seems to give me a bit more power. (Plus the "boobs-to-the-tube" mantra makes me laugh. :D )

[Bike Writer]

...and then lean slightly forward.. )

I only lean slightly forward also, some of us don't have to lean very far to get to the tube :D:eek::D

[ny biker]

You know, I wonder if we need to clarify the type of bike we're riding. If you're upright, on a hybrid or mountain bike, you might want to lean forward, whereas on a road bike, even with your hands on top of the handlebar you're still leaning forward, but your shoulders will be back relative to being on the hoods.

In general, if you lean forward from your hips with a straight back, you use your glutes more.