Inclines, Hills and shifting

[schnitzle]

Hi! It's been a while since I posted, sorry. I'm blaming it on school, but also on being lazy (oh! and on the almost constant rain until July! Yeah, that's the ticket!)

So, I finally went for my first "big" (for me) trail ride yesterday and it was great! However I don't know how to best get up inclines and hills. I have a Jamis Citizen 1 with 7 gears. Originally I had thought that I was supposed to shift into HIGHER gears to go up a hill. That was pretty funny! Now I know to be in a lower gear so I'm spinning more, but I'm still confused how that helps.
The friend I was riding with has a 1 speed, so she couldn't offer much advice.

My fitness level is pretty bad, and I'm hauling somewhere around 250lbs + bike up these gentle inclines and hills, so it's quite challenging for me. But in a good way!

Should I ideally be standing to pedal up hills?

Sorry for the dumbo questions

[Owlie]

I don't stand. It hurts and the bike feels wobbly.

Spinning in a low gear means you're taxing your cardiovascular system rather than your quads. Most people's muscles fatigue before their lungs do. Also, it's much easier on your knees.

And they're not dumb questions.

[schnitzle]

Thanks Owlie! Yes I'm afraid I might fall off if I stand to ride, at least at this point. That's what my 1 speed friend does though so I thought maybe I should have too? It makes sense about the cardio lasting longer than the quads. I ended up walking up half of the last hill because my muscles just didn't have anything more to give.

[maillotpois]

Yes I'm afraid I might fall off if I stand to ride, at least at this point. That's what my 1 speed friend does though so I thought maybe I should have too?

Your 1 speed friend doesn't have any choice. You do.

[annielynn]

Don't stand up. It raises you heart rate up and that isn't necessary. Start into the incline gently. Keep spinning until it becomes too hard then shift down. Do this until you are in your largest gear and don't have anymore. Then just try and keep an even cadence and keep going.

I had to climb but I am training for a big hilly event in September. So I am learning a lot about shifting and candence. Keep it up and you will be a climber in no time!

[schnitzle]

Your 1 speed friend doesn't have any choice. You do.

True, true haha!

Don't stand up. It raises you heart rate up and that isn't necessary. Start into the incline gently. Keep spinning until it becomes too hard then shift down. Do this until you are in your largest gear and don't have anymore. Then just try and keep an even cadence and keep going.

I had to climb but I am training for a big hilly event in September. So I am learning a lot about shifting and candence. Keep it up and you will be a climber in no time!

So if I'm on say 3 when I see the hill coming, get momentum, keep spinning as far as I can then when it gets too hard to go 2 (faster spinning, less...er is it called "mashing"?) and go to 1 if nessesary, or go up to 4, 5 etc? Sorry, I'm trying to make sure I understand correctly

What hilly event are you doing in September? Sounds like a good challenge!

[Owlie]

I cannot remember for the life of me which way the gears are numbered. (I want to say the smallest is 1 and it works up to bigger ones?)

Say you're in a middle gear approaching the hill. Depending on how steep the hill is and your fitness level you could either a) try to make it partly up the hill and shift into a larger* cog (easier) when you feel yourself running out of steam, or b) shift into the larger cog BEFORE you get to the hill (it puts less strain on your chain, then shift into still-larger cogs as necessary.

Mashing is exactly as it sounds--"mashing" at the pedals is just applying tons of force to them to try to get you up the hill. You're taxing your muscles there.

Regardless of numbering, just make sure it gets easier!

*not necessarily number. I said above that I don't remember HOW they're numbered!

[katherine]

If you're riding on trails, you might find this helpful.
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=38316

[kcmpls]

Last spring I was 263 pounds and couldn't get up hills very well at all. I ended up walking a lot of them. I'm down to about 247 and, with practice, I'm flying up hills.

Well, I'm flying up some hills. I did have to walk up one this weekend.

But practice is the key. Downshifting is good, but it won't make up for endurance. What I did was make sure there was at least one big hill in every ride I took. I'd get the bike in a hard to pedal gear and get up speed before I hit the hill, then I'd slowly downshift until I either hit the top or got off and walked.

[Catrin]

I certainly got a LOT of practice on the club GT ride Saturday - the one that I got separated from and was lost for a time. (Grand Touring rides aren't marked). In that part of Indiana there is no flat ground, it is either up or down

One of the hills I found on my "detour" was a bit*h, it seemed like I was climbing forever - though I am sure it wasn't longer than 7 or 8 minutes - and then it got steeper for the last couple of hundred feet. At that point my speed was down between 2.9-3 mph and I could no longer hold anything remotely like a line.

The only way I could keep going was to weave back and forth in the lane and I was in the lowest gear I have. I got to thinking about a truck barreling up behind me on that narrow twisty road and chose to walk the remaining 100 feet or so. I am pleased that was the only time I had to walk in 3+ hours of riding - I don't care how slow I was going uphill most of that time.

My assumption is that this was a strength issue - the entire purpose for my going south to ride is to find my hill-climbing legs.

In this kind of situation, is this where standing would be helpful? I am NOT doing that yet... but we get stronger by staying in our saddle, yes?

[Veronica]

My assumption is that this was a strength issue - the entire purpose for my going south to ride is to find my hill-climbing legs.

In this kind of situation, is this where standing would be helpful? I am NOT doing that yet... but we get stronger by staying in our saddle, yes?

Staying in the saddle does not necessarily make you stronger. It does keep your heart rate down.

Veronica

[Catrin]

Staying in the saddle does not necessarily make you stronger. It does keep your heart rate down.

Veronica

I literally can't stand on the bike yet - though I am getting to where I can brace myself and raise my butt a little. I tried to stand on the trainer it did not work well, it felt awfully unstable and it was on the trainer! Of course I know it can't feel the same as on the spinning bike, but didn't expect it to feel quite that unstable.

[lizbinsocali]

Glad I saw this thread. I just joined a cycling club and they have lots of great rides on the weekends with plenty of hills. And honestly, if I'm riding by myself, I just won't do them!! Yesterday, on our club ride, we went up a canyon road in Malibu, CA. It took me TWO HOURS to climb that sucker since my ave speed was between 4-5 mph (and sometimes even 3.5!) and the stretch of road was about 10 miles long. Whew!! And yea, I did have to stop a few times and it was hard, but I DID IT!! It has motivated me to take on more hills, even by myself. So I appreciate all the advice and tips here!

Will be doing my first organized century ride in about 3 weeks and there will be some climbing although not as much as what I did yesterday!

Happy climbing everyone!
Liz

[schnitzle]

Glad I saw this thread. I just joined a cycling club and they have lots of great rides on the weekends with plenty of hills. And honestly, if I'm riding by myself, I just won't do them!! Yesterday, on our club ride, we went up a canyon road in Malibu, CA. It took me TWO HOURS to climb that sucker since my ave speed was between 4-5 mph (and sometimes even 3.5!) and the stretch of road was about 10 miles long. Whew!! And yea, I did have to stop a few times and it was hard, but I DID IT!! It has motivated me to take on more hills, even by myself. So I appreciate all the advice and tips here!

Will be doing my first organized century ride in about 3 weeks and there will be some climbing although not as much as what I did yesterday!

Happy climbing everyone!
Liz

Wow talk about sticktoitiveness! Great job Liz!! You're doing a century in 3 weeks? that's fantastic.

[TrekTheKaty]

It took me 4 years to stand. No hurry on that. Learning to feel comfortable shifting is the key. Just keep practicing and you'll get in better shape. I used to try to build up speed and "attack" the hill, but this doesn't really do anything except make my legs burn and increase my heart rate before I even start up the hill