Hitting a wall on hills.

[Owlie]

I don't know if it's the "wrong" gear, mental, nutritional or I'm just out of shape. I'll be powering up the one hill (not very steep, about .4 mi) at a good pace (14-16mph), in a relatively low gear (middle chainring, larger cogs), and then....bam, I drop to like 9mph, and it's all I can do to make it up the remainder of the hill to the stop sign.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[indysteel]

It sounds like you're hitting the hill too aggressively and then running out of steam and gears. First off, stop looking at your speed for the time being. Second, drop into your smallest chain ring as you approach the hill and use a cog that allows you to spin comfortably. Don't spin wildly, but also don't attack the hill. Maintain a steady and comfortable cadence as you begin the climb (say, 75-80 rpm). Breathe. As the pitch goes up, switch to easier gears as necessay. Don't look at your bike computer. The point of this exercise is not to speed up the hill; it's to get to the top without blowing up.

[OakLeaf]

I'm pretty sure your hills are as steep as mine, and I would be pretty dang proud of myself if I could get up some of them at 9 mph.

What Indysteel said.

[indysteel]

I'm pretty sure your hills are as steep as mine, and I would be pretty dang proud of myself if I could get up some of them at 9 mph.

What Indysteel said.

I agree; 9 mph up a steep hill is nothing to sneeze at. I make a practice of not looking at my speed on climbs. I would rather gauge my climbing by how my legs and lungs are doing. For me, it's all about maintaining a steady and controlled pace. Sometimes, I'm just happy to crest a hill without throwing up!

[redrhodie]

You know how my signature says "Slacker on wheels"? That comes from this article: http://www.living-room.org/slackers.htm which totally changed the way I climb. I feel so much better on hills now, that now I seek out steep ones so I can try to get up without getting out of breath. It's a great technique, even if it was written somewhat tongue in cheek.

[Crankin]

Yep, I have found I can get up anything (well, once or twice I gave up, more mental than anything else and a 20% grade) if I just put it in the granny at the beginning and turn the pedals over. Who cares how fast you are going? This got me through the 17K climb in Spain last summer and the cat 2 and 3 climbs the next day. Gear down at the beginning of the hill, middle cogs. You can always go up or down on the back from there. I find 9-11 mph is a "good" speed for the shorter climbs around here, but there are many times I decide to keep it at 5-8 mph, depending on how much more riding i have left or how much I want to save my legs.

[lph]

You know how my signature says "Slacker on wheels"? That comes from this article: http://www.living-room.org/slackers.htm which totally changed the way I climb. I feel so much better on hills now, that now I seek out steep ones so I can try to get up without getting out of breath. It's a great technique, even if it was written somewhat tongue in cheek.

heheh - that's a great article! I try to tell my non-bike-commuting colleagues that even if I can dash to work, bouncing around and racing everybody, I also can just sit back and relax and pedal slowly the days I feel sick or slow - and I still get there just fine. Don't even lose much time, actually.

[sundial]

First off, stop looking at your speed for the time being.

Sage advice!

I was climbing the hill of hills and made the mistake of looking down at the computer. One look and I and then blew up. Now I think of a song to match my cadence and I spin up the hill.

[smilingcat]

long gentle climbs can be very brutal. You notice that your speed is down but you're getting winded. HELLO!!!! You're forgetting its an uphill. It doesn't matter that it was two miles. 500 foot climb is a 500 foot climb. Steep and short or long and gentle. It still is a 500 foot climb. the gentle climbs just take it out on you because you think you should be able to continue at your speed on the flats.

Not so.

Pacing is important on gentle climbs and on false flats. Don't beat yourself up over a long gentle climb. Its not easy.

[indigoiis]

long gentle climbs can be very brutal. You notice that your speed is down but you're getting winded. HELLO!!!! You're forgetting its an uphill. It doesn't matter that it was two miles. 500 foot climb is a 500 foot climb. Steep and short or long and gentle. It still is a 500 foot climb. the gentle climbs just take it out on you because you think you should be able to continue at your speed on the flats.

Not so.

Pacing is important on gentle climbs and on false flats. Don't beat yourself up over a long gentle climb. Its not easy.

This is so true.

So, methodology on false flats should be... just take down a gear or two? I feel like sometimes on false flats that I am wimping out by gearing down too soon. I get passed a lot on false flats. Plus my 63 year old riding partner (granted she and her bike combined are also 25 lbs lighter than me and my bike) just flies up the false flats. Meh.

[indysteel]

I don't know that there's a right or wrong approach to any given hill. Some people do better spinning in a smaller gear. Others do better staying in a bigger gear but slowing their cadence down. Sometimes, your best bet is to do a little bit of both.

The nice thing about a long climb or a false flat, is that it's easy enough to play around with your technique. So, that's what I would encourage you to do for now. Next time you hit a false flat, stay in the same gear and let the ride slow your cadence down a bit. If it gets too slow and/or your knees or quads tell you "no thanks," shift to the next easiest cog. Or do just the opposite. Shift to the next easiest cog, but keep your cadence the same as it would be on the flats. Don't worry about getting passed by somebody. You don't really learn how to pace yourself up a climb if you're not riding YOUR pace.

For me, the most important thing is that I feel in control. My bike and breathing are steady. My upper body is relaxed and my chest is open. My cadence is controlled and even. My mind is staying in the present (I'm not impatienct about getting to the top).

[parity]

Get out of the saddle and sprint like hell until the top. Throwing up is optional but if you do, you know you did it right.

[Biciclista]

just to counter what parity said; I won't work hard enough to puke. sorry... I would rather push the bike up the hill on foot than push my body to the puking point.

[parity]

just to counter what parity said; I won't work hard enough to puke. sorry... I would rather push the bike up the hill on foot than push my body to the puking point.

Not to side track this thread but I have never puked myself but have felt it in my stomach like I was about to a few times. Then there was the time I got tunnel vision and thought I may pass out. Good times.

[Owlie]

I tried my hill again today. I started up at a more moderate pace and blew up where the incline changes. I ended up walking the last quarter of it. I can assign some of the blame to not eating enough and to really pushing on the flats (new speed records there!). Perhaps tomorrow...