Walk or wait. . . What to do?

[Lifesgreat]

OK fellow bikers, here's the situation.
You are going up a long hill and you are in your granny gear. Your heartrate has going through the roof-95%+ and you are pedalling so slowly that you are afraid you may tip over while attached to your bike. You stop. Do you wait until your heartrate is where it is supposed to be and start riding again, or do you start walking up the hill until your heartrate is where it is supposed to be. What would you do? Are there advantages or disadvantages (physical/psychological) to one way or the other?


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Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we might oft win
By fearing to attempt-William Shakespeare

[yellow]

Great question!

Some random thoughts from my brain:

1) You don't have a low enough granny gear! What's your largest cog in the back? Are you riding a double? See my Ode to my 30X27. There is no shame in having a really low granny, esp if you ride in hilly areas a lot.
2) Starting on hills is tough. If the hill is super steep, walk to a flatter spot where you know you can start, clip in, and not splay yourself on the road (speaking from experience here). And even if it's not steep consider your gearing and whether or not you'll be able to start easily enough. If you can't, walk to a flatter spot.
3) Finally, if it were me, I'd walk. That keeps the lactic flush going (still moving, not standing still) and your heart rate will come down.

Just my $0.02.

[Nanci]

I stop, wait until I can breathe, then ride again. If it's that steep, it takes a while to recover, even walking. Walking gives me a sense of defeat, recovering to ride again makes me feel like I conquered the hill.

If you have trouble getting started again, ride crosswise or slightly downhill until you get going.

It doesn't take very long, maybe only a minute, to lower your heatrate enough to continue on.

I usually get out of breath long before I feel lactic acid build up, on a hill.

Nanci

[mainerider]

Having been in a similar situation, when I was going 4 mph, and almost fell over because I couldn't get my feet unclipped fast enough, I walked until I could get back on my bike and finish the climb. I did feel defeated for walking that small section and still have that climb "to do" over again. (Crawford Notch, NH).

[snapdragen]

I think it takes more energy to walk, than to just wait a bit and get back on the bike.

[Deanna]

I believe in stopping. I like to say I rode the whole hill, even if I have to stop a few times. If it's a climb I plan on doing repeatedly, it's motivating to aim for one less stop the next time I go up it.

[Hell-uv-a-job]

Your heartrate has going through the roof-95%+ and you are pedalling so slowly that you are afraid you may tip over while attached to your bike.

The way I look at it, and I am greatly out of shape, if I'm still breathing and not about to pass out I will go down pedaling!! If i can do it, anybody can.

[Aint Doody]

I walk--I had a really good cyclist tell me one time, "If your hands are on the bike, it counts!" That's my mantra and I'm sticking to it.

[bcipam]

I walk--I had a really good cyclist tell me one time, "If your hands are on the bike, it counts!" That's my mantra and I'm sticking to it.

I like that! Mine if I borrow it??

[Geonz]

I haven't met the hill my granny gears couldn't handle.

Of course, Illinois really doesn't have that many hills :-)

I do try to pace myself so I'm not in the heartrate roof, resisting the urge to "charge" up the hill (like I can on anything local - but not once I get to, well, actual hills).

If it gets to that point, though, I'd want to walk. Stopping cold (or hot, as the case may be ) just doesn't sound like a good idea.

[DebW]

Gee, I've never tried bailling in the middle of a hill. Don't know if I could do it. I'd probably fall over and hurt myself. The idea is too scary to contemplate, so I just keep mashing away in my 42/23 (lowest) gear, alternating between standing and sitting while my legs slowly turn to rubber. Good thing the hills here are all under 1/2 mile long.

[CR400]

Personally I just get back on the bike and keep going. In fact I wouldn't even stop (get off) until I got to the top, you are just prolonging the eventual pain. The only time I have ever or will ever again get off and walk is if I can't turn the crank over at all no matter how hard I try. As far as heart rate unless you have reason to believe you'll have a heart attack if you go above your "max" it's ok for a seconds. Most likely you won't be able to get that close anyway. Now if you start to get lightheaded, dizzy, or see stars, stop and sit right away.
I had an expirence back before I had my heart rate monitor and was in totally horrible shape (240lbs and no training) tried to maintain only 17mph for a long time and blacked out while riding. I really don't know what happened except everything went black for a second and then I came back and kept on going, I did slow down a few seconds later though. It all happened so fast that the group I was with didn't even know what happened apparently in those few seconds I kept my balance and pedaling. So I guess we can ride our bikes in our sleep.

[SadieKate]

Wow, CR400, you must ride road only if you won't get off until then.

[Veronica]

I have yet to meet a hill on the road that I can't get up. I've got really small gears though - 24 x 27. The slowest speed I've seen was like 2.5. I don't remember it exactly, but it was on DMD two years ago - Patterson pass into a headwind.

Off road - I walk if needed. Depending on the ride I may turn around and try again or just walk up the hill.

V.

[bcipam]

There is a distinct difference between road and off road hill climbing. I never walk on road. I have low gearing and so far have not have any issue getting up even the steepest of hills. I've had to stop and catch my breath a couple of times but can alway get started again and do. In fact, I have this mentality - I will not walk my bike - while on road!

Off road; tough, steep, rutty, rocky, gnarly terrain is different. If in super low granny, it's tough to get the traction to start climbing again which is why I'll walk. Again, pushing a heavy mountain bike up steep terrain is still alot of work. Once the trail levels out, I'll try my climb again.