Depressing Thought????

[Fujichants]

I'm too scared to get off my bike and walk while going up a hill...so no matter how slow I go, or how tired I am, or how many people (other cyclists, runners, very, very slow runners) pass me, I keep going, because the thought of trying to get off, and then falling backwards down the hill, just freaks me out too much.

[maillotpois]

I'm too scared to get off my bike and walk while going up a hill...so no matter how slow I go, or how tired I am, or how many people (other cyclists, runners, very, very slow runners) pass me, I keep going, because the thought of trying to get off, and then falling backwards down the hill, just freaks me out too much.

Here's the key, if it is steep: As you are getting off, hold both brakes tight. That will keep your bike steady.

[Grog]

Last fall I was passed by *a guy on roller blades* while climbing Oak Hill in Harvard. I was going around 8-9, not my slowest by any means. He passed my husband, too who was definitely going a little faster than me.

This guy was around my age, and i really thought it was another cyclist passing me because of the whooshing sound he was making and the fact that he was wearing a cycling helmet.
Very discouraging.

I drafted BEHIND a guy going 26 km/h (a bit over 15 mph) on rollerblades. Granted, terrain was flat. But still. In Montreal they have an event "around the Island" every year... 128 km of rollerblading so there's lots of people training on the bike routes, and going quite fast!!

[BadgerGirl]

I try to keep going too, no matter how slow I go because if I get off on a steep section, I have a hard time clipping in when I get back on. Fell over once...not hurt, except my ego...

[mimitabby]

I was on a hill I couldn't handle (upwards of 12%) and there were cars behind me so I panicked. I inched towards the side of the road and leaned over until I fell into the grass beyond the curb. Didn't hurt a bit

[RoadBunner]

I was thinking the same thing (about being able to run faster) as I trudged up the hills (yes, hills, NOT mountains) yesterday.

I used to live in NYC and in Central Park there would be groups of rollerbladers who basically looked and acted like cyclists. They had matching jerseys, aero helmets, did pace lines...and I'm sure they could kick my butt on a bike any day of the week!

I should practice clipping out and stopping on inclines. Once in Central Park, I was running and a guy on a bike was alongside me. We were going up the infamous Harlem Hill and all of a sudden he just tipped over. I'm assuming he lost his momentum and fell over. I ran over to him to help. Poor guy still had two feet clipped in and couldn't get out. Not having a bike I didn't know how to help him get his feet out. Luckily someone else who did was nearby and helped him out.

[malkin]

If the goal was to get up the mountain quickly, I think you'd have made a different vehicle choice. I'm guessing you had a different goal and that's why you rode your bike.

[aicabsolut]

Here's the key, if it is steep: As you are getting off, hold both brakes tight. That will keep your bike steady.

But how do you not fall on your face when your slippery road cleat hits the pavement at that grade .

Anyway, I have the same fear of not being able to get off without toppling when it's that hard. I think I managed to stay just above 3mph on a 22% grade once. I also didn't want to stop with a pickup behind me, waiting for me to make it to the top and stop swerving.

[Kano]

So, yours is a mountain, Veronica, and mine isn't quite that big, but I gotta say, your speed, or what you consider lack of it sure is music to THIS hill slug's ears! (or is it my eyes?)

Grandson Xander calls my Roubaix my "Speed Queen Bike," but it's not real speedy on the way UP the hills!

Karen in Boise

[RoadRaven]

You can run 5 mph? I can't run so that sounds really fast to me over a long distance. Like anything over 100 yards.

Like anything over 20 metres!

and a cyclist that had no calf muscles.

LOL - one of the two fastest timetriallers in our club (he wins medals at a national level) has no calves... and he can climb too...

I think the slowest I have gone up steep hills on my bike is 2.2mph. Almost (but not quite) slow enough to fall over.

I'm with you on slow up hills, my lowest is about 4.5kph... thats must be close to 2.2 miles?!

How can you stay stay up at 2mph?? even at 5mph? Can both of you do the track stand then?.

Really low gears on my road bike - can't do it on my TTbike... nope, can't track stand - can track-fall though (what you do when you are trying to track-stand)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

But how do you not fall on your face when your slippery road cleat hits the pavement at that grade .

Wear mountain bike shoes instead of road shoes?


(or don't use clipless at all, like me, but hey I know better than to go there on this thread!)