new strategy & mantra for the hills

**anaphase** · 08-02-2005, 11:57 AM

There was a really steep hill on my tri course this weekend, and to be honest, I had a really, really hard time getting up it. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right, so maybe that's part of the problem.

It started with a slight downhill, so I had shifted up into a bigger gear (in back), to keep spinning and ride that momentum. As I started the climb, I stayed seated and downshifted in the rear as it got steeper, until I had no gears left. It was at this point that I didn't know whether to shift into my granny gear, or stand up. Tried standing up (after upshifting one gear). Felt WAY wobbly and like I was in too easy a gear to stand up. So I sat back down, and then shifted into the granny gear, which left me only one gear to go down in the back. Then I lost all momentum. Ugh.

I made it to the top, but barely.

Here is the hill profile (at the bottom of the course).
http://www.firm-racing.com/races/maps/danskin.jpg

Any advice for me? I've read a lot of the linked articles from these boards, but I still feel like I'm doing it all wrong on hills that are steeper, like this one. There aren't a ton of hills like that I have found on my regular routes, so while I am able to stand up and power over smaller hills, when there is a long climb, I'm kinda at a loss.

Thanks.

**Grog** · 08-02-2005, 01:03 PM

If I see a hill that I know will require me to use the granny gear, I shift to it in advance and start on the smaller cogs in the back (maybe 3rd smallest out of 10 in my case - I have a 11-23 cassette in the back).

Shifting on the granny when RPMs are already low (in the 60s for me) takes away too much momentum, as you experienced... Plus, the low ratios of the middle gear are equivalent to the highest ratios on the granny gear so you're not compromising much... (Hum not sure this is clear .....

)

And if I want to stand up on the pedals I upshift two cogs. I try to NEVER go under 8 km/h at which point it's too late for anything to happen anymore!!!

**Pax** · 08-02-2005, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Grog

If I see a hill that I know will require me to use the granny gear, I shift to it in advance and start on the smaller cogs in the back (maybe 3rd smallest out of 10 in my case - I have a 11-23 cassette in the back).

Shifting on the granny when RPMs are already low (in the 60s for me) takes away too much momentum, as you experienced... Plus, the low ratios of the middle gear are equivalent to the highest ratios on the granny gear so you're not compromising much... (Hum not sure this is clear .....

)

And if I want to stand up on the pedals I upshift two cogs. I try to NEVER go under 8 km/h at which point it's too late for anything to happen anymore!!!

WOW

Reading that made me feel about as smart as a bag of hammers.

I guess I really need to learn a thing or two about the gears on my bike!

**Jaz** · 08-02-2005, 01:22 PM

After riding forever in extra-flat NW ohio, I now ride in the hills of south central michigan. I went on my first group ride this spring and was quickly going to be dropped b/c of the hills. 2 nice guys from the group stayed with me. They helped me to get better at hills by explaining that I don't always have to shift up and spin all the way through the downhills (I was trying to use the downhills to catch up w/ everyone), instead, I now use downhills as a time to rest when I find myself on a road that just keeps rolling up and down. I don't know what it says about my form, but I shift down before I meet the hills resistance and often its so early that I can't spin b/c its too loose. I find that in the long run on a steep hill, being in a low gear early helps more than shifting down on the hill.

I can say that going from flat to hilly, I now have a love/hate relationship with the hills, flat's boring now, but hills are tough. I, too, use mantras, one comes from that ditzy fish in Finding Nemo: "just keep spinning, just keep spinning". my other mantra is "i will not shift, i will not shift" (meaning into my granny gear - haven't used it in a month!)

**Geonz** · 08-02-2005, 02:14 PM

I love hills, or our imitation of 'em, maybe because they're such a rare delicacy. (We sort of do have some, Queen, out by Block and towards Alto VIneyards...and wind is just as good a workout...)

I also tend to the bigger gears and until my knees tell me otherwise I"ll stick with what works. If it's a long gradual hill I'll just find a good gear and hang with it. If it's a steep mugger I'll just gradually gear down and try to keep my rhythm... but I can heave & gasp pretty well. If it's a *really* long hill I'll try to keep the gear easy enough to stay under the heaving and gasping level.

I have been known to count off the pedal strokes in waltz time so I'm not pushing harder on one leg all the time. I can always say "Okay, 10 more, of course you can do 10 more." Mantras: One two three .... or the "Punk Polka" ("Jump Jump Jump Jump Up and Down In Place, Drive A Safety Pin INto Your Face, Excuse Me While I leave the Human Race, and Do... the PUnk... Polka)

**Grog** · 08-02-2005, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Queen

WOW

Reading that made me feel about as smart as a bag of hammers.

I guess I really need to learn a thing or two about the gears on my bike!

Hey! Don't worry! Just do experiments with your gears until you're confident with all of them. Nothing really can explode on your bike.

**SpinSis** · 08-02-2005, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Jaz

. I, too, use mantras, one comes from that ditzy fish in Finding Nemo: "just keep spinning, just keep spinning". my other mantra is "i will not shift, i will not shift" (meaning into my granny gear - haven't used it in a month!)

Groovy. That made me laugh!

Now I won't be able to stop thinking about that fish (Dorrie was her name, I think) when I'm spinning on a hill. I'm also encouraged by all the people who have transitioned away from the granny gear. I hope to be there soon!

**Pax** · 08-02-2005, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Geonz

(We sort of do have some, Queen, out by Block and towards Alto VIneyards...and wind is just as good a workout...)

You're right! I forgot all those highway overpasses.

Actually the first ride my SO every convinced me to do was a "C-U Across the Prairie" ride (not sure if it was called that back then?) and it included a 25mph headwind up an overpass...I thought I was gonna die.

**SpinSis** · 08-03-2005, 11:31 AM

...and he was in the granny gear, and I wasn't.

Not sure what mantra I was using to pull it off (it was too early to think about chocolate

), except that I was determined to roar (okay, maybe more like 'breeze') past him on Heartbreak Hill. Thanks for this fun forum!

**Grog** · 08-03-2005, 12:31 PM

Hahaha! I love the fact that you passed the guy on "Heartbreak Hill".

Makes it all the more significant! Poor guy.

**SadieKate** · 08-03-2005, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by SpinSis

(it was too early to think about chocolate

)

I'm sorry but someone is going to have to explain this to me. I don't get it. Does not compute.

**DirtDiva** · 08-03-2005, 04:40 PM

That would refer to the I like hills and chocolate is good mantra.

<-- spread some chocky round that grin.

**SadieKate** · 08-03-2005, 04:48 PM

How about "calories from chocolate don't count because I rode the hill"?

**DirtDiva** · 08-03-2005, 04:53 PM

I'd settle for "calories from chocolate don't count because PMS made me do it", but I guess I'l have to find a hill to ride up tomorrow instead (not so easy in London).

**SpinSis** · 08-03-2005, 07:10 PM

Okay, okay...maybe it was a bit harsh to say I wasn't thinking about chocolate on this morning's ride. I am also in PMS mode so it's a given, right.

But in that moment, all I could think was, "I have prey. Must catch it." I frighten myself!

I just picked up fancy chocolates this evening for BF's birthday. Believe me, I'll be thinking about THOSE on tomorrow's ride.

Spin, spinning along here in Brkline,
S

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