Hi all,

I've also done a skim of this thread re breathing up hills.
All good stuff and good points raised.
Technique is a huge key this both with your legs and your breathing.
Spin classes will help a lot if the ground work is done at the same time in that rather than go for 'lung busting' workouts you'll also need to get some strength out of the home trainer too.
Even doing 5 minutes 'on' in the biggest gear you can turn in a circle (not push push push) at about 60 - 70 revs with no hard breathing at all then 5 minutes off in a little recovery gear x 3 repeats 2 -3 times per will see strength results in approx. 3 - 4 weeks guaranteed! You might be in one of the smallest gears on the bike doing this but who cares, you gotta start your strength somewhere!
This will help with the lung busting stuff because you can't build a breathing base unless you have some strength first.

On the bike, up the hills try just riding up the hill in a small gear pedalling a high but comfortable rev but without breathing hard at all. If you're breathing you're going too hard so slow down. This way all the air coming into the body is being used to go to the muscles efficiently versus going into the build up of lactic acid 'cos you're breathing to hard. Might not seem like it but it's a bit of a strength exercise in that you're still having to turn your pedal in a circle and go up a hill but you're using the lungs / legs super well and getting max benefit.
The other way up the hill in training is the same as the home trainer exercise. hands on the drops in race position (a must because it works all ya bum as well as all your legs too!) biggest gear you can turn (not push push but circles) at 50 -70 revs without any hard breathing. Again if you're breathing change gear to an easier one.
You'll notice that after a while you'll be able to go to a bigger gear and be comfy with it and then on the bunch rides you can approach the hills in a gear where you have good cadence with little pressure on the pedals and keep up better.
The most important thing to remember when climbing (other than technique) is to concentrate on your breathing by keeping it steady and regular.
Also, practice breathing through your diaphram rather than keeping it all in your chest. Get way more oxygen on board and way bigger, more relaxed breaths using this method.
Hope this helps and remember it all takes time but I've found in the past that one of the best ways to get good on hills is to ride hills!

thanks for listening,

Motorpacer.