Quote Originally Posted by smilingcat View Post
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.