Walk or wait. . . What to do?

[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.

[alpinerabbit]

Kinda hard to walk in road shoes. So I tend to stop.

[SadieKate]

Everybody is different, but I walk. If I stop and stand, the muscles in my legs won't continue to pump and keep the circulation going, otherwise everything pools in my feet. For long straight downhills where I don't care about gaining speed, I'll even keep my legs gently turning over so that circulation and flushing is maintained. If I'm riding a familiar route and know that a particular hill is going to be a problem, I try to get my heart rate down by riding at a very low effort for quite a while before.

Good recovery after a ride includes putting your feet up, not standing still, so it just seems that walking is better than standing. Only time I stand is when I've stopped at the flattest place and couldn't get started elsewhere. I kind of view it as a mini-cooldown period like you should do at the end of a ride.

There is no rule that you have to ride the whole thing. In a mtnbike or cyclocross race, the racers take the most efficient means of locomotion. If that means getting off the bike and running up a hill with it, fine.

Fitness, gearing and confidence will help you conquer the hill one day.

[Dianyla]

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.

Yeah, what she said.