uphill advice.

[RoadRaven]

I laugh at staying in your biggest gear etc because right now, I pretty well have to start in 3rd to last gear, and can only maintain about 15kmh for the first third, then drop down a gear and ride at about 10-12 kmh for a little bit, then down to easiest gear and slug up the last section at around 6-7 kmh. Did you know it's actually possible to ride that slow?

Oh yes, I know it is possible to climb that slow - I have a hill 1km before I get homw which we estimate at being11% gradient at its steepest pinch - I go as slow as 4.8km up there if there is a head wind...

Don't worry about what gear you are in - thats where I do my reps - in the third or fourth lowest gear... the key is that you are in a gear you can just get on top of - it doesn't have to be a big gear...

Have fun... yes, remember... its not a grimace - its a smile!!!

[alpinerabbit]

Did you know it's actually possible to ride that slow? That final section is the steepest part and I *almost* can't make it without my heart rate going over 175 and coming close to an asthma attack but I somehow managed to hang in.

I don't know if what I did is healthy, since I don't do it all the time I don't really care - I rode up a 20% slope.... 5 kph....188 heart rate.
Twice in 3 days - the second time was already better. The first time all I could do was to keep pushing and pulling pedals and try not to fall over....

[arnaew]

There's a hill back of my place called Norton Summit, and it's ridden by every rider in town who can get there. It's a rite of passage for cyclists, and there is even a website where you can post your times. I think the big boys (ie Tour riders) do it in about 12 minutes. I did it for the first time a couple of months ago, and it took me an hour and a half, with an average uphill speed of 6 km. It takes a lot of concentration not to fall over at that speed! I think I stopped for about 10 rests on the way up. The road curves around the hill, and has switchbacks and high cambered turns, so you can't really see ahead for more than 500 metres, but every time you make a turn the road is still climbing
I've been up seven times now, and last Sunday I did it in 44 minutes with an average speed of 10, and stopped 3 times (they were stoppettes really). Mind you, the firm young things were still whooshing past me and were around the next bend before I realised they were there!
The really good thing is that for every debit there's a credit - coming back down in 7 min with a max speed of 60km now there's yin to the yang!

[Geonz]

I can go over a year between serious hills, since I live in the flatlands. I'm strong on slight upgrades - I really do love the long, gradual hills. For genuine HILLS, though, I have to work to keep it at 6 mph... but don't always succeed. It all depends on the hill, though! (And toting The Limo this weekend - I have no idea what speed I was going 'cause the computer wire is broken, but it wasn't fast, and those weren't really steep hills.)
I do focus *hard* on form... using as many different muscles as I can so it's not all stress on the same ones.

[JoyfulGirl]

This is the greatest thread. I have decided I'm going to change my attitude about hills. It's been a lousy attitude these last few weeks with me griping out loud <even when I'm by myself> I hate these $%$@ing hills

I will now embrace the hills.
I love hills.
Hills are my friends.
Hills are fun.
Hills make me stronger.
I love hills.

Well, If I disapear for a few weeks it'll be because my boyfriend's called the men in the white coats to drag me off because I'll have been yodelling out "GOSH GOLLY I LOVE THESE HILLS" one too many times for his comfort.
In seriousness, I really do think changing my attitude is going to change my comfort riding. I'll have to wait til tomorrow to find out. But my bet's on this being more fun when I stop griping endlesslessy. <big surprise.>