So I'm not a climber

[bluebug32]

I love to climb too, but I usually get shot off the back. The worst is when I'm off the back and panting and huffing and puffing, trying to keep my Gu down, and no one else is even breathing hard!

I just started using Strava and that's humbling too, as it compares your hill climbing times to everyone else's.

[ivorygorgon]

I love this thread!!! It is very encouraging.

I struggle with climbs, and we climb a lot. I ride with a group and I am almost always the last in the group. Sometimes there are some 70 year olds who are slower.

Sometimes climbing makes me want to throw my bike in the ditch! DH and I did a climbing ride this weekend. The first half was 30 miles mostly uphill- about 5500 feet of climbing. Of course the pay off was the way home

To top it off DH found out yesterday my rear brake was dragging. Like I needed that little bit of help.

But, like a lot of you have said, I refuse to let the hills beat me. I am getting better. I can hang with the group on flats and some rollers (depending on how fast they are going on the rollers). I have improved a lot. But hills are still a bugger. I don't think I will ever love to climb, and I will certainly never climb like a "natural climber" but I think someday climbing won't make me want to give up biking.

Here is the real key and it is so simple, but so hard. When I compare myself to myself, I am really proud of how far I have come, and much I have improved. When I compare myself to others, I become really unhappy. They key is not to worry about others and concentrate on your own stats and improvements.

[Veronica]

Here is the real key and it is so simple, but so hard. When I compare myself to myself, I am really proud of how far I have come, and much I have improved. When I compare myself to others, I become really unhappy. They key is not to worry about others and concentrate on your own stats and improvements.

You're exactly right! It's more important to be the BEST YOU!

Veronica

[Catrin]

Here is the real key and it is so simple, but so hard. When I compare myself to myself, I am really proud of how far I have come, and much I have improved. When I compare myself to others, I become really unhappy. They key is not to worry about others and concentrate on your own stats and improvements.

Bingo I am learning how to do this on the trails, as a new MTBR who has only been riding a bike period for a little over a year, it is a lesson I am taking to heart. When I stop comparing myself to others I have a lot more fun than when I start doing that...

[Geonz]

I love all of you :-) I'm not so fast on the flats but I realized on the TOMRV ride's significant hills that I'd pass people on the up and they'd go by me on the down...
I did get a whole lot better at climbing when I focused on making sure I was getting as much of the full circle going "round and round, not up and down" on the pedals.

[bellissima]

I just started using Strava and that's humbling too, as it compares your hill climbing times to everyone else's.

I like Strava, is fun and motivational

Climbing is all about Weight to Power ratio, in others words the lighter and more power you have the better of a climber you are. But just being light and strong does not mean you’ll be a great climber unless you work at it. Climbing is an acquired skill; there is definitely some technique involved. In order to climb better and faster you must climb often, at a slow or moderate pace but you must also push your self on those hills in order to really improve your climbing skills. Gearing is also important, finding the best gear for the grade or the climb is key, as having the best cadence is very important in order to climbing better and efficiently. It takes time and a lot of climbing to figure out what gears to use. Keep on climbing

[Owlie]

I suck at hills--I'm okay on relatively steep climbs, but the long shallow ones suck it out of me. I know I need practice, as I spend most of my riding time on flat trails, but I'm pretty sure I'd need to lose about 20 pounds to be "effective" and there's no way that's happening!

[redrhodie]

I did my hilly ride today alone, and once again, it appears I'm an awesome climber. My brake must rub on the group rides.

I sound great in the shower, too.

[nscrbug]

I suck at hills--I'm okay on relatively steep climbs, but the long shallow ones suck it out of me. I know I need practice, as I spend most of my riding time on flat trails, but I'm pretty sure I'd need to lose about 20 pounds to be "effective" and there's no way that's happening!

X2!!! Except that I'm not even "relatively okay" on steep climbs either...ANY and EVERY climb sucks it out of me...which sometimes depresses me...especially when I see others doing the same climbs with ease. And even more so, when I see fairly unfit riders that are way heavier than me, climbing hills better and faster than I can. I too, know that I could stand to drop about 15 or 20 lbs, and that would help greatly with my climbing...but if these other heavier riders are climbing pretty decently at the weight they are at now, I have to wonder why can't I?

[Veronica]

I think there's a little more to it than just power to weight. MP totally rocks on the climbs no matter what she says. She outweighs me by 15 pounds or so and kicks my a$$ every time I ride with her. I know I have a bucket load of power, but I can't seem to use it when I climb.

Veronica

[bellissima]

Veronica, You are correct is not all about weight to power ratio, but it really makes a difference. Some of us can put a really large amount of watts in shorter efforts (Sprinters) and some can sustain high wattage for long periods with a very good power to weight ratio (climbers). It would be interesting to see what’s your friend’s actual W/kg versus yours.

[bluebug32]

I'm just glad that I finally learned to love climbing. Who cares where I finish in the pack because I'm one of the only ones who usually crests the top with a smile.

[AppleTree]

I did my hilly ride today alone, and once again, it appears I'm an awesome climber. My brake must rub on the group rides.

I sound great in the shower, too.

This is great redrhodie! When I'm alone, I too am a combination of Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck and George Hincapie, dancing away on the pedals... I am always shocked when I am in a group ride and find out, alas, I am just a chubby little ol' granny who still loves to ride in spite of it.

[maillotpois]

I think there's a little more to it than just power to weight. MP totally rocks on the climbs no matter what she says. She outweighs me by 15 pounds or so and kicks my a$$ every time I ride with her. I know I have a bucket load of power, but I can't seem to use it when I climb.

Veronica

Haha - 15 lbs...l. You are way too kind. . . Maybe 30?

I just have a lot of power AND a lot of weight. . But I am still insecure and slower than I want to be on climbs

[Owlie]

I'm pretty sure I'm more a sprinter than a climber. My type IIa muscle fibers are perpetually out to lunch.