hill repeats?

[Nanci]

I used to hate standing on either- road or MTB, because I wasn't strong enough and I sucked at it. But I kept at it, standing as much as I could stand on the flats, starting out seated on hills, then standing, then sitting again if I had to, finally standing for entire small hills, or the last parts of medium hills. After a while, (and encouraged to improve my standing strength due to undercarriage pain on LONG rides) it got easier, and easier. Now I feel like I can stand on a hill if I need to, for as long as I need to (except in mountains- wtill working towards that!)

Nanci

[DirtDiva]

Cheers. It's something I just do for a bit without thinking - can be tiring, but never thought about it being tricky. I wasn't sure if it was that mtbs were easier to stand on, or if it was more to do with not having had more than a few months without a bike to ride since I got my first real bike for my 4th birthday and not having had a chance to forget how it's done.

[maillotpois]

I find standing on super long climbs is a tremendous help. It works different muscles and gives you a real break - also good on the undercarriage as Nanci points out. It gives your upper body a nice break, too, working idfferent muscles there as well. You wouldn't think that was important, but for a super long ride it really is.

One thing I really worked on last year for death ride training was the right kind of standing for long climbs. I had always stood to power over small rises without shifting, etc., so the standing involved a power increase and speeding up. Well, for a longer ride, you need the standing where your speed doesn't increase at all. That's a great trick to work on and it really comes in handy for all day/all night riding with long sustained climbs.

I think standing on a MTB (on dirt) is tough because of the traction issues. But I tend to think everything on a MTB is tougher because I hardly ever ride them anymore.

[SadieKate]

We can fix that. We try to have an annual ride up Mt Tam every year. About 24 miles of dirt roads and fabulous views. One-third of our Bay Area Trifecta.

This year, Miss Kim will be going if I have to drive to her house and haul her kicking and screaming out to the Bike Bus.

[maillotpois]

Well, I will try to join you guys. I hate my MTB (first generation Gary Fisher dual suspension), so will probably steal DH's. It's a bit big, but works okay. I used to MTB all the time, then had a couple of endos from which I never mentally recovered, then got a road bike and thought "Wow this is so much faster and more fun!" and never went back. I think my last MTB ride was around New Years 2002 on Bolinas ridge, in the rain, slipping and falling into cow poo. Gee, it sounds so great I wonder why I never do it??

[SadieKate]

Ooh, Veronica, we're just going to have to take her to Briones where you can ride through the poo and fling it at those behind you.

PS - no poo on Tam

[maillotpois]

[QUOTE=SadieKate
PS - no poo on Tam[/QUOTE]

Well I do know that because I live on it. (Tam, not poo.) Actually, I'm sure there is poo on it, just not on the fire road and not cow poo.

[Nanci]

If you hate that MTB, I bet there are people who'd consider it a classic they'd like to have...

I think standing on an MTB is more difficult. There really isn't any technical road climbing- no obstacles to go over while climbing. It takes a ton of strength to deal with logs, rocks, waterbars, etc. while climbing- plus then you have to worry about pedal strike, too!

Nanci

[SadieKate]

Well I do know that because I live on it. (Tam, not poo.) Actually, I'm sure there is poo on it, just not on the fire road and not cow poo.

But puppy and horse poo don't fling as well.

[SadieKate]

Standing on dirt vs road -- I don't think either one is harder than the other. On the dirt, there are times you have to so I guess necessity makes it easy. It becomes 2nd nature. The whole pedal strike/ratchet thing takes brain power but it isn't always necessary.

[luv'nAustin]

Great tips everyone! I love to stand on the hills, it makes them much easier for me. In fact, sometimes it makes me feel as if I'm cheating!

[Nanci]

At least on a road bike, you don't flip over backwards if you can't keep going!!

Nanci

[RoadRaven]

The hill I use is a steady incline - probably medium gradient (though I dont know what "percent")

It is 600 metres long and I do reps on it - I have built up to ten. Once I get to 12-13, I am going to move onto a longer hill (about 1 1/2km) of a similar gradient.

Hills are not my strength and it takes a big mental effort to do these.

[li10up]

Great tips everyone! I love to stand on the hills, it makes them much easier for me. In fact, sometimes it makes me feel as if I'm cheating!

I'm just up the road from you in Waco. Do you ever ride up here?

[SadieKate]

There is this stupid little hill on one of our routes. I hated it as a newbie and I've always wondered why it is such an annoyance. It is in full sun but it is short. Had my new computer on yesterday (Cliclo 434) and discovered that the hill just gets steeper and steeper, topping out at 9%. Now, I don't feel so bad about the cuss words I used to yell at it.