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Seriously sucking on ascents


paul_ct

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Yip as the others said, if you are weak on hills, ride lots of hills, often.

 

Avoid the flat road.

 

This assumes you are cycling fit. If you still need to get fit, do that first with base miles.

 

Then work on the hills after you are fit.

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Dr Jeroen Swart ^

 

 

All 4 broadcasts in one place https://soundcloud.com/bicycling-broadcast/

 

Edit:link

Very interesting with some proper scientific input!!

Jeez, so if you're over 65kg, you're gonna get eaten on those big European climbs.

In SA terms, 70kgs!!!

 

I don't think I know any adult males that weigh less than 70kgs.

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I feel your pain, last year I could only push my bike up Dorstberg (small hill at Meerendal) but kept plugging away and now I can ride up twice a week without stopping (few minutes to get my breath back at the top)no gym just ride ride ride! it will come.

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How long have you been cycling?

Age?

Overall fitness.

It takes some time to climb faster. It is just not going to happen overnight if you recently started cycling and in your 40's.

If you are not so young any more, it will take a longer time. Like a year... Baby steps. 

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1: ride more uphill (saddle time is much more important)

2: using a power trainer (motivating yourself to use the damn thing is a problem)

3: Rest & recuperate the loss energy & allow muscles to heal

4: repeat from step # 1

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Climbing is about power to weight ratio, not weight alone and not power alone. Hill repeats at 350 watt wont help a lot if a rider weighs 120kg, for example. Power level must probably then be 500 to 600 watt at that weight to climb fast.

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It might apply more to road than MTB, I dunno, but ...

As Big Mig said, more or less, you should be able to play the piano on the handlebars. I found I leaned over too far forward, so now I make sure I keep my back straight and feel the hill in my bum muscles, not my legs. It helps to take one hand off the bars, and just steer with the fingertips of your other hand. It also helps to get a fixie, or to ride a heavier gear than you're used to. That said, I'm about 60kg (sorry, zaslinger) so that helps. 

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Just keep doing them.  Simple as that.  The strength will come.

Not that long ago I couldn't make it up the jeep track in Tokai without stopping for a rest, even in granny gear.  Now I can do it a good few gears lower down and don't stop at all.

 

It's all about putting in the time and hitting those hills!

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Find hills and ride them often .Get A Single speed .Train in the gym.There is no magic cure and buying a Spez won,t improve your climbing either 

But buying a Spez means you'll get LOTS AND LOTS OF NEW FRIENDS

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One word:

 

Tabata...

 

google it.

That gym stuff looks k@k hard but if, you click on the google "photos" tab, things improve A LOT

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