Tips for hills

[manbearpig]

Try start at a pace slower than you are capable of at that moment and build up speed slowly till you find an acceptable level of pain and stick there.

[pokeslow]

Its good to know how long the hill or how many hills are still to come so you dont over exert yourself to early i.e. Check the route profile and make notes or write on your arm.

 

And remember, "he who spins, wins"

[IdeJongh]

Dont underestimate the impact of fitness, sounds obvious, but technical climbs tend to become much easier the faster you climb (clear obsticles earier, stay upright easier).

 

The biggest tip I got was from Lance (yes the guy everybody here just loves...cough cough) He trained in the rain, he loved the rain and when race day came, and it looked misreable and cold outside, everybody hated getting on their bikes, and he loved it.

 

Think that way about hills, train hard, and love them, when you see the hill coming and everybody else is discouraged, you'll love the climb and be amazed how much that positive energy adds.

[Barend de Arend]

on a MTB you do not move over the back when you climb, you move more forward and drop your body lower to get more traction and stop the front from lifting.

 

That works on the road, too, if the hill is steep enough.

[Cassie]

Remember to invite your GRANNY along!!

That's what its there for....

 

focus on the awsome downhill that awaits you at the top!!

[BaldBatman]

I agree with the imaginary elastic pulling you up, combined with saving you energy and pacing yourself. Basically everything said sofar is good advice (except that roadie comment)...moving your weight back on a tricky dirt hill is going to make the front wheel lift up, make you loose traction, you will overcompensate and oversteer, loose balance and fall or stall. One of my first tips I ever got was to drop my shoulders, tuck my elbows in and down (thus lowering your centre of gravity). This works great when you get to a b*#4ch of a hill with gravel and rocks - there is no other way to get over it, just put your head down and go for it.

 

Using the full rotation while cycling makes a lot of sense too. Initially just try to step/push with one leg and pull with the other, keeping a good rythm. Later try to do this with the complete rotation of your feet - you actually get components out there to force you to cycle this way. (Powercranks, I think's the name.)

 

Check your heart rate, if you're going at it at about 90-100% of your max, you need to slow down, gear down and spin it out.

 

For training purposes, I recommend intervals on a hill. There are thousands of variations but one of my favorites are:

Pick a decent hill of about 5-8%, 1-2km's. Start on your highest mid gear and chase it up full revs/top watts. Free down and recover your heart rate to about 90/110/130 (depending on you fitness level). Drop on gear (easier) and go again. Doing this once or twice a week, is not only going to make you stronger but fitter too. Gradually you'll be able to do it further and in higher gears. You won't believe your improvement and attitude towards that climb in 3-4 months time. Also don't be shy to do this off the shoulder of the road ie. (heaven forbid) on gravel.

 

But as the previous writers said, there is NO better way to train for the hills than do those pesky hills. I know that in Gauteng my bud BigGuy always complains that there isn't any proper hills (well not close anyway). So try to hit places like Mankele and Induna on the weekends. They do have hills..lots of them.

 

In summary: Focus, pace yourself, pick your gear before going into the incline, check your heart rate, move slightly forward, tuck you elbows in, take deep breaths, look where you are going, "see" yourself making it to the top.

 

Final note: A little competitive spirit or attitude isn't a bad thing either. Oom Gert Stoltz (Conrad Stoltz - Xterra champ's dad) always says that when he's riding and he sees someone in front of him in the race, he compares size and build and decides that "This guy/girl/oom/tannie/pipsqueek/hippie/roadie is not going to beat me on this hill!" and then focuses on catching this person in front of him. Obviously logic dictates that you don't pick Burry or Kevin when you try this.

[pastapouch]

easiest is to just avoid them... DONT' GO AND DO THE JOCK

[Curlygirl]

Thanks Baldbatman - great advise.

I did the breathing, pulling with one foot stepping with the other, lowered my head, and repeated "ride lite" and it made a change. Tucking in the elbows sounds like another good idea. We went to Jonkers this past weekend and the first couple of KM was like riding against a brick wall the wind was pumping so hard

 

Cervelo = love a challenge so to easy to avoid them

 

Thanks for all the usefull tips guys!

[malmens]

Thanks for raising a good topic Curvygirl, i also recently started cycling and find the hills tough but as get a bit fitter so does getting up the hill seem quicker and easier.

 

i do however have a prob with the smooth spin/cycle as it feels like i'm trying to rub my stomach and head and the same time, can't concentrate on both

 

Thanks to all the others for advice tho, do try pick higher gears but only works as you get fitter Otherwise concentrate on breathing and trying to cycle as smoothly as possible. oh... and trying to keep up with the one who just passed me

[GTRacing]

Always try and keep something in reserve for that last litlebit of hill at the top. And ride as many hills as you can find. Find one shortish sharp hill in your neighborhood and do some intervalls. it works like a charm.

 

Other than that... get them one at a time.