Best bike for climbing

A more upright position will improve your ability to breath, but the increase in climbing speed is small. You didn't say exactly what kind of road bike you have now, but if you're getting crushed by a guy on a mountain bike then all of the equipment upgrades in the world aren't going to help. You need to ride more.

I do a lots of work with 5-6% grades over 2 miles, plus a lot of flat work. Riding in the drops on hills takes practice and work. Now I feel comfortable climbing in all four positions (drops, hoods, bar tops and standing). Trick to being good on hill climbing is working out. I also don't feel a need to go with a compact crank, again just practice.

I would not go with a flat bar, because the drops are needed for the flat work. Might be easier on the climbs, but you will lose a lot on the flats and descents.

Sounds like you might benefit with a wider range cassette or some smaller chainrings. I have an '83 peugeot with a 44/54 crank and had a helluva time on the hills until I got some larger cogs. The range is closer to a MTB on my cassette, which gives me fewer choices for the flats, but hills are just a part of life, and I make it up them pretty well now.

HT606 said:

I have read many forums and I cant seem to paint one full picture. Obviously, the lighter the bike, the better for climbing. I have also heard that the more upright the position, the easier to climb. I have a road bike and my friend kills me uphill in his MTB (plus he is fitter than me...). I cannot climb on the drop and sometimes feel it would be better with a raised bar/flat bar.

If that is true, then a flat bar road bike with a comfort/compact full carbon frame seems to be the biz. Am I right?

Thanks very much for your comments.

Most of the time climbing I'm standing with hands on the hoods, or seated holding the bars right at the stem and pulling back, so having a flat bar wouldn't matter anyway.

As MPc350 said, your gearing is something you can change. Believe if you have gears low enough to allow you the choice of sitting or standing on a steep grade you'll benefit. You may not go any faster with low gears that allow a decent cadence, but believe having the option of sitting really gives the legs a break over just having to stand and grind at 30-40 cadence.

Other than that, it's all about improving your power-to-weight ratio. I'm going out tomorrow AM to work on mine....a 1000 ft vertical climb with some sections of 15-20% is on the schedule. On the steep pitches, I'll be in my 30/25 granny gear, standing up with hands on the hoods to keep the front wheel down on the road.

dhk said:

.... it's all about ... your power-to-weight ratio

A couple summers ago, there was this freak on a mountain bike who loved to lay waste to roadies in the marin headlands.

On a good day I might have been able to take him, but it's enough to make you want to hang it up when someone goes right by you on your expensive bicycle :eek:

Your only hope is to increase your strength and dropping your weight. Ride the hills grasshopper! Perhaps try keeping your cadence up. Perhaps try plyometrics. For sure give up french fries 😄

if you really want to get better, find the heaviest bike you can find and climb the biggest hill you can find😄

ok point taken....I need [censored] loads of practice...(I knew that...😄 😄 😄 ...)

Everything being equal (same guy, same gear ratio, same colour bike, same helmet...) and only talking uphill climbs, is a more upright position better to transfer weight?

I guess this kinda assumes I am on a high gear standing low cadence. It would be a bit of a task cranking fast standing ...???...???

Thanks😉

HT606 said:

ok point taken....I need [censored] loads of practice...(I knew that...😄 😄 😄 ...)

Everything being equal (same guy, same gear ratio, same colour bike, same helmet...) and only talking uphill climbs, is a more upright position better to transfer weight?

I guess this kinda assumes I am on a high gear standing low cadence. It would be a bit of a task cranking fast standing ...???...???

Thanks😉

I usually stay seated, that way I don't also have my body weight to add to the work my legs have to do. I also usually keep leaned pretty far forward in the drops and sit back far on the saddle so my legs can get to near full extention. When I get tired of that position, I'll stand up out of the saddle for a few minutes, then go back. If you're having trouble keeping around 90rpm cadence, you might need some lower gears.

This tread is kinda funny to me to read. Bottom, bottom line is you need to train to get you to a higher level of fitness as you already know. I'm a full on roadie and strong climber, but two nights a week I ride my mtb with lights and all on the road to train after dark. Where I ride there is one long climb and guys on road bikes. And guess what, I also crush them going uphill and they draft me in the flats, and yes it is kinda fun doing that. And I know they hate it of course but I just ride on and don't look back becuase I am training after all. I sit all the way with a cadence of about 85. Standing on the pedals uses more energy. Just train hard and the speed and endurance will come. Train smart however.

HT606 said:

ok point taken....I need [censored] loads of practice...(I knew that...😄 😄 😄 ...)

Everything being equal (same guy, same gear ratio, same colour bike, same helmet...) and only talking uphill climbs, is a more upright position better to transfer weight?

I guess this kinda assumes I am on a high gear standing low cadence. It would be a bit of a task cranking fast standing ...???...???

Thanks😉

HT606 said:

ok point taken....I need [censored] loads of practice...(I knew that...😄 😄 😄 ...)

Everything being equal (same guy, same gear ratio, same colour bike, same helmet...) and only talking uphill climbs, is a more upright position better to transfer weight?

I guess this kinda assumes I am on a high gear standing low cadence. It would be a bit of a task cranking fast standing ...???...???

Thanks😉

What sort of gearing do you have? A ballpark cadence while climbing would be about 70.....very ballpark. If you're consistently less than that, then you need to change gearing. Grinding on the pedals at low cadence uphill is only going to make your knees unhappy and make you hate climbing. Also for long climbs, you should, ideally, be seated most of the time. Seated climbing is just better all the way around: you burn less energy, the dynamics are better......I get up when I want to clear a short rise, need a burst of speed, or just want to change position for a bit to use different muscle groups.

FWIW, I'd bet money that you just need more time in the seat sloggin' uphill.

A lighter bike isn't going to make a real difference until the end of a long day of climbing...at least in terms of real physics. A lighter bike can provide a psychological boost, but in all honesty, when the grade gets horrendous, psychological boosts whither under a barage of epithets.

You might also work on the psychological aspect. Long ago, I read something in Bicycling (ok.....I'm ashamed to admit that....but I read it back in the mid-80's) wherein the rider said one of the biggest improvements to his climbing came from convincing himself that he loved climbing. It took a while, but every time he hit a hill, he'd repeat to 'imself how much he loved climbing. After awhile, his mind accepted it, and he climbed better. Go figure.

Good point about learning to love climbing. The guy I rode with today goes out for steep climbs on almost every ride he does, and loves the hill-challenge routes with nothing but climbs and descents. He's got a thin build, and looks like a climber....don't know if that's genetics or because of all the hills he rides.

He just got a new Madone 5.2 this week, moving up from a Trek 1000. He mentioned the improved smoothness of the ride, and the great shifting and braking with the Ultegra 10 triple, but didn't claim that the bike was faster on the climb, or that it "climbed like a goat", or any other of the ad buzzwords you hear so often.

dhk said:

Good point about learning to love climbing. The guy I rode with today goes out for steep climbs on almost every ride he does, and loves the hill-challenge routes with nothing but climbs and descents. He's got a thin build, and looks like a climber....don't know if that's genetics or because of all the hills he rides.

He just got a new Madone 5.2 this week, moving up from a Trek 1000. He mentioned the improved smoothness of the ride, and the great shifting and braking with the Ultegra 10 triple, but didn't claim that the bike was faster on the climb, or that it "climbed like a goat", or any other of the ad buzzwords you hear so often.

I'm glad I made the mental change, 'cuz I discovered upon moving to Tucson, that the desert is anything but flat. It's far from it.

The most rewarding rides for moi are the ones that go up and up.....and eventually down.

I only have a double chain ring and with my experience even the lowest gears sheds tears in longer climbs (dont bloody laugh....).

Love climbing...mmm...gotta try that one...
Thanks guys...

HT606 said:

I only have a double chain ring and with my experience even the lowest gears sheds tears in longer climbs (dont bloody laugh....).

Love climbing...mmm...gotta try that one...
Thanks guys...

I think you'll find there are more doubles out there than triples. I ride a double (52/39, 12-25), and it works fine in der mountains. Sure 18-20% sucks big bags of fartgas with it....but, hey, waddya expect?

Go find hills and embrace your demons.

Don't worry about what bike is best for this and that. If you go up a hill, chances are the next step is to come down, yes? So a "climbing" bike is cutting it a bit fine, me thinks.

Learn to love the discomfort of big efforts. I learned it from mountain biking. Hill are fun. A certain pressure on the muscles becomes addictive and comfortable. Resolve to do it, and it will come. It's more a result of will power than anything else. Competition is great, but at first you have to beat your own sloth and fear.

After a month, you'll start to feel that you can climb on any old bike, because the gear is largely irrelevant.