Steep Hill 1 mile long causing woe

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Glasgow United
Hey there, close to where i live on loch lomond there is a hill that twists and winds up at a very steep gradient- probably about 14% and more at some points. The guys in the club don't exactly fly up it but they are much quicker than yours truly.

The problem i have is: even on the small ring and the easiest of gears i really have to grind to get up and at some points i am only doing 4 miles per hour. Any tips on training i could do to improve the rate at which i ascend this brute of a climb?

Merci Buckets

Firstly give us some details. Age, height, weight, cycling experience and what you're riding

Well, a couple of thoughts:

1. What exactly is your gearing? If you have an 39X21 for a bottom gear, for instance, it might be tough spinning up a 14 percent grade that is 1 mile in length. Of course, one mile is not 3, 5, or 10, so you could likely power over that climb at a higher intensity than would be possible on a longer climb. So, do you have a notion of what your cadence is on this climb? Are you seated or are you out of the saddle much?

2. Is this an issue on particularly steep climbs, or do you suffer equally on longer climbs (5km +) at 6-9% ? If you do fine on longer climbs, it might again point to issues with gearing, not just general fitness.

3. The only way to improve is to climb that hill more!

Good luck!

Once you have your gearing worked out, find yourself a groove to sit in and maintain that tempo, remembering that it is for a relatively short distance. Don't concern yourself with what others are doing, just try to hit the bottom of the climb at the speed that you want to maintain throughout the rest of it.
Try to maintain your momentum (particularly psycholoically) as, although you want to be in a gear low enough to be able to spin, a granny gear will hold you back at walking speed and you will find yourself being overtaken by a cove of hibernating, triple-amputee, two-toed sloths.
Make sure you are pulling through the bars and even out the gradient by riding wide on the corners - ducking into the apex makes for a shorter distance and, therefore, a steeper climb.
Go out and give it a good belting.
Eoin C

Ok people thank you for your input.

Heres the details: Age 21, Height 178cm, Weight 68.5kg

Began cycling in the summer last year because of football injury to knee. Riding approx 180km per week. Bike is shogun aluminium, ultegra group set, 53-39 w/ 11 smallest 9 spd cassette.

Cadence is at times as low as 40 maybe less, and seated as long as posible then it becomes impossible to remain on the saddle as i reckon i would topple over.

Usually on hills i'm ok, i've got a 1-11" 25TT (as an indication of general fitness) and not totally out of shape, i will try to take the corners wider but it really is hell for the whole trip to the top.

Indeed sometimes i think my cadence must drop to about 30 or something liek that its an embarrassment.

I agree you should find the gear you are comfortable with. Train more of course and lose weight. Dragging dead weight up a hill sucks, but for immediate results try positioning yourself toward the rear of the saddle to get the best leg extension. This will give you more consistent power and reduce muscle fatigue. Stand on the pedals for short burst to increase your RPM. Only pedal in a standing position for a few seconds to start and then resume your sitting position. Alternate this routine and your will achieve increasingly better results as your endurance improves. It works for me.

How much weight should i lose, i am pretty skinny at the mo but i guess i could lose a bit more

dude, i wouldn't worry to much about losing weight if you think that you are already skinny...i found that i became a much better climber with a few minor adjustment to technique...if you don't do this already, give it a shot, practise breathing techniques...i try to match my breathing, both inhalation and exhaling to match my cadence....also, i read somewhere that if you use a exhale to inhale ratio of 3:2, meaning clear your lungs in three breaths, and fill them with two, that this tends to be a more efficient means of delivering oxygen to the bloodstream and muscles...call me a kook, but i tried it and it actually helped....

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Glasgow United
How much weight should i lose, i am pretty skinny at the mo but i guess i could lose a bit more

Well if you already have a good weight to muscle ratio I wouldn't worry about it. I was just throwing out possible solutions for possible problems. I would also assume that you are not riding an extremly heavy bike.

I don't think so, the bike is about 11kg not to bad. I am not even feeling lactate pain in my legs its y breathing that goes when at the halfway point

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Glasgow United
How much weight should i lose, i am pretty skinny at the mo but i guess i could lose a bit more

No way do you need to lose more. Your BMI is just over 21, good climbers in the tour are about 22 to 23. I am shorter than you at 5'10" and about the same weight and see most people off on the hills. My advantage is I live somewhere very hilly, a flat ride is nearly impossible. Your best route is to get out there and seek out the hills :p After 4 to 6 weeks I am sure you will see an improvement. I regularly ride 40 to 60 miles with about 1500 to 1800m of climb. Good luck and let us know how it goes

thanks very much again guys, i will try to apply the techniques suggested and see if it helps.

Glad about the weight thing cos i don't reckon theres much fat left to burn.

I gave the breathing technique a try today and it certainly made me concetrate more on it. Will keep you all posted

Chhers

Arnie Baker has some good tips on climbing in his book "Smart Cycling"

a summary:

seated climbing is the most energy efficient. climbing out of the saddle takes strength in the arms as well as the legs. it takes more energy, but you have more power. try to direct your energy to those legs, and not waste energy on needless arm motion. however, standing while climbing relieves saddle soreness, and provides a change in position that can be helpful.

thus, if you want to attack, or you are in danger of being dropped and need extra power, standing can help -- just as wehn you need that power spurt in a sprint. if you don't have the gears to spin up a hill, you may have no choice but to stand, even though it is not the most efficient way to climb.

when seated, baker recommends getting your bum far back on the seat, and pushing forward on the pedals, rather than down (think of a leg press in a gym). concentrate on pulling up as well as pushing.

he suggests the most efficient cadence is between 50 and 70 (which seems pretty wide to me); however, he mentions that the fastest way to climb, if you are strong enough, is to push the biggest gear you can.

he also advises to set a rhythm and stick with it, rather than trying new things mid-hill. especially breathing: consistent and steady.

hope this helps...it helped me.

pdxtex - How on earth do you breath in only twice for every three times you breathe out??????????????

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Glasgow United
Hey there, close to where i live on loch lomond there is a hill that twists and winds up at a very steep gradient- probably about 14% and more at some points. The guys in the club don't exactly fly up it but they are much quicker than yours truly.

The problem i have is: even on the small ring and the easiest of gears i really have to grind to get up and at some points i am only doing 4 miles per hour. Any tips on training i could do to improve the rate at which i ascend this brute of a climb?

Merci Buckets

You may want to invest in a triple for those 14% grades. The triple will make it easier for you to put out peak sustained power at a decent cadence. Plus, it's fun having a whole range of climbing gears without having to give up a tight midrange.

Even if you don't use it often, being able to climb seated, keeping the HR to LT or lower, really is a great leg-saving option to have on the long rides.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Joe90
pdxtex - How on earth do you breath in only twice for every three times you breathe out??????????????

concerning breathing, really what i meant is that you should empty your lungs in three breaths and fill them with two breaths...i read that on a bike training website once...i tried it and it seems to work...more importantly though is consistant and steady breathing as another memberpointed out.