Trouble starting up hills!

JerZ Fox said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started
again. The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any
suggestions?

It's not easy for anyone to start uphill. The simple answer is to not
stop. If the hills are too steep for that, then maybe you should think
about getting lower gears, so you would not have to stop.

If you do stop, and want to start again (presuming there is no level side
street or anything like that), then just get into your lowest gear and
stomp on it to get a bit of momentum.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I can
_`\(,_ | assure you that mine are all greater. -- A. Einstein
(_)/ (_) |

(JerZ Fox) said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started again.
The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any suggestions?

Are you stopping frequently on hills? If I'm having trouble on a hill, I'll
go into a side street, turn around and get up some speed and attack again,
or find an easier hill.

If it's a long hill and you're near the top then there's little alternative
to walking. Most cyclists have walked a hill once or twice. Maybe consider
changing your route temporarily.

If it's not such a steep section, and there's no traffic, you can pull into
a driveway, turn around, catch your breath, restart and try again.
Similarly, if there's no traffic, and you find yourself grinding to a halt,
you can switch to slalom technique. It makes the hill a bit 'longer', but
decreases the grade and you can make it to the top.

Using the slalom technique (riding from side to side in an upward curve),
I've gotten up some pretty steep sections where some cars have trouble if
they have to start at the bottom from a dead stop - again, careful of
traffic, unless you can slalom within your lane - even then watch your
mirror.

HTH,

-B

Quoted message said:

Diana B., LPN
Diva Nurse

The JerZ Fox

Money doesn't buy happiness.
Poverty doesn't buy anything.

JerZ Fox said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started again.
The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any suggestions?

Perhaps you're not shifting down just before you stop?

One shortcoming of derailleur gears is that you've got to plan ahead,
since you can't shift while stopped. Almost every time I come to a
stop, I downshift to a good "starting" gear just before I stop.

If I were on a steep hill, that "starting" gear might be very low, and
I'd have to judge which gear to use, based on how steep the hill looks.
On level ground, I know exactly what gear is my best "starting" gear.

But always, my starting gear is lower than the gear I'd use while riding.

So plan ahead, and downshift before you come to a stop.

--
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com.
Substitute cc dot ysu dot
edu]

JerZ Fox said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum
and I can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting
started again. The end result is that I end up walking the rest of
the way. Any suggestions?

On road or off?

Bill "details matter" S.

"S o r n i" wrote: On road or off?
^^^^^^^^^^^^
If you ride a mountain bike, it's much less likely to happen to you on the
road, because granny gears are generally low enough to cope with any
gradient you are likely to encounter on pavement. On the trails,
"slaloming" may not be possible, since the trail may be too narrow to permit
any maneuvering.

On the road, one technique to try would be to place the back wheel against
the curb, with the bike angled toward the center of the street. This lowers
the gradient, and also allows you to step up on the pedal without rolling
backward. Once your weight is over the bike, chances are you can get
moving.

Quoted message said:

If you do stop, and want to start again (presuming there is no level side
street or anything like that), then just get into your lowest gear and
stomp on it to get a bit of momentum.

Or if traffic permits you can start sideways accross the road and get
up a little momentum before turning uphill.

the JerZ Fox wrote -

Quoted message said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started

again.

Quoted message said:

The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any

suggestions?

Quoted message said:

I found myself on such a hill on a tour and ended up hitching a car ride to
catch up with the rest of the bunch who got up it.

Decided then and there to get a triple chaining - since then, no problems -
don't use it often but oh my it gets you home when all else has failed.

best, Andrew

David L. Johnson said:

It's not easy for anyone to start uphill. The simple answer is to not
stop.

Scenario: Me on bike (150#), son (70#) on trail-a-bike, daughter (40#)
in trailer, all connected together like a train. We stop at an
intersection on a fairly steep grade as part of my commute home from
work.

I ensure I'm in my lowest gear before stopping. Left foot remains
clipped in, right foot pushes on ground a couple of times to generate
momentum while son pedals to provide some oomph also. Still, when I
clip in I oft-times stop momentarily. Fortunately, it's easy to
trackstand on hills.

RFM

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 22:16:16 GMT, Andrew Price <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

the JerZ Fox wrote -

Quoted message said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and
I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started

again.

Quoted message said:

The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any

suggestions?

Quoted message said:

I found myself on such a hill on a tour and ended up hitching a car ride
to
catch up with the rest of the bunch who got up it.

Decided then and there to get a triple chaining - since then, no problems
-
don't use it often but oh my it gets you home when all else has failed.

best, Andrew

On a short hill, maybe less than 200 feet of elevation gain I will just
stand up and attack. Beyond that I run out of energy, heart, legs, at the
same time. If it is a longer hill gear down first then plan on
a long grind up. Going into a too low gear will just cause a wheelie
backwards if you try to start from a dead stop. If you can get into a
lower gear and keep some momemntum you may be able to stand and ride it out
without cooking yourself, kind of like a low intensity workout on a
stairclimber. If it is really a long steep hill and you have a granny gear
with a triple front ring and a 34 tooth or so on the back just pedal
slowly and within your limits and you will get there eventually. I may
not be the first up the mountain but I get there, even if I have to walk
sometimes. Once you are on the top the view is worth it no matter how you
got
there.
Besides, you get to go down really fast and have some fun going back.
Bill Baka

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/

JerZ Fox said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started again.
The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any suggestions?

This is why I was keen to get a bike with a hub-shifter as my definitive bike. No
problem changing gears at a standstill.

EFR
Ile de France

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

JerZ Fox said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started again.
The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any suggestions?

This is why I was keen to get a bike with a hub-shifter as my definitive bike. No
problem changing gears at a standstill.

EFR
Ile de France

This is probably a false issue - modern shifters work really well, and the
times when you'll be in the wrong gear will be rare on the roads you're
riding, I think. Which bike are you referring with this kind of shifter?

-B

Badger_South said:

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

JerZ Fox said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started again.
The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any suggestions?

This is why I was keen to get a bike with a hub-shifter as my definitive bike. No
problem changing gears at a standstill.

EFR
Ile de France

This is probably a false issue - modern shifters work really well, and the
times when you'll be in the wrong gear will be rare on the roads you're
riding, I think. Which bike are you referring with this kind of shifter?

I don't know any DR's that work well enough to change gear at a standstill!

And changing gear from a standing start when transmitting a lot of torque (as in
a steep hill start) doesn't sound a very good plan. Makes a lot of nasty noise,
feels horrible, and I'm sure it's not doing the cogs/chain any good at all.

--
Cyclo

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (JerZ Fox)

Quoted message said:

I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum and I
can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting started
again.
The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any
suggestions?

Are you referring to a stop that is forced on you by gravity or one caused by
braking? If it's the former about all you can do is make sure you've selected
the right gear and just keep working at it. One thing that may help with short
but very steep hills is cross-chaining. Yes, I know it's not the preferred way:
Start up the hill in a big ring/big cog combination. Downshifting from your big
ring to your little ring just before you lose all momentum (don't shift too
late though) can make it feel like the grade just disappears for a *short*
time. It only works if you're almost at the top though and it isn't something
you should do all the time because it is hard on your driveline.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

"Hunrobe" wrote: (clip) Start up the hill in a big ring/big cog
combination (clip) It only works if you're almost at the top though (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I find that using the gears the way they are MEANT to be used works really
well. Short, very steep hill? At the bottom of the hill shift to the
granny ring. Then start climbing. Then keep downshifting in the rear to
keep cadence/pedal pressure within an acceptable range.

Using the chainrings for this purpose is harder on the bike, AND gives you
fewer gears.

"Cyclo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Badger_South said:

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

JerZ Fox wrote:

> I hate having to stop while riding uphill because I lose my momentum

and I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> can't generate enough power to stay upright, never mind getting

started again.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> The end result is that I end up walking the rest of the way. Any

suggestions?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

This is why I was keen to get a bike with a hub-shifter as my definitive

bike. No

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

problem changing gears at a standstill.

EFR
Ile de France

This is probably a false issue - modern shifters work really well, and

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

times when you'll be in the wrong gear will be rare on the roads you're
riding, I think. Which bike are you referring with this kind of shifter?

I don't know any DR's that work well enough to change gear at a

standstill!

Quoted message said:

And changing gear from a standing start when transmitting a lot of torque

(as in

Quoted message said:

a steep hill start) doesn't sound a very good plan. Makes a lot of nasty

noise,

Quoted message said:

feels horrible, and I'm sure it's not doing the cogs/chain any good at

all.

Quoted message said:

Right, well, if you stop on a hill and forget to downshift first, you might
have to lift the rear of the bike and crank the pedal over once to shift.
Not a big deal since the chances of needing to do this are minimal (unless
you frequently stop on uphill slopes and just *can't* remember to downshift
as you stop).

Mark

Mark Weaver said:

Right, well, if you stop on a hill and forget to downshift first, you might
have to lift the rear of the bike and crank the pedal over once to shift.
Not a big deal since the chances of needing to do this are minimal (unless
you frequently stop on uphill slopes and just *can't* remember to downshift
as you stop).

Mark

Are we sure this is the question? I thought the OP meant he/she was slowing
to a stop, and wanted to keep going. I mean obviously you keep
downshifting, and hammering it, but maybe they're trying out a new hill and
slowing down, not having figured out the shifting drop yet. (see Hunrobe's
suggestion)

The problem then is that you almost roll to a stop and for some hills, I
don't care what gear you're in, might be your granny gear already - after
you've stopped completely, it's tough to get going. You certainly can't do
it pointing straight up the hill.

That's why I suggested slaloming, or rolling into a driveway with some
straightaway and then getting up some speed. Otherwise you just have to
walk it, b/c going downhill and trying again is gonna be a tough option for
beginner's too. Even if you walk it, there's bound to be a semi-flat area
at some point where you can get some speed up.

I'm also thinking, if it's a low traffic area, and the road is wide enough,
you might be able to do a loose downhil circle, heading down hill, gaining
some speed, and then making a circle uphill.

For me the hardest places are stoplights on a hill, or with a hill
immediately following! ;-p

Just askin'.

-B

Leo Lichtman said:

"Hunrobe" wrote: (clip) Start up the hill in a big ring/big cog
combination (clip) It only works if you're almost at the top though (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I find that using the gears the way they are MEANT to be used works really
well. Short, very steep hill? At the bottom of the hill shift to the
granny ring. Then start climbing. Then keep downshifting in the rear to
keep cadence/pedal pressure within an acceptable range.

Using the chainrings for this purpose is harder on the bike, AND gives you
fewer gears.

Yeah, but I think the scenario is talking about a 'sudden' hill, where
you're going along quickly in a harder gear and then suddenly have to go
from the middle ring to the small ring, and then shift down to a larger
ring in the back. For newbies, it all happens too quickly sometimes. Right
now, I'm mostly doing hills where I can stay in my middle ring (33), and
usually the middle ring in the back (22?) (11-32)

-B

Quoted message said:

"Leo Lichtman" [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

"Hunrobe" wrote: (clip) Start up the hill in a big ring/big cog
combination (clip) It only works if you're almost at the top though (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I find that using the gears the way they are MEANT to be used works really
well. Short, very steep hill? At the bottom of the hill shift to the
granny ring. Then start climbing. Then keep downshifting in the rear to
keep cadence/pedal pressure within an acceptable range.

Using the chainrings for this purpose is harder on the bike, AND gives you
fewer gears.

All of what you say is true. That's why I said cross-chaining isn't the
*preferred* way and is hard on the driveline but having said that, pay close
attention to how the pros sometimes shift on short but very steep climbs. I've
seen photos of both Casagrande and Virenque in obvious cross-chain gears. One
advantage (a very limited one) of that cross-chain trick over what most of us
do 95% of the time is fewer shifts. Fewer shifts under power mean fewer chances
to misshift.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

"Hunrobe" wrote: (clip) One

Quoted message said:

advantage (a very limited one) of that cross-chain trick over what most of

us

Quoted message said:

do 95% of the time is fewer shifts. Fewer shifts under power mean fewer

chances

Quoted message said:

to misshift.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
First, I want to be sure that this comes across to you as a DISCUSSION, and
not an argument. The problem I have with the single big downshift you are
describing, is this: In one of your earlier posts, you say, " Downshifting
from your big ring to your little ring just before you lose all momentum
(don't shift too
late though) can make it feel like the grade just disappears for a *short*
time." My thought is, if you shift a little too early, you wind up with an
impossibly high cadence, so you lose momentum while your pedals are looking
for the load. And if you shift too late, you wind up not being able to
shift at all, because the shift requires you to unload the chain. On my
bikes, misshifts are so rare, I prefer to take advantage of the "impedance
matching" available with 8 or 9 rear cogs.

I am very curious to know whether I am still failing to understand something
here, or are my hills different from yours and those professionals.'