I was using the bike quite a bit to get up the last portion of my hill climbs yesterday. Any tips on standing, sitting climbing technique to share?
I average over 2000ft of climbing everyday in training, even my “flat” days.
I like and feel better, climbing while seated. it is a personal thing and everyone is different. Over the past year, I’ve reduced my cadence while climbing. I used to climb averaging about 80rpm, sometimes into the 90’s. I"m now down to the low 70’s and its faster overall in the lower cadence due to the gearing. I find that my legs can stand the harder gears better then my lungs can stand spinning up hills. You’ll need to find what works for you. Remmeber, what works for you today may very well change as your condition and fitness changes in the future.
If I spin uphill too fast, my heart rate goes too high, if I reduce cadance and use a harder gear, My HR stays in check, the legs hurt a tad more, but I go uphill faster.
hey thanks alot for the advice!
I like to mix it up on long hills. Spend most of the time seated, but mix in some standing. Also mix hand positions. Hold the bullhorns then hold the armrests for a bit. SPend most of the time in your normal position on the saddle, then shift a little for some variety.
Makes it sound like I am spazzing out on a climb, but these changes are all subtle. Even a small shift incorporates new muscles and gets me up the hill.
Also, generally when I come out of the saddle, I shift into a harder gear. This maintains some rhythm for me. Standing in whatever gear I was spinning in, totally throws me off because I can’t spin my feet that fast while standing. I also recently realized that I was wasting a lot of energy using my upper body when I came out of the saddle. If I keep my upper body a bit quieter and lighter on the bars I get more out of my pedal stroke.
Hope this helps. All gained by trial/error/feel.
I try and do 4700 feet of climbing on my 4 hour rides. I sit at all times except for some short 16% section of hills. Then I stand up for a little while to just give the legs some different training.
Now, I do have a 50/34 compact with a 11/28 on the back. Helps a lot when I am doing some long 12 to 14% grades.
I average over 2000ft of climbing everyday in training, even my “flat” days.
I like and feel better, climbing while seated. it is a personal thing and everyone is different. Over the past year, I’ve reduced my cadence while climbing. I used to climb averaging about 80rpm, sometimes into the 90’s. I"m now down to the low 70’s and its faster overall in the lower cadence due to the gearing. I find that my legs can stand the harder gears better then my lungs can stand spinning up hills. You’ll need to find what works for you. Remmeber, what works for you today may very well change as your condition and fitness changes in the future.
If I spin uphill too fast, my heart rate goes too high, if I reduce cadance and use a harder gear, My HR stays in check, the legs hurt a tad more, but I go uphill faster.
That’s funny because I have been working on my climbing lately and I find myself more comfortable seated and using higher cadences. On flats I try to keep a cadence around 90 to 95, but climbing I try and keep it over 95.
One thing I try to do is gauge a hill before I start climbing. I go into the run up in the big ring and as small a cog as possible and then drop to the small ring at the beginning of the climb. I use my cadence to determine when to bleed off gears, and shift down a cog or two when I stand up. I try to stand only to bring my cadence up or attack the very crest of a hill.
I average over 2000ft of climbing everyday in training, even my “flat” days.
I like and feel better, climbing while seated. it is a personal thing and everyone is different. Over the past year, I’ve reduced my cadence while climbing. I used to climb averaging about 80rpm, sometimes into the 90’s. I"m now down to the low 70’s and its faster overall in the lower cadence due to the gearing. I find that my legs can stand the harder gears better then my lungs can stand spinning up hills. You’ll need to find what works for you. Remmeber, what works for you today may very well change as your condition and fitness changes in the future.
If I spin uphill too fast, my heart rate goes too high, if I reduce cadance and use a harder gear, My HR stays in check, the legs hurt a tad more, but I go uphill faster.
That’s funny because I have been working on my climbing lately and I find myself more comfortable seated and using higher cadences. On flats I try to keep a cadence around 90 to 95, but climbing I try and keep it over 95.
One thing I try to do is gauge a hill before I start climbing. I go into the run up in the big ring and as small a cog as possible and then drop to the small ring at the beginning of the climb. I use my cadence to determine when to bleed off gears, and shift down a cog or two when I stand up. I try to stand only to bring my cadence up or attack the very crest of a hill.
sorry dude if your cadence is over 95 you are not “climbing” you are riding over a bump not a hill that would be considered a climb.
I guess we all have our own opinion. Obviously you have never ridden around where I live, it is very hilly here. Mostly 1-2k rollers. Not many mountain type climbs but still plenty of work to be done.
Man, when I do over my 14% grade hills, I am in my 34/28 gear, 6 mph, and spinning maybe 60 with my 200mm crank arms sitting down.
Come do the auburn triathlon. I have some 14% hills I want to see your RPM’s on. I see no way you could spin 95
I don’t think I could either. you asked for techniques that people use. I told you that. I don’t have too many grades that steep. Maybe I should have clarified in my original post.
You know another thing you could do is just mount your trainer vertically on the wall and spend 6 or 8 hours a day spinning straight up.
Just find whatever one can, and just do them. I try to just go up the hills steady, and then have go as hard as I can once I start cresting the top.
I personally like to spin and hate to grind. I have only done Haleakala, Helen 3 Gap, Brasstown Bald, Poncha in AR and just competed the Mt. Lemmon Ride on May 7th. My average cadence up Mt. Lemmon was 81 while my normal cadence on the flats is 88 to 93. I have compact with a 27 rear cog for climbing. My brother that lives in Golden, CO is a grinder and his cadence is a least 10 to 15 less than mine. He climbs all the time in CO and finished in 2:19 and I finished in 2:35. Not bad for my fifth climb in my life. I am from KC and the average about 1,500 ft of climbing on my 43 mile ride. I get out of the seat when my body tells me to; I just know when and I always shift down a gear or two to keep my pace. I much rather tax my HR than to “punish my legs”. My average HR was 168 my LT is 178.