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Difficulty with hills - any advice - Page 2
| jumpexchange | 17 May 17:41 |
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Joined: 28 Feb 2009 Posts: 8 Bike: | Hi I took up cycling again about 3 months ago after 10 years of very little exercise. I am overweight (5'4" lady weighing 12.5 stone - down from 13 stone 3 months ago). On the weekends I enjoy cycling with my son on the cycle track (spen valley greenway) which gently climbs in one direction and then it's down hill all the way back. But in the week I am trying to cycle part of my route to work, increasing the cycling part and reducing the drive bit by bit. I live near Heckmondwike and work in Leeds. I now cycle Cottingley area to Leeds and back but it's all long and steep hills up and down for the rest of the journey home. I have tried a few hills from time to time on road and have to get off and walk within a minute or two - I dont seem to be getting any further with practice - is there anything I can do to get better at hills? My problems are that my throat feels red raw and my legs go to jelly. Thanks in advance for any advice. |
stuartkendall 
| 20 Jun 18:15 |
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Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Posts: 25 Bike: My Profile | depends on the size of the dog. With a big snarling rabidly aggressive one that i couldnt out-run i'd put the bike between him n me. Failing that just make sure you ride with someone slower than you :) |
| My Latest Route: Apr 2009 St Mellons to Coed Coesau and Draethen Loop | |
| Ian9393 | 23 Jun 08:20 |
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Joined: 23 Jun 2009 Posts: 2 Bike: | Jumpexchange - I hope the cycling is still going well. The best advice I can recommend (which I use when cycling uphill) is to chant to yourself! I often ride along muttering "I love hills, hills are great" or something like that. "first mile's the worst mile" is another old favourite. If you stick to the same route on a regular basis, you get to know how long it takes and which are the worst bits (as I am sure you know). It's those never-ending hills that you don't know which are the worst! Good luck! As for dogs, they do provide a remarkable injection of energy into a cyclist's legs! I am generally scared of most dogs but they are usually harmless. Always expect one to pop out when you are passing a farm! |
| Nobby the Snake | 24 Jun 11:05 |
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Joined: 24 Jun 2009 Posts: 1 Bike: | Hi jumpexchange; hope you find this useful, Okay me and my partner recently discovered the joy of cycling with 4 kids in tow. Now she was very nervous of the roads and traffic at first, but gradually gained confidence, now we are quite confident at all aspects off safety. What you need is a course in climbing on a bike, it involves changing of the gears (the twiddly bits on the handlebars) one should say 1/2/3 on the left. Or 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/or eight. Now up hill you need to select a gear and it has to be 1 on the left and 2/3/4 on the right when climbing a hill. This will have you knackering yourself out by the time you get to the top, but wholly satisfied......Hope you find this useful |
| jumpexchange | 10 Jul 17:00 |
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Joined: 28 Feb 2009 Posts: 8 Bike: | Hi Thought I'd drop in to say I'm still keeping going, trying hard to get up the little hills. I am getting there on some hills (that most of you will probably consider very gentle hills) without going right down the hills. I'm recovering a bit more quickly after getting up the hills too. It really is taking a long time, progress is slow, but I do now feel I am going in the right direction. Thanks for all the advice and encouragement, it really helps. |
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shnuggs
| 11 Jul 12:18 |
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Joined: 10 Jul 2009 Posts: 19 Bike: My Profile | Hi Jump! How far are you riding? You need to keep it simple as a beginner, don't go too far until you are capable of it but also doing less than 20minutes isn't giving your body time to warm up properly either! Just stick to 30 mins 3-4 times a week at first and build up gradually. As for the hills just focus on something close by like a lampost or a fencepost, never look toward the end of the road, big no no. The further away you aim the harder your target becomes, pass your lampost then aim for the next, just don't look up the hill! And keep positive, telling yourself "I can do it!" not "I can't do it!" You'll get there! |
| My Latest Route: Sep 2009 Durham Circular via Iveston and Thornley | |
| jumpexchange | 16 Jul 18:00 |
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Joined: 28 Feb 2009 Posts: 8 Bike: | Hi I only do about 20 minutes each way on the way to/from work (because I drive the rest), then I do much longer rides on fairly flat routes on the weekend and some evenings. These rides are no problem - I can ride for hours on the flat.. it's just the hills I was really struggling with. The short targets have helped - next lamp post etc. And my technique is improving but I have a long way to go in terms of strength and stamina. I can't ride any more distance of my route home until I can manage a 2 mile long hill, since there is nowhere to park between where I park now and about 2 miles up the hill. I can do about half a mile now up hill as long as it isn't too steep so I have a way still to go, but when I first posted on here, I was struggling within a minute of starting up hill, so I do feel I am improving... no more joggers have overtaken me recently!!!! |
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shnuggs
| 17 Jul 09:17 |
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Joined: 10 Jul 2009 Posts: 19 Bike: My Profile | Well thats great it sounds as if you really are coming on! I have to point out that I am a beginner too so I understand exactly what you are going through. My ride to work (7.6miles) takes me over quite a hill it's about a 100 metre rise. On the way there the climb is about a mile long so it is pretty steep, on the way home the hill is about 2.5 miles which should make it long but easier you would think, unfortunately there are a couple of flat bits and a dip part way up which means the very last part of the climb is almost vertical! The ride home used to take me well over half an hour, it now takes 26 minutes. The point is with practice and a lot of effort, it is do-able. Just be prepared to grit your teeth and sweat like a beast! Lol One tip I picked up from somewhere was 'in order to learn how to climb hills you have to practice climbing hills' I know it sounds like a stupid statement but you did say that you can ride flats for hours so why don't you try introducing a few gentler hills into your leisure riding and work on getting up these quicker. Time yourself from bottom to top of a climb and each time you do it try and be quicker. When you feel you are ready then move onto a slightly bigger climb or a route which takes in a number of gentle climbs and gradually build the intensity. But don't forget to factor in rest days, no matter what activity you undertake your body must be given chance to recover! Have fun and take care, keep us posted! |
| My Latest Route: Sep 2009 Durham Circular via Iveston and Thornley | |
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davetheconvert
| 19 Jul 08:51 |
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Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 4 Bike: My Profile | Jumpexchange, keep up the work. I have only been cycling six months now after being quite a keen runner. I think the advice given so far is all good. I would add that when facing a hill expect some pain! This is generally caused by a build up of lactic acid. Through training and improved fitness levels, the point at which the lactic acid builds up to a painful amount will change. Meaning that you'll be higher up the hill before it hurts. You can also train yourself mentally to withstand the pain. Remember pain is only 'temporary discomfort'. It is your friend. Once you've finished the hill the 'discomfort' you have just endured will start to give you plenty of endorphins. Another technique you can use is to change the type of muscle and the muscle group itself that you work as you climb. You can use your calfs and hamstrings more (taking the effort from your quads) by digging down with your heel on each down stroke. Similarly if your climb out of the saddle you will change the muscle groups you are using (although this is a less efficient use of energy). Fast easy peddalling will use your fast twitch muscle fibres and slow treacle like peddalling will use slow twitch fibres. So when climbing out of the saddle you can try selecting bigger gears, plodding on for a while really trudging onwards, then return to the seat, whilst still peddalling drop the gears, make it easy and speed up your cadence. I wouldn't recommend this for distance rides, but to and from work this will help. |
| My Latest Route: Jul 2009 Abbots Bromley to Blithbury Circular | |
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stuartkendall
| 31 Jul 14:53 |
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Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Posts: 25 Bike: My Profile | in fact its a pretty good method for distance rides too. I find standing up and using your bodyweight a bit saves energy. Then when you get a little tired get back down to your spinning. Simples :) |
| My Latest Route: Apr 2009 St Mellons to Coed Coesau and Draethen Loop | |
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cinammongirl
| 01 Aug 11:41 |
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 Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 12 Bike: My Profile | im not sure i am near as techie as others here, but what i can say is that, you should carry a little spray bottle on your pocket (an accessible one) and have in the little bottle some lemon juice (the one you can buy in supermarkets). If you ever should have more problems with the dog, and for some reason you stop pedaling, then spray the aggressive dog on the eyes with the lemmon juice. This should sting, but it is not harmful in any way and it would buy you a few seconds if not minutes to get away. As for the red-raw throat, drinking water is a very good idea, but, if you're doing this in slightly colder months, then perhaps it would be useful to invest on a cycling mask. I use one during winter months, so that the air that i would inevitably be breathing through my mouth, would be a touch warmer than the real ambient temperature. |
| My Latest Route: May 2010 Woolwich Dockyard to Catford Station | |
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Stargazer
| 08 Aug 18:45 |
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Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Bike: My Profile | Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but do you use cleats/clips on your pedals? Being "attached" to the bike will help, you can actually pull back on one pedal as You push down on the other, works for me. |
| My Latest Route: Aug 2011 Chester Circular Via Kelsal Hill | |
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Mark Randlesome
| 21 Aug 19:45 |
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Joined: 18 Jul 2009 Posts: 7 Bike: My Profile | Hi , i got back into cycling last year and had the same problems with hills..... I have found that if you stand up and lean forward so that your shoulders are almost over the front wheel, this seems to give more 'push' if i'm in a higher gear. I then use this posture and target myself to a lampost or parked car etc then go into granny gear (Easiest gear) and sit down and peddle/rest/breathe then go back up a gear and do the same process again untill i'm up the hill!!!!! It seems to work for me and I hope it helps you too |
| My Latest Route: Aug 2010 Corfe Mullen to Verwood Loop | |
| pirate | 22 Aug 07:48 |
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Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 1 Bike: | Hi, I think this is one of the questions that gets asked so often and i believe there are many factors to consider. I like yourself had a long break from riding but always kept fit. I agree with other replies with respect to food and hydration. you need a good carbohydrate meal inside you before taking on hills, i.e pasta, porridge. my favourite is spaghetti with honey and cheese and a 2 egg omlette plus a pint of water. take an energy drink with you and water plus energy bars etc if your out for a long ride. also when climbing, when i am pushing down on one pedal, i pull up on the other, this increases efficiency. Get into a comfortable gear early so that you dont lose momentum trying to change gear going uphill. If you can, use clip in pedals as these are more efficient, i.e pushing and pulling stroke. I also do alot of extra leg work, i.e weighted step ups, lunges, squats, hamstring curls which build up strength and endurance. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Hope this helps |
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Demon
| 23 Aug 08:32 |
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Joined: 23 Aug 2009 Posts: 29 Bike: My Profile | I too have relatively recently returned to cycling. I started up again 3 years ago after about a 16 year break and now have over 4,500 miles in my legs. Yes the hills are a bitch for me too as I'm just not built for hill climbing (6' tall an 16st), which is unfortunate as I live in Sheffield. But I can get up them now, but slowly, and all the advice that you have received so far works well. What I do is use the gears to their full extent, if I need the double granny, then I use the double granny, that's what it's there for. I'm surprised at how long it has taken for someone to mention having your feet cleated to the pedals, it's the first piece of advise I give to people. If you haven't already headed this advice can I urge you to please do so, I use the Shimano SPD and they do make a big difference. Once your feet are held firmly on the pedals, pedalling becomes so much easier, you then need to go at your own pace don’t worry if the cyclists who are built like whippets fly past you, you will get there eventually. Just keep pedalling and push yourself out of your comfort zone every so often. |
| My Latest Route: May 2010 Circular round Isle Of Anglesey | |
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forlinianslip
| 27 Aug 05:37 |
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Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 17 Bike: My Profile | One of my regular riding haunts include the state of West Virginia. Back roads, all of them hilly, with many dogs coming after me. It's very hard to get past a dog going up hill! I started taking a bottle full of water mixed with hot peppers..something of a pepper spray. Ha! The dog retreated with a whimper! But I'm not so sure this is a solution I would recommend for everyone! Regarding mouth dryness, if you pant heavily, you will of course get a dry mouth. Try sucking on a piece of hard candy. It should keep your mouth and throat dry. With the others, I would advise keeping a steady pedal rotation, shifting your gears down one by one until you run out of gears. In some cases, when you have shifted as far as you can and when you are completely out of breath, you just have to give up and walk up the hill. Walking gives you a chance to catch your breath. There's no shame in walking the last part of the hill. Remember that the people passing you in the cars didn't do any bike riding on their trip! |
| Alfer | 27 Aug 14:37 |
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Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 1 Bike: | I am a rider very long in the tooth, but well remember the best piece of climbing advice I got, on the first club run with my then new club: Take a look at the climb/hill, and decide (by experience, the way your legs & lungs are feeling, whatever) which gear YOU would be able to go up it in. Select that gear, and then immediately one lower. Start to spin. This advice is based on the hugely sound principle that it is much better for your legs on a hill to be able to change up from an 'easy' gear to a higher one, than to be forced to change down from a 'hard' gear to an easier one because you have overstretched yourself and your body can't sustain the effort. The corollary to this is the reason for the capitalised 'YOU' above. Never, ever, ever try to climb at a higher pace of someone else in the group. Choose the one that suits you and stick to it. |
| hels | 28 Aug 10:14 |
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Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Posts: 1 Bike: | Hi, This might sound wierd but engage your stomach muscles! Not the ones across your tummy but the ones deeper inside, a bit lower down. I do Pilates and a cycling Pilates teacher gave me this tip. The muscles are so strong it really does seem to make a difference. Good luck! |
| Loopy-lou | 25 Sep 15:30 |
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 3 Bike: | Well done you for keeping at it! I too have started cycling recently after not being on a bike for 10 years. I agreed to do a 20 sponsored bike ride so had to start practising (2 months to practise!!) I found the hills a killer, and after my first practise ride of 2.5 miles leaving my legs feel like jelly I wondered what I had let myself in for. I gradually built my route up to 10 miles (including hills) and then managed the sponsored bike ride with no aching muscles the next day - result!! AND i have carried on cycling since. With the hills when i started to feel 'the pain' (knees, throat, chest etc) I set myself a target further up the road and got to that point and then stopped for a quick rest and drink and then set off again. The next time my target was a little further up the hill and i built on it from there. Hills are still the nasty bits but i can sort of do them now without feeling like i'm gonna die or collapse (and i no longer have jelly legs!) |
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jimwoo25
| 25 Sep 16:37 |
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Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Posts: 50 Bike: My Profile | just keep going! I hadnt riden for years until last year but now do 180 miles a week to work and back and ive never been fitter! Just keep going, bigger hills get easier. Practice makes perfect. no advice is needed on what gear you should be in etc, just keep the ratio up and keep pushing yourself and you reap the rewards for your efforts! Happy pedaling! Jim |
| jumpexchange | 25 Sep 17:55 |
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Joined: 28 Feb 2009 Posts: 8 Bike: | Haven't ridden for a couple of weeks for various reasons so I feel like I've got a lot of work to do to get back to where I was. My chain broke on a hill last time I rode. The bike is less than a year old and is good quality. Is that likely to be an indication of bad technique? A very kind experienced cyclist stopped to help me fix it (I do like the camaraderie - another cyclist stopped and asked if we needed any help too... huge thank you to all of you have stopped to help us inexperienced cyclists!!!!), which I was very grateful for as having the tools is not enough if you dont know what you're doing!!! Having put the chain back on, is it OK to ride again or should I repace the chain with a new one? It got me thinking, what should I be carrying around with me? My chain tool was hard to use but luckily the one the chap who stopped to help had seemed much better. Other than the chain tool I have some allen keys, a pump and lights. Feeling inspired by all your encouragement to get back on my bike this weekend. |
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Stargazer
| 30 Sep 08:29 |
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Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Bike: My Profile | I should think the chain failure was just one of those things. Just one question, do You clean and lube it regularly? I'd hope that once repaired it should be OK, after all they are jointed to get the on the bike. As for what to carry with you, you've opened up a whole new thread there methinks! Personal preference and weight will play a big part in everyone's choice. I carry the 'usual' multi-tool thingamy (like a swiss army knife but with allen keys and stuff), a couple of Wilko's finest brake cables (can use 'em on the gear linkages too), mini pump, tyre levers and a puncture repair kit. HTH? |
| My Latest Route: Aug 2011 Chester Circular Via Kelsal Hill | |
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bazuti
| 01 Oct 06:15 |
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Bike: My Profile | Hi, You will get there, I cycle to work 7 miles ew.(28mins) 3 days a week.If I feel ok I may make it up to about 20miles on the return journey. As an alternative I have a hardtail for access to work along the canal, same distance(40 mins.)better scenery. The urban bike's lowest gear always requires me to make an effort up hills, which gives me some training. The hardtails lowest gear could almost get me up a mountain without a massive effort!(slight exaggeration) Recent weekends have seen me doing long distances on both surfaces, without a constant reference to times and speed. The barometer I use is always listen to your body! invariably there is a good reason why it is protesting; moreover enjoy the cycling! Canals have limitations and potential dangers but I make an effort particularly when going under Spaghetti junction(6.30am.)to appreciate how lucky to have this option given the lunacy that is taking place 24/7 immediately above! It isn't always race! Good luck. |
| My Latest Route: Aug 2010 Birmingham to Stafford Canal Loop | |
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