Re: Gear ratios and hills
Posted: 19 Jun 2011, 7:37pm
Sorry if this seems like a necro bump but I wished to say thank you to everyone who posted good advice on this thread.
Last year I completed a sportive and had to walk up many hills (I realised cycling the same course today I walked up 5 hills last year, not 3 as my first post
)
I attending the same sportive today and had to give up on only 2 hills. One was 17% and the other was a ridiculously long road of pain that I decided to walk up to preserve me for the remaining 40 miles home!
This was only possible thanks to some tips from CTC members here, so thank you
The things I did to train are:
* I was given the book "100 hardest hills in England" - I've been completing some as training
* I changed my style so I start hills slower, grind up in a "comfortable gear" and keep a rythm in place. If I grind up at 7mph, its better than stopping after starting at 10 ...
* I try to remember to bend my arms more while cycling uphill
* Practice, gaining more mental staying power and self belief
I realised today that I am overgeared for 17% hills, but I think thats really quite extreme! So I'll be sticking with my rear cassette.
Thank you,
Jenny.
Last year I completed a sportive and had to walk up many hills (I realised cycling the same course today I walked up 5 hills last year, not 3 as my first post
)I attending the same sportive today and had to give up on only 2 hills. One was 17% and the other was a ridiculously long road of pain that I decided to walk up to preserve me for the remaining 40 miles home!
This was only possible thanks to some tips from CTC members here, so thank you
The things I did to train are:
* I was given the book "100 hardest hills in England" - I've been completing some as training
* I changed my style so I start hills slower, grind up in a "comfortable gear" and keep a rythm in place. If I grind up at 7mph, its better than stopping after starting at 10 ...
* I try to remember to bend my arms more while cycling uphill
* Practice, gaining more mental staying power and self belief
I realised today that I am overgeared for 17% hills, but I think thats really quite extreme! So I'll be sticking with my rear cassette.
Thank you,
Jenny.