[UnderPar]

I did a quick search but couldn't find an answer. I've only been on a bike since aug, and I ride with a group and hate holding them up on long hills. There a .4 mile climb, don't know the grade, that I always hold them up on. What's the best way to get better?
I can slowy spin granny/granny and make the climb without stopping but spinning fast enough to keep up I can only make it halfway before my legs and lungs give out.

I can hold my own on down hills, switch backs, and rock gardens.

What should I do to get better on the climbs? I know I need to ride as much as I can, but how should I be attacking the hills. Sit and spin like mad like the guys on 26fs do or power a bigger gear like the guys on single speeds do?

 

[kevbikemad]

if climbing is the weakness, go climbing 2 times a week to get better. no magic pill, you might even learn to enjoy it.

spinning is usually the best way to climb - but do what comes natural. big gears tend to fry the legs quicker.

it takes time to get better. climbing is also effected by weight (yours and the bike to a lesser degree).

good luck

 

[UnderPar]

We still have 12in of snow on the trails. I bought a new set of rims so I'm putting street tires on my old ones since the roads are cleared. There's a 2 mile, 800 ft vert rise, road near by that I plan on training on. I was given a cheap computer for christmas so I can watch my cadence. Should I alternate between spinning and mashing on different days? If so what rpms for spinning? And when I ride like a SS what rpm?

 

[I Drink Blatz]

Last year I lost 30lbs (down to 180lb) and I hit the gym in the winter doing lots of leg work. My hill climbing improved termendously

 

[tcstoned]

Alternate between spinning and standing. Do lots of hill work, try to keep your cadence around 100 when training.

 

[spartan034]

time on the bike.

 

[AZ]

Alternate between spinning and standing. Do lots of hill work, try to keep your cadence around 100 when training.

Hill intervals are particularly effective .

 

[ireland57]

I did a quick search but couldn't find an answer. I've only been on a bike since aug, and I ride with a group and hate holding them up on long hills. There a .4 mile climb, don't know the grade, that I always hold them up on. What's the best way to get better?
I can slowy spin granny/granny and make the climb without stopping but spinning fast enough to keep up I can only make it halfway before my legs and lungs give out.

I can hold my own on down hills, switch backs, and rock gardens.

What should I do to get better on the climbs? I know I need to ride as much as I can, but how should I be attacking the hills. Sit and spin like mad like the guys on 26fs do or power a bigger gear like the guys on single speeds do?

I was in a similar situation (no weight to shed but a bit unfit for the task) not long ago but due to hill work it's drastically improved; once a week for 3 mths I did a very hard climb and rode with faster club riders. It made a huge difference.

I did find pushing a high gear wrecked me very quickly so I tend to spin; that's getting better though. A road racer friend (76 year old) said "spin, spin, spin."

[/QUOTE]
Alternate between spinning and standing. Do lots of hill work, try to keep your cadence around 100 when training. [/QUOTE]

Holy sh1t. OK. I'm ok at high 80's; more work to do yet.

 

[pop_martian]

You wanna get better at Tennis? Play tennis. You wanna get better at basketball? Play basketball. You wanna improve your hill climbing ability on a mountain bike? I bet you can't guess how to do it can you?


Answer: Ride up hills on your mountain bike.

 

[flargle]

Ride lots.
--Eddy Merckx

 

[Poncharelli]

Put out more power and/or lose weight. Best to do both.

Takes time though. I remember getting dropped from my first club rides years ago. It took 4 seasons before I could hang on with the top guys. Still can't hang with some of them.

Every seAson I get a little better, but just a little.

 

[Mike Di]

I suck at climbing, having said that....... I here's my 2cents.
Primarily was a rec road rider, just for fitness. I live in a flat area so hills are hard to come by.
I use to find a steady climb and just do hill repeats. I found that after the third time climbing, I'd feel more relaxed, and actually had faster times, often pushing harder gears.
Relaxing during a climb took me several years to figure out, on the road.
Work on breathing also. Long road climbs will give you a chance to work on control as you climb.
On the trail, with a group, chasing the pack, all jacked up.... tough to measure progress.
I still can't relax on long woods climbs. Too much going on, rocks roots etc.

 

[Bioteknik]

consistency and patience... getting fast on the bike takes a lot of time in the saddle.

 

[Gotta Know]

You wanna get better at Tennis? Play tennis. You wanna get better at basketball? Play basketball. You wanna improve your hill climbing ability on a mountain bike? I bet you can't guess how to do it can you?

Steroids?

On a serious note, you should hit that climb two times a week and do repetitions. Climb up, coast down, and repeat. I recommend alternating high and low cadence surges in the same session.

 

[UnderPar]

Weight is not a problem at 160. I am in better than average shape, I'll put in the time on the bike, I just wanted to make sure that I "practiced" the right way.

 

[Le Duke]

160lbs.... How tall are you?

And, as I've stated many times on this forum, you don't have to train on hills/mountains in order to be fast up them in races.

Get yourself a nice watts/kg relationship, and where you train is irrelevant.

 

[ptfmb71]

time and lots of climbing. Using a SS also helps because you are pushing a higher gear and probably standing. I used to hold people up and 4 or 5 years later I have trouble finding riding partners that can keep up with me.

 

[broken spoke]

It sounds like your bike skills are fine comparatively to your friends. Bottom line it sounds like they are in just better shape than you and that's why you can't keep up with them on the hills. Find out what they are doing when your not riding together and excesd that in your training. You'll close the gap quickly.

 

[used2Bhard]

yup

time on the bike.

Time... It takes years to get to a high level, but I'm guessing by the end of this next summer you will be competitive with the group on a bike if you work at it. It was around a year that I hit my stride and got much faster.

 

[Greg WJs]

Find slower friends.