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Climbing - I'm terrible at it.

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Climbing - I'm terrible at it.
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flag Explodo
Posted: Apr 24, 2019 at 11:41 Quote
R-M-R wrote:
5. Stay cool and hydrated. Start your ride under-dressed and chilly, if your climate allows it. Overheating is a major limiting factor to performance.

LOL The "cool" part is generally going to be very hard in the DFW area. Growing up in the south, I found that wicking materials are the devil when riding. I'd rather be covered head-to-toe in sweat that's evaporating off my skin than having a material take it from me. This was a lot of years ago, but I tried riding in wicking material a couple of times in the south and nearly died of heat exhaustion from it. The materials are likely far different now, but if the water isn't evaporating off your skin, you're not getting cooled.
flag R-M-R
Posted: Apr 24, 2019 at 12:12 Quote
Explodo wrote:
LOL The "cool" part is generally going to be very hard in the DFW area. Growing up in the south, I found that wicking materials are the devil when riding. I'd rather be covered head-to-toe in sweat that's evaporating off my skin than having a material take it from me. This was a lot of years ago, but I tried riding in wicking material a couple of times in the south and nearly died of heat exhaustion from it. The materials are likely far different now, but if the water isn't evaporating off your skin, you're not getting cooled.

Well, do your best. Every region and every person has unique challenges.

Perhaps you can soak your clothes before leaving (I do that in extreme - by local standards - heat), carry your water in a frozen reservoir or frozen collapsible bottles in your jersey pockets, or other tricks this northerner hasn't heard of.
flag whitebirdfeathers
O+
Posted: Apr 28, 2019 at 20:51 Quote
R-M-R wrote:
Most of the tips you hear about heart rate zones, intervals, etc. apply to advanced to elite athletes. For those who aren't at that level:

1. Ride efficiently. High saddle for full leg extension and get your hips forward. Try sliding your saddle all the way forward on the rails and see how that feels; it's quick to test and doesn't cost anything.

2. Ride hard. Really hard. Intensity is more important than duration, but everything helps. The only way to improve is to push beyond what your body was already prepared to do - i.e. gains are proportional to overreach.

3. Ride often. Once per week won't produce much improvement. If you don't have time to ride, put on your running shoes and do some hill sprints (or flat ground sprints or stair sprints if you don't have hills). Do something, anything - and push yourself hard.

4. Get pumped. About one hour before riding, take as much caffeine as you dare - it makes a huge difference.

5. Stay cool and hydrated. Start your ride under-dressed and chilly, if your climate allows it. Overheating is a major limiting factor to performance.

These are all great tips. For me the following help me climb fairly quickly and always keep improving.

- Ride at a fairly high cadence. 90 - 100 rpm allows you to react quickly and explode up a climb.

- Look further up the hill but not to the top. Keep your head up and your wind pipe open.

- Ride with people faster than you. Doing this regularly forces you to get faster.

- Strava, although hated by lots of people, allows you to track your progression and chase better times.
flag dscoduc
Posted: Aug 26, 2019 at 21:45 Quote
I found that my climbing strength increased tremendously when doing spin classes. Just the whole process of going hard, then slow, then hard again, made my climbing strength increase.

Also, I never focus on the top, or even far up hill, preferring to just focus on keeping my cadence smooth and steady.

For those spots where there is a slight incline due to runoff breaks it’s useful to burst up over the rise in order to avoid slowing your cadence.
flag DhDWills
Posted: Sep 11, 2019 at 11:41 Quote
sphynx88 wrote:
I have no endurance while climbing. I'm sick of it. Even in the granny gear.

Recently just got back into riding, used to focus on downhill, now more XC riding.

I moved from the PNW to Dallas, TX where you'd think I'd have no hills to climb, but I'm finding even on short creek crossings or semi technical climbs I just can't do it.

Here's the odd thing, I've done several century rides on my road bike and never really fell behind on climbs then.

I've thought about done more fitness training specific to this (leg extensions, squats and leg curls), as well as some more intensive stationary bike rounds. Or, do I just need to go riding more? (probably both).

Anyone have any good experience with this? Thanks!

I have experience with this. My solution? Bike park season pass. Problem solved.
flag raddad0410
Posted: Sep 28, 2019 at 6:27 Quote
Agree with the leg length, however crank arm length is a cheat so watch out with that because the pedal strikes are real. Go with the shortest arm you can and make your riding adapt to that. Make sure your leg position is good and that will help a lot. Also I'd say it would benefit from doing core work. The stress on your legs and back alter at different riding positions and when your back isn't pulling a fair load, that transfers to your arms and your legs in different ways. Abs, lower back, arms actually do a lot of work and you can train those easily on ride or non-ride days. Alter your ride days, make sure you hydrate! It's been said before and can't be stressed enough.

Don't forget to have fun! Get gains from the hills but know you're doing better and be proud of that. Keep your head in the game.
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