General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Struggling on hills on bike Rss Feed  
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2012-03-28 1:23 PM

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Subject: Struggling on hills on bike

I have discovered that one of my main weaknesses in triathlon is struggling on hills on the bike. I live in a hilly area so all my races (mostly sprints and olympics) involve a fair bit of climbing.

I have recently started doing a few group rides, and I find that I can always stay with the group on the flats, even when they are pushing the pace. As soon as there is a hill, however, I just can't stay with them. On the shorter hills, sometimes I can bust a gut and stay with them until the top, but then I am so exhausted that I can't continue to push the pace and they get away from me on the downhill/flat.

Should I do some specific work on hills? Any ideas on what I should do? 



2012-03-28 1:25 PM
in reply to: #4117409

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Not a Coach
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
Ride more and ride harder.  Keep riding with people who force you to do that on the hills.  You will get better at them.
2012-03-28 1:27 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
JohnnyKay - 2012-03-28 3:25 PM

Ride more and ride harder.  Keep riding with people who force you to do that on the hills.  You will get better at them.


x2; and, if you can, lose weight. Climbing is all about power:weight ratio; maximize the left, minimize the right.

Shane
2012-03-28 1:27 PM
in reply to: #4117409

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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

1.  Lose weight if applicable

2.  Ride more

3.  Ride more hills (lots more)

4.  Try a compact crank

2012-03-28 1:35 PM
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Elite
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
I'm mop-bop on the bike, so take this for what it's worth. My most rapid gains in climbing have been from hill repeats. I found a long, somewhat steep hill and did it over and over again. It was hard to make it to the top the first time. In a fairly short period time I was doing repeats on it and getting stronger. 
2012-03-28 1:37 PM
in reply to: #4117409

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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

x2 on the hill repeats.

I've been riding a regular route that has two climbs of a mile plus. After only a few times, the difference in strength is noticeable.



2012-03-28 1:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

Of course all of the previous suggestions are applicable, however, a compact crank and maybe different rear cassette gearing could also help.

 

Harold

2012-03-28 1:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

Hill repeats, ride more, rider harder.

Nothing too complicated really. Riding with better riders will make you push yourself a lot more than you normally would.

2012-03-28 1:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

Agree with everyone else.  Ride more, when on flats, hammer it!  You can actually improve on hills by riding more and hammering the flats.  But the ideal is that hills are part of your rides.  I used to be exactly where you are not that long ago.  Now when I ride I have days where I OWN the hill I'm riding.  Great feeling.  Also, there will always be those who are better on hills than you.  So if you're with a bunch of more experienced cyclists and are getting dropped, that's just natural.  Keep pushing.

2012-03-28 2:14 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

What kind of bike do you have?  I only ask because for my first two years I thought I was just a lousy climber even doing hill repeats, etc...  And -- I did get better with the repeats, but when my LBS closed (where I had bought my bike) and I took it to a new one..the guys just shook their heads and showed me an article in bicycling mag...it basically said my bike (jamis comet) was built for smaller distances with flat terrain...I live in N. CT...there is no flat terrain.  It was great on flats because it had a really aggressive aero positioning (people I rode with had a hard time telling if I was in aero or in my drop -downs when they were behind me!)  That made getting into a "good" climbing position very hard -- most of my weight ended up over the stem.

On the other hand..another rider gave me some great advice that gets me through a tough climb...it's not how fast you get to the top but what you can do once you get there!!

2012-03-28 2:29 PM
in reply to: #4117409


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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
To expand on gearing. You didnt say if you had the gearing to spin up the hill or if you were having to slow grind. More strength of course is good but the right gearing lets you make the most of what you have now.


2012-03-28 9:21 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
Find some mountains to climb... preferably ones that take an hour or so to climb.
2012-03-28 9:25 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
There aware no hills in chicago. Any other suggestions? I sometimes turn up the resistance on my trainer but that gets miserable quickly.
2012-03-28 10:01 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

I think Dave Zabriske used to sometimes do his "hill" training on flats into a headwind. Hill repeats do not have to be 12% grade for an hour. If you're climbing repeats on 7% for 4-10 minutes, you'll see benefits. I have to say also their are some good targets hill training trainer workouts that you can pick up and work with.

Good luck.

MW

2012-03-28 11:32 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
Other than the obvious ride more hills, practice gearing down strategically when you get to a hill. I find I pass the most people on hills because a lot of people don't understand how to gear down properly and end up using energy needlessly spinning on high gears. You wanna keep the tension equal on your legs, so when the ground goes up slightly gear down slightly. 
2012-03-29 6:35 AM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

matcrawf - 2012-03-28 9:25 PM There aware no hills in chicago. Any other suggestions? I sometimes turn up the resistance on my trainer but that gets miserable quickly.

Road trip back down to B-town and ride the hills in the Hoosier National Forest or Morgan-Monroe.



Edited by mobey 2012-03-29 6:36 AM


2012-03-29 6:55 AM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

matcrawf - 2012-03-28 9:25 PM There aware no hills in chicago. Any other suggestions? I sometimes turn up the resistance on my trainer but that gets miserable quickly.

Or head towards Wisconsin. Seems that people from down in Chicago will call the suburbs area "hilly", but it's really not. It's just not quite pancake flat. 15 seconds to get over something is not really a "hill". There seems to be a distinct difference between the states starting right at the IL/WI border in a few locations.

Going hard on the trainer really will help though. I do well enough in the hills when traveling and I'm in the suburbs.

2012-03-29 7:46 AM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

Not sure what your age / heart health is, but that may be another angle to check out if you have the right gearing, etc.  I used to ride in CT (on a triple), and was decent with hills.  One year, I seemed to be getting slower and more winded on the hills, and needed longer recover time.  Bottom line, is that my mitral valve was starting to leak an excessive amount, and a year later I was being scheduled for heart surgery for a repair.  The hills (change in ability to climb) were the first indicator.  Now I am "fixed," working on my fitness, and starting to relearn how to climb (with few hills here in VA).  Maybe its time for me to try hill repeats (just about any ride in CT is hill repeats!).

2012-03-29 8:09 AM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
mobey - 2012-03-29 7:35 AM

matcrawf - 2012-03-28 9:25 PM There aware no hills in chicago. Any other suggestions? I sometimes turn up the resistance on my trainer but that gets miserable quickly.

Road trip back down to B-town and ride the hills in the Hoosier National Forest or Morgan-Monroe.

Great advice. Going to IU right now and the rides down here are great. 

2012-03-29 9:56 AM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
I suck at hills too and all my buddies that are good said they only got good after doing hill repeats.  It's not fun but it will make you a better rider.  They also are fairly lean so not as much to haul up the hill. 
2012-03-29 10:11 AM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike

matcrawf - 2012-03-28 10:25 PM There aware no hills in chicago. Any other suggestions? I sometimes turn up the resistance on my trainer but that gets miserable quickly.

That's the point - what is miserable now will be less miserable next time.

Actually, it will be just as miserable, you'll just go faster.

John



2012-03-29 11:33 AM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
indianacyclist - 2012-03-28 12:45 PM

Hill repeats, ride more, rider harder.

Nothing too complicated really. Riding with better riders will make you push yourself a lot more than you normally would.

x2

2012-03-29 3:03 PM
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Subject: RE: Struggling on hills on bike
Everything mentioned but also check your RPM's on the hills. When I first started I tried to power up the hills taking my cadence down low. It took the starch out of my legs for later in the ride. Through practice on the trainer to acquire better form I can keep my RPM's in the 90-100 range unless it's a monster by down shifting.
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