[Wolfspyder]

When coming up on a climb I usually try to power up them in the highest gear I can make foward progress in. Is that better or worse in the long run? Should I drop into a lower gear so my legs are making more rotations to get up the hill than in the higher gear?
I don't have a road bike, or a trainer yet, so the only thing I do is ride the trails for exercise(besides crunches/free weights) but I want to increase my stamina. I tend to get winded pretty fast after 1 or 2 good climbs. I can't get into running either, I need stuff to grab my attention or I lose focus. So, I find running to boring.

Any advice is helpful, thanks.

 

[Topaz]

this is for longer hills which you can't just sprint over

1. Pre-riding a course will let you know if you need to be in the small, medium or big chain ring. If you don't know its better to start low and work your way up.

2. Change gears before you hit the bottom of the hill to avoid dropping a chain or getting stuck in the wrong gear.

3. Don't pedal really fast going into the bottom of a hill in an attempt to keep your momentum. It's just going to shock your system and put you in oxygen deprevation making the whole climb harder. Allow your speed to slow naturally and then settle into the climb.

4. Now build up your speed. Constantly try a higher and a higher gear until you find the optimal gear. Continue to search for the optimal gear as the elevation changes. For most people its much more efficient to spin than to mash gears.

5. Slowly build your speed as you climb and try to save just a little so that you can accelerate over the top of the hill. That's where you should finally redline. If you go to hard to soon you'll blow up, suffer and end up going slower overall.

 

[Serial Midget]

Yeah - what he said, spinning is better than mashing.

 

[ET_SoCal]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
... spinning is better ...

Ditto. :dancing:

Also sounds like Topaz was describing racing (or in race-mode)

One other thing is when changing gears (when it's super-steep) and I'm in third or second, and I need to shift to first, I'll give a good two or three hard cranks to get just a little more speed, then east up as shifting down to first. All the while keeping a good smooth spin ink: ink: ink:

 

[scroungydog]

i tend to mash gears myself. most of the climbs i do lately are on the shorter side and i can get away with powering my way up. thanks for the advise i do need to just settle in at a good pace. road riding has really helped me develop a nice even peddling stoke.

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by scroungydog
i tend to mash gears myself. most of the climbs i do lately are on the shorter side and i can get away with powering my way up. thanks for the advise i do need to just settle in at a good pace. road riding has really helped me develop a nice even peddling stoke.

In the short term this willprobably work for you just fine but... when you are as old as I am, all that mashing will destroy your knees.

 

[ChrisNJ]

i never use the small ring...i find that i spend more time spinning and not getting anywhere. Of course, im in nj, and that explains a lot. Maybe if i had real mountains, it would be a different story. I use the middle ring, and probably the 2nd to top rear gear for the harder climbs.

 

[Mecannoman]

Originally posted by Wolfspyder
When coming up on a climb I usually try to power up them in the highest gear I can make foward progress in. Is that better or worse in the long run? Should I drop into a lower gear so my legs are making more rotations to get up the hill than in the higher gear?
I don't have a road bike, or a trainer yet, so the only thing I do is ride the trails for exercise(besides crunches/free weights) but I want to increase my stamina. I tend to get winded pretty fast after 1 or 2 good climbs. I can't get into running either, I need stuff to grab my attention or I lose focus. So, I find running to boring.

Any advice is helpful, thanks.

You're asking a couple of questions here.

a) Depending on the climb (how long, % grade), you should settle into a rhythm, unless it's a short 'roller'. I've attacked in 53x16 up some humps, but that's with training. I prefer to spin in 39x21, and save my legs for the final sprint.
b) Increasing stamina is done with long rides at tempo, or sustained heart rate. Go out for long rides - 2 to 4 hours in duration.
c) Running can be fun, if you vary the routes. Try sprinting for street signs. Beware the weight room, though. Don't run after a leg workout - this can lead to extreme fatigue, and poor recovery will result.
d) Take baths in epsom salts (1 cup per 8 inches of water), unless you have high blood pressure. Your heart rate will increase, but this does remove acid buildups.

 

[1speed]

1 gear is all you need. limit your choices and ride a Singlespeed! takes all the guess work out

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by ChrisNJ
i never use the small ring...i find that i spend more time spinning and not getting anywhere. Of course, im in nj, and that explains a lot. Maybe if i had real mountains, it would be a different story. I use the middle ring, and probably the 2nd to top rear gear for the harder climbs.

Ummmm... me too. Neither of my road bikes is equiped with a triple. 39 is all you need to climb.