Going uphill

[David Waters]

Doing my usual 50mile weekend ride, from Manchester to
Buxton and bike (taking in the hills of course ) I noticed
that the Galaxy goes up hills a lot more sluggishly than my
mtb. Why is that a £1000 bike takes more out of me than a
£200 bike? Surely the Glaxy is designed for road riding and
should go up better? The mtb is lighter which could make a
difference i suppose. Does the riding position make much of
a difference or not really?

 

[Dave Kahn]

On Sun, 16 May 2004 17:04:20 +0100, David Waters
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Doing my usual 50mile weekend ride, from Manchester to
>Buxton and bike (taking in the hills of course ) I
>noticed that the Galaxy goes up hills a lot more sluggishly
>than my mtb. Why is that a £1000 bike takes more out of me
>than a £200 bike? Surely the Glaxy is designed for road
>riding and should go up better? The mtb is lighter which
>could make a difference i suppose.

Going uphill weight is hugely important.

>Does the riding position make much of a difference or
>not really?

The classic seated hill climbing position on a road bike is
to sit more upright with the hands on the tops of the bars.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. -
Mark Twain

 

[Zog The Undenia]

David Waters wrote:

> Doing my usual 50mile weekend ride, from Manchester to
> Buxton and bike (taking in the hills of course ) I
> noticed that the Galaxy goes up hills a lot more
> sluggishly than my mtb. Why is that a £1000 bike takes
> more out of me than a £200 bike? Surely the Glaxy is
> designed for road riding and should go up better? The
> mtb is lighter which could make a difference i suppose.
> Does the riding position make much of a difference or
> not really?

Weight, and you can use your upper body more on an MTB
because the bars are wider. A light, unsuspended MTB with
slicks climbs faster than anything except a "hill climb"
bike, which is a 15-16lb track bike with a big sprocket.

 

[David Waters]

Zog The Undeniable wrote:

> David Waters wrote:
>
>> Doing my usual 50mile weekend ride, from Manchester to
>> Buxton and bike (taking in the hills of course ) I
>> noticed that the Galaxy goes up hills a lot more
>> sluggishly than my mtb. Why is that a £1000 bike takes
>> more out of me than a £200 bike? Surely the Glaxy is
>> designed for road riding and should go up better? The mtb
>> is lighter which could make a difference i suppose. Does
>> the riding position make much of a difference or not
>> really?
>
>
> Weight, and you can use your upper body more on an MTB
> because the bars are wider. A light, unsuspended MTB with
> slicks climbs faster than anything except a "hill climb"
> bike, which is a 15-16lb track bike with a big sprocket.

ahhh that must be why my mtb eats hills then! It has nice
slicks on it!

 

[Vernon Levy]

> >
> > Weight, and you can use your upper body more on an MTB
> > because the bars are wider. A light, unsuspended MTB
> > with slicks climbs faster than anything except a "hill
> > climb" bike, which is a 15-16lb track bike with a big
> > sprocket.
>
> ahhh that must be why my mtb eats hills then! It has nice
> slicks on it!

You might also find that you have different gear ratios at
your disposal on the two bikes. I'd anticipate that the MTB
will have lower gears than the Galaxy.

 

[Vernon Levy]

> >
> > Weight, and you can use your upper body more on an MTB
> > because the bars are wider. A light, unsuspended MTB
> > with slicks climbs faster than anything except a "hill
> > climb" bike, which is a 15-16lb track bike with a big
> > sprocket.
>
> ahhh that must be why my mtb eats hills then! It has nice
> slicks on it!

You might also find that you have different gear ratios at
your disposal on the two bikes. I'd anticipate that the MTB
will have lower gears than the Galaxy.

 

[Peter Fox]

Following on from David Waters's message. . .
>Doing my usual 50mile weekend ride, from Manchester to
>Buxton and bike (taking in the hills of course ) I
>noticed that the Galaxy goes up hills a lot more sluggishly
>than my mtb. Why is that a £1000 bike takes more out of me
>than a £200 bike? Surely the Glaxy is designed for road
>riding and should go up better? The mtb is lighter which
>could make a difference i suppose. Does the riding position
>make much of a difference or not really?

Just a thought. You'll have got used to certain gear
combinations and the 'comfey' (to suit according to
conditions) one where you can get settled-in for maximum
thrust at sustained output is not going to be as easy to
get right on your new bike. Possibly there is a need, but
psychological resistance, to drop down a ring due to
larger wheels.

[I speak as somebody who does far fewer miles than you at a
time and would sell my bike if it involved having to cycle
up the Pennines. Hills - Just say No!]

--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded
[email protected]
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides

 

[Anonymous]

"vernon levy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > >
> > > Weight, and you can use your upper body more on an MTB
> > > because the
bars
> > > are wider. A light, unsuspended MTB with slicks climbs
> > > faster than anything except a "hill climb" bike, which
> > > is a 15-16lb track bike
with
> > > a big sprocket.
> >
> > ahhh that must be why my mtb eats hills then! It has
> > nice slicks on it!
>
> You might also find that you have different gear ratios at
> your disposal
on
> the two bikes. I'd anticipate that the MTB will have lower
> gears than the Galaxy.

Not that will make a difference on road - Galaxy has 26x32,
which is really quite low. (I'd only want lower on road for
loaded touring or for a tandem)

cheers, clive

 

[Soup]

Soup popped his head over the parapet,saw what was going
on and said
> Doing my usual 50mile weekend ride, from Manchester to
> Buxton and bike (taking in the hills of course ) I
> noticed that the Galaxy goes up hills a lot more
> sluggishly than my mtb. Why is that a £1000 bike takes
> more out of me than a £200 bike? Surely the Glaxy is
> designed for road riding and should go up better? The
> mtb is lighter which could make a difference i suppose.
> Does the riding position make much of a difference or
> not really?

All the other reasons/responses plus the frame geometry
MAY be more suitable for riding uphills on your ATB.
Just my thoughts no proof whatsoever.

--
Yours S. addy not usable (not that you would try it) ( )
Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant! / \
www.killies.co.uk/forums/index.php