Hill Climbing



Filto

New Member
Nov 24, 2007
4
0
0
I have just purchased my first road bike and the terrain where i live has alot of very steep hills.
I just needed some advice on hill climbing as when i hop out of the saddle it feels almost like im going to snap the bike when i twist from side to side but sitting down i just fatigue very quickly and have to stand.
Any help would be greatly appreciated cheers.
 
Hill climbing will become easier as you get more fit, but for now concentrate on keeping your bike in a low gear and sit for as long as you can. For most people sitting is more efficient once they are strong enough. Standing will give you an added speed boost, but it uses more cardiovascular energy and you'll actually tire quicker on a longer climb than if you sit. At this point do not worry about how slow or fast you are. When you have to stand do it smoothly and try to not jerk the bike around with a lot of upper body movement. Ideally you should rock the bike gently from side to side. Wildly thrashing your upper body around just wastes energy.