My ratio's are 53/39 on the front and 21-19-17-16-15-14-13-12 Yip - ita a roadbike.
I'll give that technique a shot.
Thanks
"Pann McCuaig" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <
[email protected]>, Greg wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I'm looking for some advice/tips for doing hill work - for as long as I
can
> > remember I have always had trouble getting up hills - it feels like I'm peddling through mud -
> > and everyone else is flying by me. (I'm not a
light
> > fellow and am not build like a climber)
> >
> > Any idea what my gear ratio should be for hills. Would it make much of a difference changing it?
>
> Two things.
>
> First, if you haven't changed the gearing on your bike (road bike?) you can be pretty sure your
> lowest gear is too high. Look into replacing your smallest chainring with one with fewer teeth, or
> replacing your rear cluster with one that has a bigger large cog.
>
> Two, a technique I read about (probably in Bicycling magazine) many, many years ago worked for me
> when I moved from Wisconsin to Oregon and had to deal with hills.
>
> When you approach a hill that you think is going to give you trouble, shift into your lowest gear
> well _before_ you start climbing, and bleed off speed until you can barely balance the bike.
> Continue at this pace. You should be able to get up the hill fine.
>
> Once you have done this a few times and have a feel for what sort of slope _requires_ this
> technique, you'll be able to adjust accordingly. For someone who has trouble with hills, knowing
> that you _can_ ride up the damn thing is important to building the confidence required to spin on
> up them things just like "everyone else."
>
> Luck, Pann
> --
> geek by nature, Linux by choice L I N U X .~. The Choice /V\
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> GNU /( )\ Generation ^^-^^