Shifting on a Hill Climb

[warday]

Does anyone have any recommended techniques for changing during a hill climb? In particularly the front chain ring. I have just bought a new road bike with a triple. On the weekend I did a good 60km ride with a friend. There were a few hills to test me out. On most I could still spin along with the 39T ring and a big gear at the back. However, there were a couple that I wanted to drop to the granny ring. My problem was as I was in a big sprocket on the rear, to drop to the smaller ring would loose all my momentum and send me over spinning. All I did was stand on the pedals, get off the seat, and kept pushing along.

I guess with a few more Km's I will know when a hills going to hurt and drop to the granny ring before I hit the hill. What is the best technique to keep the pedal cadence and momentum right going into the hill?

Thanks

PS. For anyone thinking of going from a MTB to a road bike - do it! On the open road it is so much better - Still keep the MTB though!

 

[gclark8]

Learn to double shift, down one at the front, up three at the rear at the same time, then go down one at time at the rear as you climb. Or get onto the small ring earlier on the hill, most will work with 6/7 of the 9 (rear) without any problems.

 

[mezzinator]

It's an experience thing really.

Like the previous guy said you drop a ring at the front and maybe 3 on the casette to compensate.

If you're putting a lot of power through the pedals, ie out of the saddle, changing down gears can cause all sorts of awful sounds. I keep the cadence speed the same but for only a fraction of a second take the power off while the chain drops. It makes for some seamless gear changes and only about a 1/3 of a second off the power, great for hill sprints. Takes some practice tho. It's won me many a sprint where others sit back in the saddle to change gears as the hill gets long.

 

[artemidorus]

I don't have a triple so I don't experience this "problem", but I imagine that you would change up 2 or 3 on the rear, rising from the saddle as you do it so you can put down the extra pedalling torque needed, and then sink back on to the seat as you drop onto the granny chainring.
Or else stay seated and try and put in two successive quick upclicks on the right shifter at the same time as the downclick on the left, while backing off for half a second.
If you rode Campagnolo, then you could change up 2 or 3 on the rear and down one at the front simultaneously while remaining seated.

 

[warday]

Thanks for the feedback.

I will try the double shift technique. I have come from an entry level MTB. A shift like you have described would have led to a chain crash on the MTB - not much fun when clipped in on a hill!

 

[cycleski]

Advice I got from pro rider was - anticipate and get into the correct chain ring while on the flat or slight downhill just befor you need it, sprocket changes can be made under load. That big cadence change can really stuff you and drop you out the back if in a group and drains energy to get back on. Generally there is gear overlap in ratios between chainrings anyway.
Dont suggest you change chainrings and sprockets at the same time, good way to drop or jam a chain.

 

[artemidorus]

Dont suggest you change chainrings and sprockets at the same time, good way to drop or jam a chain.

When I change to the big chain ring on my double, I shift front and back together routinely - up at the front and down two at the rear, both hands working together. Haven't run into trouble yet. I don't do the opposite, however, that seems to be risky - I guess because one is loosening the chain rather than tightening it. That, I suppose, is an argument against the double shift technique when going down gears.