Up hill training

Personal preference.

Some folks swear by the latest round of elliptical chainrings, others are more dubious. But I would say if you're going to use them then use them for most if not all of your riding, not just hills.

-Dave

It's a personal preference thing. Note that the quality of shifts on the front derailleur go down--sometimes a little, sometimes a lot--with oval chainrings. IMHO, I think there are better things to invest in first before oval chainrings, and for hills, the number one thing to invest in is time climbing.

i think that the benefits of oval chainrings are more "placebo effect" than anything else, but after Wiggins winning the Tour and olympic gold on them we might see more people using those, anyway you do need to focus on your pedalling technique in training regardless of your chainring choice, you pedal in circles not on downstrokes only, lower your heels a little bit and push backwards with your gastrocnemius at the bottom then pull up with your Quadriceps, in racing or club rides it is very helpful to concentrate on pedalling-right instead of panicking either when you get drop or when you are in front with a chance of winning,

I've never used them simply because the round chainring is more pleasing to my eye. I'm a little shallow that way.

When I am doing up hill training I simply ride uphill a lot. Either single long climbs or multiple reps of short climbs. Whatever is available to the geography within which I reside at that particular moment.

use what you normally use

To do better on hills...you better DO hills.

IOW, don't worry about the equipment. Just go out a ride the climbs. The more vertical miles you put in, the better you are going to be at climbing.

That said, I do not use the non-round chainrings, but I'm a believer in them. If you want to try a new crankset/rings, you have a good excuse to do so. They're not for everyone, but I am convinced they improve power output/pedaling smoothness/whatever for some.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by alienator [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

It's a personal preference thing. Note that the quality of shifts on the front derailleur go down--sometimes a little, sometimes a lot--with oval chainrings. IMHO, I think there are better things to invest in first before oval chainrings, and for hills, the number one thing to invest in is time climbing.

And number two is a weight-reduction program. For the rider, not the bike.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

To do better on hills...you better DO hills.

IOW, don't worry about the equipment. Just go out a ride the climbs. The more vertical miles you put in, the better you are going to be at climbing.

+1

Yeah, unfortunately the only sure fire way to improve is to practice climbing on hills.
Cruel experience has taught me this much

Will do. thank you all for all the advice.

As for the

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by oldbobcat [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

And number two is a weight-reduction program. For the rider, not the bike.

that I am doing. So far in 2 months I have lost 20 lbs and I am now on a 2000 Cal diet. The best thing is that I have seen my stomach flatten up a bit. Even my wife says that I am not so round now.

What Cadence should I shoot for on going up hill? 90? im not worried about speed just yet, just getting up the hill in the most effective manner without dropping in to the lowest gear I have.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Dave Pace [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

What Cadence should I shoot for on going up hill? 90? im not worried about speed just yet, just getting up the hill in the most effective manner without dropping in to the lowest gear I have.

Your uphill cadence is going to be relevant to your own cadence baseline and what is comfortable to you. Looking at my last flat TT data, my avg cadence was 104. Much higher than a lot of folks like but it works for me. On climbs it can dip down into the 80's and lower. Especially if I run out of gears. Lots of this is really just trial and error and finding out what works riding uphill a lot. The key is finding a gear that allows you to keep your speed up while not blowing and going into the redzone.

Dave,

Even without a Garmin or GPS toy, you can track your vertical feet of climbing by mapping out your routes on Map My Ride. The tracking of climbing give me more motivation to do hill workouts...which are painful to legs and lungs for every rider.

Another tip is use a climbing mantra. Get your own mental mantra going in your head timed to the pedal strokes you are making as you fight gravity. I have several mantras, but normally use "Uwe Ampler-Uwe Ampler-Uwe Ampler". The name of an old pro rider I used to follow...stupid, but it just pops into the brain at the most painful moments! Focus on form while climbing...speed and endurance will come with time.

You may want to get a few 'favorite' hills to ride. Start with the hills you do best on and sort of enjoy getting over. Work your way onto longer and steeper hills as you develop your climbing abilities.

BTW, I ride with a couple of Clydes that are very good climbers with enough power to make the flyweights hurt on certain grades and hills.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Another tip is use a climbing mantra. Get your own mental mantra going in your head timed to the pedal strokes you are making as you fight gravity. I have several mantras, but normally use "Uwe Ampler-Uwe Ampler-Uwe Ampler". The name of an old pro rider I used to follow...stupid, but it just pops into the brain at the most painful moments! Focus on form while climbing...speed and endurance will come with time.

I got some of them mantras myself. The women in those lemans classes seem to be onto the same medicine. I hear the pain of birthing a child is similar to (edit) worse than climbing up the Galbier in the big ring.

danfoz said:

I got some of them mantras myself. The women in those lemans classes seem to be onto the same medicine. I hear the pain of birthing a child is similar to  (edit) worse than climbing up the Galbier in the big ring.

A very effective strategy is to slot in behind a female rider sporting a shapely sugar coated [censored]. It makes climbing so much easier. As a bonus, as you get hipmotized by her flexing and unflexing muffins, you'll stop worry about how long it takes to get up the climb. Here's a good example of what to follow: [IMG ALT=""]http://www.cyclingforums.com/content/type/61/id/275154/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]

"I'd take up yoga just to fit in that box."

"Define box."

"I got some of them mantras myself."

Feel free to use mine...just don't let anyone hear you huffing it out aloud. You might get carted off in a straight jacket.

Say...wait a minute! NYC doesn't have any hills! You're going to those lemans classes to stare at wimmenz, aren't you!?!?

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]
wait a minute! NYC doesn't have any hills! You're going to those lemans classes to stare at wimmenz, aren't you!?!?

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Dave Pace [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

It may be a little hokey, especially being a single guy. Plus, that's a very specific fetish... Dave.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by danfoz [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

It may be a little hokey, especially being a single guy.

Even Blowup dolls need to learn to breath properly. I mean they always look like they are Gasping for air worst then Evans going up a hill in 2012.