tips for climbing?

[sugarfree135]

Hey guys just got back into mtb’ng after a 6 year break Question is i’m 27 yrs old and getting smoked by 50 yr old men. They’ll just push up these mountains like a boss and i’m stopping to take a break and walking my bike. I’ve been doing it for about a month now. Do you trhink I just need more time to get in shape or is there something i’m doing wrong? I mean if i ride really steep long hills spinning in 1-1 i get to a point where I have to stop. Is my seat height too low? Am i just a P#$$y?? lol Thanks for any tips or support for my severely out of shape a$$ lol

[Dustin Gaddis]

Let me tell you a story. When I first bought my bike, the 3rd time I took it out to a trail I met two older guys who invited me to ride with them. I didn’t know my way around the trail system, so riding with someone seemed like a smart idea. So there I was on my brand new aluminum full suspension bike with air shocks and disc brakes and 27 gears, and these old guys were on steel single speed hardtails. I thought "well this is going to suck having to wait for these guys". We rolled out from the trailhead and they took the lead since they knew the route. I stayed on their wheel, until we hit the first climb, at which point they dropped me like a bad habit. To make matters worse, I was trying really hard to keep up, and they just pedalled off into the sunset chatting like it was nothing.

"how are the kids?"
"they’re good, we’re planning a vacation now"
"oh well that’ll be fun!"

and I’m waaaaaay behind gasping for air…downshift…downshift…etc

Fast forward to modern day, I’m 27 now and the guys I do big rides with are all in their 40’s or 50’s, and they’re all still faster than me most days.

Cycling is an endurance sport, and the more you do it, the better you get. Some of those old guys have been riding longer than you’ve been walking.

So just keep riding, and respect your elders. 😆

[fat_billy]

Are you running clip in pedals or flats? Clip in pedals allow riders to pull up when pedaling and is smoother and faster. It’s the old pedal in circles montra. 😄 Later,

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

"dgaddis" wrote

Cycling is an endurance sport, and the more you do it, the better you get. Some of those old guys have been riding longer than you’ve been walking.

So just keep riding, and respect your elders. 😆

So true. The guy that taught me to ride is in his mid 50’s now, and he told me that the benefits of youth (on a mountain bike) are fast reaction time and quick healing from crashes. However, your endurance just continues to grow and grow as you get older. He’s been riding since the 80’s, and he can even attest to his own endurance getting better with age. I’m sure at some point the backwards slide begins, though 😀

That’s not to say that young guys can’t keep up, but if you want to perform at a high aerobic level for a long period of time, you’re going to have to put in A LOT of time!

[tonkota]

What he said there.

Also, I’ve been training pretty hard lately (race series in two weeks!) and what has helped me to move up hills faster is never using the tiny chain ring on the front. I’m done with it. My legs burned and my heart pounded, but I’ve not gone back.

[sugarfree135]

Awesome guys I appreciate the replies I use flat pedals btw, I have to step off a LOT in the rocky terrain i ride when climbing so clipless is a big no for me. Sounds like I just need to keep on pushing myself. Does it matter that I can’t get out there every day because of my work schedule? Is that going to slow down or halt my progress?

[Dustin Gaddis]

The more you ride, the better you’ll get. But, just do what you can and have fun, that what matters most. I get out two or three times a week usually.

[rsb201]

I agree with tonkota, I rarely use the tiny ring….ever. Next time your out on the trail, resist the urge to downshift to the small chainring. Your going to feel it in your legs and lungs, but weather the storm my friend, cause in time, you’ll be glad you did. You are able to carry so much more momentum and keep the power to the rear wheel rather than spinning like a mad man, red-line your ticker and be completely wiped out and getting nowhere fast!! Another bit of advice is to keep riding with the faster group and you will push your abilities and soon you will find yourself on there rear wheel or maybe them seeing yours!! Its definitly a good way to guage your progress rather than riding solo. Good luck 😃

[ollysj]

"dgaddis" wrote

The more you ride, the better you’ll get. But, just do what you can and have fun, that what matters most.

This
I ride alot with younger guys. Some are faster, some slower…
All that matters to me, is having fun out on the trails. Comparing me to others, would take the fun away.

[Fitch]

"dgaddis" wrote

The more you ride, the better you’ll get. But, just do what you can and have fun, that what matters most. I get out two or three times a week usually.

Just quoting this for it’s spot-on accuracy. If mountain biking was easy, more people would do it!

It’s a true "the more you put in, the more you get out of it" sport. The best one, too!

[Sackattack]

Read the tips in the hill climb training thread in this forum. Some of those folks gave some great advice.

[DanK_NoCo]

Living in CO we have some long, relentless climbs.
Once I’m in basic shape (like the OP, I took ~7yrs off and restarted a couple years ago) – riding the quick after work climbs without stepping off at all. I like to alternate: 1) slog thru a longer climb with as few stops as possible (not concerned about pace) 2) ride the short climbs in a higer gear. 1, 2, 1, 2. When this plateaus, choose a longer/harder 1 and/or 2. 1, 2, 1, 2.
You can do 1,1,2,1,1,1,2 or whatever works into your schedule. Try to ride 2-3+ times a week to make progress.

[Corey Maddocks ✓ supporter]

"DanK_NoCo" wrote

Living in CO we have some long, relentless climbs.

And that’s just to get to the actual climbing. 😆

[toxic_]

I’m a noob at this, but just ride a lot basically. I’ve only been doing it for six months, but I’m now climbing hills easily that just a few months ago had me burning and breathing like a beached whale.

If you’ve got to granny gear, granny gear. Just get up the hill. You’ll be moving up quick enough.

[arkinet]

I agree with what was said… saddle time is the key.
I consider myself a noob, and one time a girl overtook me on a climb, told me she can hear me wheezing 20 yards down 😮 … took it as a challenge and just keep pedalling.
It takes time, what I did was making some realistic goal. Like on a specific climb, if its a really long one, I will make plan on stopping only twice, then once, and the ultimate will be clearing it to the top.
Also, like mentioned in another thread, proper breathing is crucial. I experienced exercised(or biking) induced asthma on 2 or 3 climbs before, and its no fun at all. But as I purposely regulate how i breath, it makes a lot of difference.

[sebastien]

My advice for climbing would be try to get some momentum before you hit the incline then downshift to keep spinning up..

++Dont use your granny gear, try clipless

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