How to Climb Hills Efficiently When Cycling
Climbing hills on a bike can seem quite daunting. Focus on your technique, however, and you can make it a lot less painful.
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Things You'll Need
- Bike Shorts
- Bike Helmets
- Bike Jerseys
- Bike Pumps
- Bike Shoes
- Bikes
- Biking Gloves
Instructions
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Consider your equipment. Having toe clips, or clipless pedals, will make you much more efficient on hills. It also helps to have a clean drivetrain and to make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure (see Related eHows "Maintain a Clean and Efficient Bike Drivetrain" and "Maintain a Bike's Tire Pressure for Good Performance").
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Select the proper gear for the hill. Find a gear that allows you to maintain your rhythm. If the grade changes, you may need to shift often to stay in the groove.
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Stay relaxed. If you tense up, it will make getting up the hill all the more difficult. Keep your arms loose. Don't hold the bars in a tight grip.
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Sit back on the seat and focus on your spin. Pedal smoothly. Try not to favor one leg or the other.
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Standing up in the pedals from time to time is good. It allows you to switch muscle groups and stretch out a bit.
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Concentrate on breathing out. Breathe all the way out and let your lungs fill back up on their own.
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Consider your riding position. Is your seat too far forward or too far back? Is your seat too high or too low? (See related eHow "Determine the Correct Saddle Height for your Bike.")
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Power over the crest of the hill. Many riders start to ease up before they get to the top. Keep the power turned on, and you will have a smoother transition into the flat or downhill.
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Tips & Warnings
Always wear a helmet when cycling.
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Comments
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Nov 22, 2005
Try to keep the pace by riding to the rhythm of a song or piece of music. -
Nov 22, 2005
With a great deal of practice it becomes much more efficient for both feet to propel the bike at all times, while climbing or on the flats. While the right foot pushes forward at the top of the stroke, the left foot should simultaneously claw backward at the bottom. The right foot should push forward or pull downward while the left foot claws upward. Then it's the left foot's turn to push forward and pull downward while the right foot does what the left one just did. By these means, the legs will apply force all the time. The pedal action will become smoother, unlike the choppy, up-down action of beginners. To prevent cramping, introduce this technique slowly. Try it for 1 minute on the first ride. Increment the duration slowly during later rides until you come to understand the technique. After a month or so you may notice that your calf muscles have grown.
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Nov 22, 2005
Try to keep the pace by riding to the rhythm of a song or piece of music.
