How to Hill Climbing on a Bicycle
Love 'em or hate 'em, hills are part of every cyclist's life. Whether you're tackling some easy rollers or doing an epic alpine ascent, there are some keys to successful hill climbing.
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Instructions
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How to Hill Climb on a Bicycle
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1
Judge your ascent. Unless your goal is to climb a single hill as fast as possible, you should try to be efficient and conserve your strength for the entire ride. If the hill is long, you'll want to ration your effort accordingly.
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2
Gear down. Shifting into a lower gear will help you save energy.
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3
Maintain a high pedal stroke (revolutions per minute). Pedaling slowly while pushing a high gear is a sure way to wear your legs out quickly. Pedaling faster in a lower gear shifts the burden onto your cardiovascular system, which can recover faster than your leg muscles.
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4
Sit up and breathe deeply. Allow your lungs to expand and take in as much oxygen as possible to fuel your cardiovascular system and provide fresh, oxygenated blood to your leg muscles.
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5
As you reach the top and the grade eases, shift to a higher gear, accelerate over the top, and take advantage of your speed as you start downhill.
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Tips & Warnings
If the weather is hot and the ascent is long, unzip your jersey as you start the climb to avoid overheating.
On long climbs, drink frequently, particularly in hot weather.
Wear your helmet when you ride.
Stay within your limits, particularly if you're new to the sport. Stop and take a break during your climb if you need to.
