sitting in front of the saddle, keeping the arms bent while holding the hoods when climbing, engages the core muscles .. it has helped me a lot on steep climbs ..
Have a regular hill you train on and experiment with sitting and standing and using different gears. You can then measure your progress and what happens to you when you use different gears etc so you learn your limits and capabilities and are not caught out experimenting too much on a big group ride and end up blowing up.
Thanks for the feedback, David. We agree - pacing is the most important thing to get right - and you have to get it right from the start. If the climb is unrelenting you simply won't be able to recover from oxygen debt and end up having to stop to recover.
I'd like to say that I just discovered this video and the climbing advice is the best I've ever seen in a youtube cycling video. The only thing I'd add is: If the climb is long, don't get yourself in prolonged oxygen debt. I mean, you say it explicitly in the video, but that point needs to be emphasized.
Good video. Fitness is everything. As the video says, most hills are too short for the body to improve so I use gym training. The only tip I can add is to breath deeper earlier. Don't wait until you have to. Heavier bikes are good for training too.
I agree with the video. My last climb was 90 miles at 8K feet. Being new, i used too much of my quads and hamstring and hardly touch my core, as a result, I cramped 5 miles before hitting the top of the mountain. Lesson learn.
Hello! Just a quick note to say thanks for this video. I'm a beginner road cyclist with very poor technique, so this has been a great help!! I now realise why I have been crippled half way up most hills, despite being relatively fit. Thanks again!!
You should find you establish a rythym fairly naturally. The point here is that you need to be be deliberate and focused on pacing your breathing to your effort - this will help you to remain relaxed as well. The out breath is the one to pay attention to. The in breath will take care of itself - but you need to ensure you've expelled all the CO2 so you can get the next full lung full ( similar to when swimming)
Nice tips on uphill climbing. I agree on keeping shoulders relaxd and focus on breathing ! However your tip on breathing should be full 2 circles of pedal strokes and changing seat and back position while climbing is a new thing I learnt. I willl give a try !
climbing style is always different for everyone, my style during long climb efforts i always grab on the hoods it allows me to breath easier and to accelerate fast if needed..
A breathing rhythm is important so you can monitor your effort. When I climb I breathe in on one complete revolution of the pedals and breathe out on the next revolution. When I'm on the limit I breathe in AND out on one revolution. The point is that if I feel oxygen deprived on the faster breathing cycle I am going at an unsustainable pace (for me) and that means either a) I'm responding to an attack, or b) I need to dial it back. Prolonged oxygen debt is a real killer when you're climbing
Standing while climbing uses 12% more oxygen and brings HR up by 8%. This video is a bit slow-paced, but there are some really great tidbits like this sprinkled thru it. Worth watching if you're interested in road bike climbing technique.
Not many hills in my area, so I'll just go with lots of repeats on small ones and hope for the best. I'll post if we made it or not ;). Thanks for the advice!
Start low and change up to which ever gearing feels comfortable for the pace you establish. Most climbs will have varying gradient so you'll need to change up and down over the course of the climb. Hope that helps.
I have a two great short hills for climbing that are relatively short and I do exactly that. I do them twice or three times for more gain and I have noticed the difference in different climbing positions.
I thought the rider was going to crash @ 3:46! Where is his drink bottle? He also needs to drop his saddle about 8mm next time he gets a bike fit. What cranks is he running? Looks like an interesting BCD diameter.
This was great thank you for the video it was very helpful. I am a new biker and I wish to become a competition biker can you give me some tips on what do as far as strength training.
This video and voice instructions was very well done. While the video gives simple instructions the video is not simplistic. For the experienced climber it re-enforces the basic points of climbing on a bike. Thank you!
Hey - While running will have given you good endurance fitness - the muscles you'll be using on Ventoux are different - unless you've been doing a lot of hill training with your running. I've heard it said that in an up hill running race a cyclist will beat a runner due to the muscles developed being better suited to it. So I'd suggest getting some hills in on the bike or failing that taking your running to the hills. Hope that helps Cheers
Hey - Breathing with the diaphragm by pushing the stomach out on the in breath is the way to go.You'll be drawing air deeper into the lungs and so facilitating increased oxygen transfer. This is the case whether you're climbing or not. Cheers - Glad you liked the goat.
I would train on the hills on the hybrid as its heavier and make you stronger quicker, or carry a rucksack with 7kg of potatoes in it. And when your out on your rides with a group, fly up the hills, ok go a little faster :D
Yes my problem is when I do a hill climb I attract it too quick instead of pacing myself resulting in running out power too quickly more practice is the solution and getting fitter.
You hate what you are not good at. Make it a challenge. Pick a small hill and do hill repeats and in no time you will master it. I guarantee you won't hate climbing then; you'll even go out and find bigger hills. That is exactly what I have done. I enjoy climbing now, just so I can descend. :-)
Hey - I was wondering if your bike was really 27 kg and how damn fit that would make you:) Nick had this same question a few months ago - It’s been estimated that one kilogram of excess weight on a moderate grade at a fixed cycling effort has a cost of about three seconds in one kilometer. So you should be able to take around 20 second per km off any climbs your doing. It'd likely be more - if your road bike has cleats where your previous bike didn't you'll have an extra advantage.
Very helpfull vid, thanks! Also, a question for you, or anyone else: my brother and I are both new to cycling, but we both have a decent amount of experience with running. We took up the plan to try to tackle a few mountains in France this summer, particularly Mt. Ventoux. So I was wondering: how well does running/general fitness translate to climbing by bike? Is it enough to have good general endurance, or should we have more bike-experience to tackle something like Ventoux?
Hey - I was wondering about your 27kg bike and how damn fit that would make you :) NIck had this same question a few month ago - It’s been estimated that one kilogram of excess weight on a moderate grade at a fixed cycling effort has a cost of about three seconds in one kilometer. So you should be able to take around 20 second per km off any climbs your doing. It'd likely be more - if your road bike has cleats where your previous bike didn't you'll have an extra advantage. Cheers
ok but what if the gradient of the slope changes and the cadence drops, do you adjust your breathing to the cadence or the opposite? thanks again, great tips!
i've seen my friend's rear derailleur fail and the hanger fails with it when shifting while pedaling during climbs... after that incident, i always do a split-second freewheeling while clicking the shifter.. but everytime i started to pedal again, i feel like i'm throwing more energy than usual... am i doing it right? or its just my friend's derailleur that's faulty?
I'm still trying to understand the numbers of the gears. On the left 1-2-or 3. What gear do I use for hills and what number gear do I use on the right.
+Laineyslife You'll learn faster by trying than by reading an explanation. Try again and again the right, then you should understand how it works in couple of minutes. Then do the same with the left. Then go for your ride (don't try to learn in the rush, but near your home, alone).
Weight is weight really. Today I saw a guy climbing a hill with a cage holding a cooler like it was nothing on his old mountain bike. I'd work on the body first, then when you swap to a better bike, you will be amazed at the difference.
Hello when i am climbing while standing even for like a couple of minutes my heartrate blows aways over 170bpm when i normally gor for 130-140 its just spikes like that very very fast
Thanks CyclingSecrets for this vid :) However I got 1 question. I recently did my first climb (col d'ispenguy french side 50 mins. not an impressive climb but allas) and I found that my avg. heartrate during the climb was really high, above my anaerobic zone, on flat ofc. but I did feel like I had way more energy to spend though, as I could still sprint easily near the top . So, during a climb, how can I pace myself? As it was massively diffrent from pacing myself on flat.
It’s been estimated that one kilogram of excess weight on a moderate grade at a fixed cycling effort has a cost of about three seconds in one kilometer. So you should be able to take around 20 second per km off any climbs your doing. It'd likely be more - if you're road bike has cleats where your hybrid didn't you'll have an extra advantage. 17kg ? Really?
Thank you very much, this helps a lot. I really appreciate that you showed the different positions and the corresponding muscles that do the work.
sitting in front of the saddle, keeping the arms bent while holding the hoods when climbing, engages the core muscles .. it has helped me a lot on steep climbs ..
Hey man ! Please come back, your content speaks to me & your demonstration is crystal clear. Please start making content again!
Hope you are well !
Have a regular hill you train on and experiment with sitting and standing and using different gears. You can then measure your progress and what happens to you when you use different gears etc so you learn your limits and capabilities and are not caught out experimenting too much on a big group ride and end up blowing up.
Thanks for the feedback, David. We agree - pacing is the most important thing to get right - and you have to get it right from the start. If the climb is unrelenting you simply won't be able to recover from oxygen debt and end up having to stop to recover.
One of the best climbing videos I have come across.. Thanks..
Great stuff. It's worth going over these points no matter how long you've been riding. Thanks :-)
I'd like to say that I just discovered this video and the climbing advice is the best I've ever seen in a youtube cycling video. The only thing I'd add is: If the climb is long, don't get yourself in prolonged oxygen debt. I mean, you say it explicitly in the video, but that point needs to be emphasized.
Good video. Fitness is everything. As the video says, most hills are too short for the body to improve so I use gym training. The only tip I can add is to breath deeper earlier. Don't wait until you have to. Heavier bikes are good for training too.
I agree with the video. My last climb was 90 miles at 8K feet. Being new, i used too much of my quads and hamstring and hardly touch my core, as a result, I cramped 5 miles before hitting the top of the mountain. Lesson learn.
agree with your answer... but the light wheels will help on climbing even more than a light frame... just a quick 2cents!
Hello! Just a quick note to say thanks for this video. I'm a beginner road cyclist with very poor technique, so this has been a great help!! I now realise why I have been crippled half way up most hills, despite being relatively fit. Thanks again!!
You should find you establish a rythym fairly naturally. The point here is that you need to be be deliberate and focused on pacing your breathing to your effort - this will help you to remain relaxed as well. The out breath is the one to pay attention to. The in breath will take care of itself - but you need to ensure you've expelled all the CO2 so you can get the next full lung full ( similar to when swimming)
Very good, very clear, can put into operation easily
Nice tips on uphill climbing. I agree on keeping shoulders relaxd and focus on breathing ! However your tip on breathing should be full 2 circles of pedal strokes and changing seat and back position while climbing is a new thing I learnt. I willl give a try !
climbing style is always different for everyone, my style during long climb efforts i always grab on the hoods it allows me to breath easier and to accelerate fast if needed..
Thanks for the tips. I had no idea the hoods were faster/efficient than the drops.
A breathing rhythm is important so you can monitor your effort. When I climb I breathe in on one complete revolution of the pedals and breathe out on the next revolution. When I'm on the limit I breathe in AND out on one revolution. The point is that if I feel oxygen deprived on the faster breathing cycle I am going at an unsustainable pace (for me) and that means either a) I'm responding to an attack, or b) I need to dial it back. Prolonged oxygen debt is a real killer when you're climbing
very good video and awesome animation. lots of tips just have to try to remember them all. will have to watch this video over and over again,
Standing while climbing uses 12% more oxygen and brings HR up by 8%. This video is a bit slow-paced, but there are some really great tidbits like this sprinkled thru it. Worth watching if you're interested in road bike climbing technique.
Not many hills in my area, so I'll just go with lots of repeats on small ones and hope for the best. I'll post if we made it or not ;). Thanks for the advice!
Start low and change up to which ever gearing feels comfortable for the pace you establish. Most climbs will have varying gradient so you'll need to change up and down over the course of the climb.
Hope that helps.
I have a two great short hills for climbing that are relatively short and I do exactly that. I do them twice or three times for more gain and I have noticed the difference in different climbing positions.
Great notes, I have already used some of them before finding the video, so it seems I am on the the right page.. Thanks
This is fantastic information that I have watched multiple times. Plus, I share it with all those whom I find are willing to attack the slope.
I thought the rider was going to crash @ 3:46!
Where is his drink bottle?
He also needs to drop his saddle about 8mm next time he gets a bike fit.
What cranks is he running? Looks like an interesting BCD diameter.
I thought you were going to add that his wheels aren't true
the next thing you're gonna say is that, his strava activity is fake, because he climbed too fast!!
Nice informative quality video mate 👍
I feel fitter after watching this video.
You're stuff is as informative as it is fascinating! Thanks!
This was great thank you for the video it was very helpful. I am a new biker and I wish to become a competition biker can you give me some tips on what do as far as strength training.
This video and voice instructions was very well done. While the video gives simple instructions the video is not simplistic. For the experienced climber it re-enforces the basic points of climbing on a bike. Thank you!
Hey - While running will have given you good endurance fitness - the muscles you'll be using on Ventoux are different - unless you've been doing a lot of hill training with your running. I've heard it said that in an up hill running race a cyclist will beat a runner due to the muscles developed being better suited to it. So I'd suggest getting some hills in on the bike or failing that taking your running to the hills. Hope that helps
Cheers
awesome!!great tips!!will go and practice this!
Very good vidéo! Thanks
I really liked this video. thanks. I'm training for a local triathlon
+Clifford Winston Good luck, Clifford. Hope it goes well!
Did it last month and it worked
Very helpful. Thanks for posting!
Good advice man, I use those same techniques and seen some great gains in my climbing
I was about to leave a thumbs up for the goat comment, but you beat me to it.
I wasn't expecting to watch a funny video, but it was both funny and useful. Well done.
Great video, very helpful and I loved the animations! Thanks
Excellent videos mate !!!
Thanks for the video. Very useful. I commute to and from work everyday on my road bike. On my way back home... a 8% climb...OMG.
Good article. Thanks
This is a really long hill. he did an incredible job.
Hey - Breathing with the diaphragm by pushing the stomach out on the in breath is the way to go.You'll be drawing air deeper into the lungs and so facilitating increased oxygen transfer. This is the case whether you're climbing or not.
Cheers - Glad you liked the goat.
Could you make a video about how to cycle fast on the flats.
Or maybe on paths??
Thanks for the Tips!I'll try it out soon.
Good information, thanks.
I would train on the hills on the hybrid as its heavier and make you stronger quicker, or carry a rucksack with 7kg of potatoes in it.
And when your out on your rides with a group, fly up the hills, ok go a little faster :D
Great tips. Spot on.
Yes my problem is when I do a hill climb I attract it too quick instead of pacing myself resulting in running out power too quickly more practice is the solution and getting fitter.
You hate what you are not good at. Make it a challenge. Pick a small hill and do hill repeats and in no time you will master it. I guarantee you won't hate climbing then; you'll even go out and find bigger hills. That is exactly what I have done. I enjoy climbing now, just so I can descend. :-)
thanks for posting great video!
I am a fan of yours!!! Thanks for great tips... anymore tips to tightening the glutes and hte thighs?
really good video... love it.
GREAT VIDEO
Great video
Abbiamo piani per questo - soggiorno postato
this guy is a monster hes climbing 52tt on the front
Marvelous.
EXCELLENT!
Great tips...
Practice and practice. May be better next year.
Thank you
Thanks! Really helpful. Also, great vids :)
very good video indeed!!
I love hills! Go climbing all day !
Good jobs
Let us know in the comments what you'd like to see the next video about.
Cheers
Hey - I was wondering if your bike was really 27 kg and how damn fit that would make you:)
Nick had this same question a few months ago -
It’s been estimated that one kilogram of excess weight on a moderate grade at a fixed cycling effort has a cost of about three seconds in one kilometer. So you should be able to take around 20 second per km off any climbs your doing. It'd likely be more - if your road bike has cleats where your previous bike didn't you'll have an extra advantage.
Great vid thanx
Yes - I use Shimano gear right now.
That deer was very funny
Very helpfull vid, thanks! Also, a question for you, or anyone else: my brother and I are both new to cycling, but we both have a decent amount of experience with running. We took up the plan to try to tackle a few mountains in France this summer, particularly Mt. Ventoux. So I was wondering: how well does running/general fitness translate to climbing by bike? Is it enough to have good general endurance, or should we have more bike-experience to tackle something like Ventoux?
I'm 12 years' old and I do Bunny hops, 4 circles in one go, but can't go in raise type road XD
Hey - I was wondering about your 27kg bike and how damn fit that would make you :) NIck had this same question a few month ago -
It’s been estimated that one kilogram of excess weight on a moderate grade at a fixed cycling effort has a cost of about three seconds in one kilometer. So you should be able to take around 20 second per km off any climbs your doing. It'd likely be more - if your road bike has cleats where your previous bike didn't you'll have an extra advantage.
Cheers
very good!!!
Thanks
ok but what if the gradient of the slope changes and the cadence drops, do you adjust your breathing to the cadence or the opposite?
thanks again, great tips!
Thanks Good luck Good life to you
very helpful
is there a benefit from either breathing through the nose or the mouth?
I a little biger bike frame will help your climbs too.
and 27 kg.. what is your bike made..LEAD Fiber?:))
Luis from my experience it's about 75-100% improvement
Sound advice.
Nice!
Yes to the goat!
what do you mean by elevatating your breathing ? breathing deeper? slower or faster?
I meant 17kg by the way. 27kg would be a death wish. I meant how much easier it would be? :)
i've seen my friend's rear derailleur fail and the hanger fails with it when shifting while pedaling during climbs... after that incident, i always do a split-second freewheeling while clicking the shifter.. but everytime i started to pedal again, i feel like i'm throwing more energy than usual... am i doing it right? or its just my friend's derailleur that's faulty?
This video is very clear and isn't fuckin hard to understand :-)) I'll keep this on my favorites. hehe
I'm still trying to understand the numbers of the gears. On the left 1-2-or 3. What gear do I use for hills and what number gear do I use on the right.
+Laineyslife You'll learn faster by trying than by reading an explanation. Try again and again the right, then you should understand how it works in couple of minutes. Then do the same with the left. Then go for your ride (don't try to learn in the rush, but near your home, alone).
What are the best gear to be in when going the up hill
get climbing fast with a light bike or light body?
Weight is weight really. Today I saw a guy climbing a hill with a cage holding a cooler like it was nothing on his old mountain bike. I'd work on the body first, then when you swap to a better bike, you will be amazed at the difference.
Hello when i am climbing while standing even for like a couple of minutes my heartrate blows aways over 170bpm when i normally gor for 130-140 its just spikes like that very very fast
FreddyGaming 3234s
Il
Is 44-18 a good gear ratio for climbing uphill?
Why should we need to etablish a "breathing rythym" when climbing? Is breathing naturally not good?
thanks.
Thanks CyclingSecrets for this vid :) However I got 1 question. I recently did my first climb (col d'ispenguy french side 50 mins. not an impressive climb but allas) and I found that my avg. heartrate during the climb was really high, above my anaerobic zone, on flat ofc. but I did feel like I had way more energy to spend though, as I could still sprint easily near the top . So, during a climb, how can I pace myself? As it was massively diffrent from pacing myself on flat.
It’s been estimated that one kilogram of excess weight on a moderate grade at a fixed cycling effort has a cost of about three seconds in one kilometer. So you should be able to take around 20 second per km off any climbs your doing. It'd likely be more - if you're road bike has cleats where your hybrid didn't you'll have an extra advantage. 17kg ? Really?
Nice graphics