Bicycling Articles of Interest

Rider Tips: Hill Climbing Techniques: How to Make Mole Hills Out of Mountains

Hill climbing is all about momentum - pedal momentum that is. When going up hill, the bike will naturally slow down, but your pedal speed should not. Rather than standing up on the pedals which strains your muscles and creates a loss in momentum, let the bike do the work; that's what the gears are for. The key is to keep as constant a pedal speed as possible throughout the hill climb, downshifting sequentially through the gears to keep your pedal speed constant as the bike slows. Here's how:

1. Enter the hill in the gear you are traveling in (don't downshift to the lowest gear).
2. Lean a bit forward to shift your center of gravity forward on the bike.
3. As the bike slows, stay in your seat, and change one gear at a time as needed to keep your pedal momentum constant.
4. Use each gear until you feel the pedal speed slowing to about 2/3 of the target momentum rate you are trying to keep, then downshift. The gear drop will return you to the target momentum rate. Repeat this through the gears.
   

From our experience, this technique will increase your blood circulation, reduce fatigue and maintain a more consistent heart rate (which is the key to an aerobic workout that burns fat). Dynamic chainless bikes are really well suited for this hill climbing technique because the gear changes are so fast and accessible, adding confidence and control to your climbs. So next time you take on the hills, try these techniques and let us know how it works for you.

HINT: If you feel your legs 'burning' during the hill climb, you are staying in each gear too long. This 'burning' will increase fatigue and extend your heal time after the ride. Also, stay in your seat - transitioning from sitting to standing and/or standing to sitting loses valuable momentum.