5 Ways to Love Climbing Hills

What goes down, must come up.

Many seasoned cyclists will teach you how to descend. On every Ciclismo Classico trip, our guides tell you everything you need to know. Many of our experienced guests have heard it all: where to put your eyes, your feet, and your hands.

But if you plan on riding downhill, focusing on your ability to ascend is just as important. Ciclismo Classico’s epic mountain destinations like the French Alps, Pyrenees Sea to Sea and the Dolomites give you this opportunity.  People think climbing is a chore. However, if you put your mind (and your body) in the right place, going uphill becomes a challenge, not torture.

We’ve compiled five best-practices to help you get up the mountain. These techniques need getting used to. Yet after a few rides, you’ll soon be able to tackle the most imposing alpine descent:

Be Patient with Yourself

Patience is number one. You need patience with yourself when training. You will not get up the hill cold turkey without some athletic base. Even if you live in Florida, riding every day will help your overall form. Weight and overall fitness play a large role in climbing hills. Your general body mass factors into your performance. Ever lose a few pounds and feel good about yourself? That goodness produces endorphins that help you on the bike. The more you ride, the leaner and stronger you get. It’s a win-win situation. But it takes time. Don’t think you’ll be riding the Dolomites in May after a winter of not moving at all. Cross-train: swimming, cross-country skiing, running and snowshoeing are all excellent ways to maintain your body weight and feel great come Spring.

Get the Good Gears

Have you ever thought possibly one reason you hate going uphill is because the gear ratios on your bike are too big? Take your bike to your mechanic and have a good chat. Ask him to look at your rear cluster. If your cassette has a 25 or 26-toothed sprocket as the smallest gear, no wonder you hate climbing. Get yourself a lovely 32-toothed rear cassette and feel the difference. Now, look at your cranks. Do you have the standard 53/39 set-up? With a compact crankset, the ratio drops to 50/34. Smaller gears in front and larger gears in back mean ease on the knees.

With less resistance on the knees, you’ll be able to keep a more consistent cadence all the way up the hill. Cadence is very important. It’s the speed that your legs make revolutions. And that speed should be like a brisk walking pace. This cadence you should be able to maintain for the duration of the climb.

Keep the Bottom Down

Many seasoned cyclists may contest this one. Keeping your ‘sedere’ down on the seat while you are climbing is a good strategy. First, standing up out of the saddle raises your heart rate and burns precious energy. If you can stay seated for a long time, you are saving calories you may need later (this is great advice for anyone riding multi-day Alps trips with us). Remember, you shouldn’t ‘sit’ on the bike seat (that’s when the pain starts). Your legs should move constantly so you distribute the weight of your body to the pedals, not to your derriere. Second, staying seated works your major muscles: the calf, thighs, glutes, and feet. By standing, you’re allowing the weight of your body to push the pedals. Although standing on the pedals relaxes muscles, get down on the seat and stay there as long as you can.

Settle in and Get Cosy

These days there is no excuse for a bad bike fit. It’s dancing with bad shoes: you won’t have a good time for every move you make is painful. Changing your dance shoes becomes your responsibility. So does getting a good bike fit. We see guests come out all the time with different measurements form a bike that Frank Gehry may have designed. Ask your local bike shop if they can do a professional fitting. Let them know if you have any back pain or knee problems; they can accommodate for that. Typically, the service will cost around $50 and it’s like you just left a massage. To ride comfortably uphill, all parts of the body need to be comfortable. Now you’re ready to find your cadence.

Fix your Head

Most cyclists dread going uphill (you can only imagine how much people complain about hills). However, putting your head in the right place is the secret to changing your perspective. Imagine yourself at the top of the hill, enjoying a big hamburger and a beer. Concentrate on your success; don’t consider falling or not pedaling. Don’t rush yourself. Be patient. The hill will end. This is a battle between you and the mountain. Who will win? You will if you put your mind at ease and enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Check out some of our best hill climbing trips here – or some of our epic bike tours – and get ready to test out your newfound LOVE for climbing!