Uphill

AGS45!

New Member
Just taken delivery of a Q45.
Flat and downhill seems to be going ok, albeit with quite a few wobbles, but I’m really struggling to get the hang of starting off on an upward slope. Does anyone have any tips?
 

Henri

scatter brain
Get good.

For real: It's okay to start learning on flat ground. Once you are comfortable on the bike in general, the harder parts won't be as hard anymore. You can practice low speed handling on an empty parking lot with straighs, sharp corners and figure eights. Probably you can practice controlled starts with high pedaling forces by starting on flat ground in higher gears. You can practice riding uphill before you try starting uphill. Once you have all the components, go ahead and combine them.
Allways go with the next challenge one by one. Don't start with the hardest part.

(If the parking lot is large enough, also do some faster and larger lines, circles, eights and snakes.)
 
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chicorider

Zen MBB Master
What Henri said.

You are on the learning curve, and it is real. It varies in steepness and length from rider to rider, but the main thing is to be patient with yourself, and to break your practice into repetitions over time as your brain slowly but surely rewires itself for a new way of riding a bike. The good news is that the learning curve doesn't last forever, and once you're on the other side of it, you'll most likely be glad that you went through it to be able to ride your Q with confidence and joy.
 

Jamon Smallgoods

New Member
I am also new to CruzBike riding, with an S40 Gen 6 (2025). I’ve noticed that I get some wheel spin on 7 % uphill slopes even while moving, not just at uphill starts. I’m guessing this is because I’m using more power and less cadence (see next para).

Another curiosity is that my cadence is at present much lower than on my DF road bike. And if I do get up to my DF cadence average I find the steering a lot loser (ie more wobbly). Is this a common experience, or just still learning phase issues?

Any thoughts?
 

IyhelM

Well-Known Member
Straighten up closer to the handlebars to bring your gravity center closer to the frontwheel. And spend more time on the bike ;)
 

IyhelM

Well-Known Member
Regarding front wheel slip, I’m surprised you get it at such "low" gradients unless the surface is peculiarly uneven. If the road is dry, i usually don’t have any issue up to over 10%. What is your tire pressure (and weight and tire type)?
 

kizarmynot

Active Member
Another curiosity is that my cadence is at present much lower than on my DF road bike. And if I do get up to my DF cadence average I find the steering a lot loser (ie more wobbly). Is this a common experience, or just still learning phase issues?
My cadence is typically lower than I used to have with my DF, however when I do make an effort to get it higher (>90) I do not experience wobble issues so this may be a learning thing.
 

ak-tux

Zen MBB Master
I am also new to CruzBike riding, with an S40 Gen 6 (2025). I’ve noticed that I get some wheel spin on 7 % uphill slopes even while moving, not just at uphill starts. I’m guessing this is because I’m using more power and less cadence (see next para).

Another curiosity is that my cadence is at present much lower than on my DF road bike. And if I do get up to my DF cadence average I find the steering a lot loser (ie more wobbly). Is this a common experience, or just still learning phase issues?

Any thoughts?
7% on tarmac is pretty low to get a wheel slip unless your are pedaling squares! :D.

Unless there is some loose sand on the surface or some slippery wet mud, I don't get wheel slip on good tarmac until around 13-15% or higher.
 

Beano

Well-Known Member
Start from the top of the power stroke, slow to get the bike moving and then power through to get some momentum.
 
I've been working on my uphill starts. I believe it's a very good skill to develop. Very handy if you need to take a break on a long climb. Here's an ultra athlete showing us how it's done.
 
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