Ok time to test some climbing...
Ok that is exactly what I observed at the Rally. So I am on a bit of rant to help fix that. Even if you are just leisure riding, bad hill technique really make the ride less fun than it could be because it wastes so much energy.
What I observed was that everyone was using climbing techniques that work on a stiff, light bike that allows you to stand. I was taught years ago in a pro trainer's class how to climb while sitting, riding a lesser bike and still pass those that could stand and power a light expensive bike. Now I am curious if this will translate to FWD.
So here is the deal.... Even on a DF standing and power climbing is not the most efficient. It is the most aggressive, and if you want to win one hill at the end of the race it works, but if you want to ride with 30% less effort and stay at the front over many many hills then you have to do it different.
Climbing is about using the right muscles at the right time and using them only as much as you need to so that you most efficiently accomplish your goal. The following won't help you if you come around a corner at 8 mph and encounter a 20% hill. But if you can see the hill coming this make all the difference in the world especially for us normal people riding normal reasonable hills. You will be over the top with less effort and you be saving the energy for the rest of the ride
1) Approach the hill with speed near the top of your no-stress tailwind threshold. Aka a Big gear pushed at 60-70 RPM with little effort, not power mashing. Think cruising on a slight down hill incline while drinking water. For me that is about 17-20mph on a Trike; and 20-24mph on a DF. If you can coast up to these speeds, stop pedaling for even better affect. Rest drink water etc, plan the attack.
2) Before you reach the base of the hill, down shift and raise you cadence to the high-upper end of smooth. (This improves with practice). For me this is 130-160rpm (155mm cranks) on a Bent and 100-130 on a DF (165mm cranks). Do not go to the point that you rock or pogo. Hold your approach speed level in-spite of the raised cadence. Do not slow down, do not accelerate. REST... Time it so you are at the top cadence right when you start to climb for best effect.
While you do this spinning you are resting your power stroke muscles; and you remove any change of going into oxygen debt, while at the same time you will increase your breathing and oxygenate your muscles. These are all good things. (no attempt to be scientifically accurate here).
3) As you climb you will start to loose speed; hold your power input; since most do not have a power meter do this by letting your cadence drop. Do not mash; keep you input pressure constant you will feel it in the pedals. This is a very natural feeling. It's that wow I am going up hill fast for little effort feeling we all have had. The goal is to accomplish what down shifting did by simply reducing your pedaling speed/force/momentum. This levels out your energy input; with a goal to have it flat during the beginning of the climb. Doing this technique results in a more efficient smooth power curve versus down shifting. This approach works better than downshifting because most people stay in each gear too long before down shifting; most wait until their power stroke fatigues causing the muscle to go anerobic, then they make it worst by down shift too far causing further inefficiencies. It far easier to feather your cadence slower and slower.
4) When you drop to 70-80 rpm level out at that point, this is the power range for most rec riders; if you are fit 80-90 if learning 70-80; but those are just guides. Do this 3 or 4 times and you will find your spot, and it will then improve as you practice.
Now you have reach your decision point.
5) If you carried enough speed into the hill and it is not a monster you will be nearing the top and rolling around 16-17 mph maybe faster. If you have timed it right you are going to be 12-20 pedal pushes from the crest. If that is true, you now up shift to a harder gear and finally mash the pedals, you will have the strength and the oxygen reserve now to do it; and you should be able to accelerate.
How far you up-shift depends on your strength, beginners 1 or 2 gears at most. With practice you will be able to do more depending on the hill. (If you do not think you can crest in 20 pushes then you have to level out and hold your pace until you are near to the crest and you might have to downshift 1 gear. You still will be way ahead of the game at this point; you just will not get the big cool effect)
6) 12-20 hard pushes (6-10 per foot) while up shifting as you will crest the hill with acceleration and sling shot down the other side or off onto the flat.
7) If this is a roller; immediately coast and let the bike climb up to 20+ on it is own; while you rest your legs for the next climb.
These are just guidelines for speed; they will vary depending on the size of the hills. I have done hills that are really long and others with run up dives that where 30+ and only 4 hard pushes to accelerate over the top. Every hill is different if it is 20% grade I am just a likely to struggle to hold 10-11mph on it.
If you boil this down to the simplest points you get this:
1) Approach your hill at 15-30 mph with the least effort possible.
2) Get in a Easy gear much sooner than you think you should
3) Get you legs up to a high cadence while you can do that for almost free effort
4) Feather you cadence not your gear
5) Attach the top of the hill with harder gears and power strokes
6) Accelerate over the crest rather than just making it to the top to rest
I suspect this will work really nice on a cruz platform; but I cannot test that theory until spring; and I do not know if those high cadence work on a FWD/MBB so I will be curious if this works for anyone in the mean time.
Hopefully this technique is worth more than you just paid for it
**edited for some grammar bombs.
