00:00Steep climbs are something cyclists come across on every single ride and it's
00:03something that every cyclist should look to improve on. They may only be a few
00:07hundred meters long but whether it's your preparation, your gearing or your
00:11bike handling, it's certainly some area that we can definitely improve. So here's
00:15Cycling Weekly's guide to conquering those devilish little kickers.
00:30One tip that you may well see in the pro races such as the Tour de France and
00:36especially on climbs such as Alpe d'Huez and it's 21 hairpin bends, is something
00:41you can replicate on the corners when you're on a steep climb yourself. So as
00:44you can see with this one, the inside line is really really steep and even
00:49though on a flat road this may be the quickest option to get around the bend
00:52but on this road in particular it's definitely the steepest gradient. Whereas
00:56if you can move slightly out without crossing the line into the oncoming
00:59traffic in the lane, it's a slightly lessened gradient. This means you can
01:03maintain your momentum and your speed and get to the top of that climb the
01:07hell of a lot faster.
01:13When it comes to climbing, the gearing plays a crucial part in two ways. Firstly
01:19ensuring you have chosen the right selection of gears for the ride ahead. If
01:22you know you're going to be taking on multiple short steep ascents then having
01:25the correct gear ratios will be really beneficial. There are three types of
01:29setup which typically come in the following chainring sizes. A standard
01:33setup which is a 53 by 39 tooth chainring, a compact which is a 50 by 34
01:39and a semi-compact which is a blend of the two at 52 by 36. The chances are that
01:45unless you are a pro level rider, a compact or a semi-compact setup will
01:49most likely prove beneficial to you in the long run for the types of road
01:52riding you will be doing. But a lot of this is based on personal preferences
01:56and ability. Making sure your bike is not only set for the terrain but also your
02:01ability itself is key. You may be able to ride up a steep climb once, if you know
02:06your ride consists of multiple ascents then it may not prove quite as useful.
02:10Remember there isn't a cyclist alive who complained about having an extra gear on
02:14their bike, so don't feel like you're wimping out if you go for a compact
02:18chainset or a large rear cassette.
02:25It's all well and good having the gears on your bike but make sure you use them
02:29efficiently is another matter entirely. When you're coming up to a climb make
02:34sure you prepare for it by changing down the gears before you reach the climb
02:37itself, otherwise you could be caught out when the road ramps up. If you can try
02:42and time this gear change so you get as much speed and momentum before hitting
02:46the climb itself as well. Changing gears on the climb itself is less efficient
02:50and also puts a huge strain on your bike components. You never want to crunch
02:55through the gears on the climb itself as this puts a massive strain on your bike
02:58and is highly inefficient on your speed and your momentum.
03:07We all have a preferred style of climbing, whether it be in the saddle or
03:12out of it and one of the main issues this brings on steep climbs is how you
03:15distribute your weight. When standing up in the pedals you can easily see your
03:19back wheels lose traction with the road and therefore speed, especially if the
03:23road is wet. Whereas if you sit too far back you may cause the front wheel to
03:28lift. Doing a wheelie up a 20% climb is never ideal at the best of times.
03:32Therefore knowledge on what technique works best for you and practicing this
03:36is vital. It is more likely that riding in the saddle will avoid any mishaps but
03:41working on your weight distribution for whatever method works best for you is
03:44key.
03:50We've all been there and even though it may be a massive hit on your morale,
03:53unclipping on a steep climb doesn't have to mean the end of your climb in the
03:58sense. Even though it could be the toughest thing you do that day but there
04:03are a few tips you can take on board to try and get started again. So clip in and
04:09just face your bike slightly against the gradient, make sure you're not going too
04:13far wide and just try and get a bit of momentum up and then bring your foot in.
04:18You don't have to clip in straight away, just keep the momentum going, keep going
04:23side to side, lessen the gradient. Eventually you'll clip in, there you go
04:28and then away you go.
04:32Those are our top five tips for conquering steep climbs. Let us know in
04:44the comment section below what tips you use to conquer them yourself and if you
04:47enjoy this video give it a like and don't forget to subscribe to the
04:51Cycling Weekly YouTube channel. Until next time, we'll see you then.
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