00:00Steep climbs are something cyclists come across on every single ride and it's something that
00:04every cyclist should look to improve on. They may only be a few hundred meters long
00:08but whether it's your preparation, your gearing or your bike handling, it's certainly some area
00:13that we can definitely improve. So here's Cycling 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 especially on
00:37climbs such as Alpe d'Huez and its 21 hairpin bends is something you can replicate on the corners when
00:42you're on a steep climb yourself. So as you can see with this one the inside line is really really
00:48steep and even though 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 if you can move slightly
00:57out without crossing the line into the oncoming traffic in the lane it's a slightly lessened
01:02gradient. This means you can maintain your momentum and your speed and get to the top of that climb
01:07the hell of a lot faster.
01:14When it comes to climbing the gearing plays a crucial part in two ways. Firstly ensuring you have chosen
01:20the right selection of gears for the ride ahead. If you know you're going to be taking on multiple
01:24short steeper sense then having the correct gear ratios will be really beneficial. There are three
01:29types of setup which typically come in the following chainring sizes. A standard setup which is a 53x39
01:35tooth chainring, a compact which is a 50x34 and a semi-compact which is a blend of the two at 52x36.
01:44The chances are that unless you are a pro level rider a compact or a semi-compact setup will most likely
01:50prove beneficial to you in the long run for the types of road riding you will be doing. But a lot
01:54of this is based on personal preferences and ability. Making sure your bike is not only set for the
02:00terrain but also your ability 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. Remember there isn't a
02:12cyclist alive who complained about having an extra gear on their bike so don't feel like you're wimping
02:16out if you go for a compact chainset or a large rear cassette.
02:26It's all well and good having the gears on your bike but make sure you use them efficiently is
02:30another matter entirely. When you're coming up to a climb make sure you prepare for it by changing
02:35down the gears before you reach the climb itself. Otherwise you could be caught out when the road ramps up.
02:41If you can try and time this gear change so you get as much speed and momentum before hitting the
02:46climb itself as well. Changing gears on the climb itself is less efficient and also puts a huge
02:52strain on your bike components. You never want to crunch through the gears on the climb itself
02:56as this puts a massive strain on your bike and is highly inefficient of your speed and your momentum.
03:08We all have a preferred style of climbing whether it be in the saddle or out of it and one of the main
03:13issues this brings on steep climbs is how you distribute your weight. When standing up in the pedals you can
03:19easily see your backwards lose traction with the road and therefore speed especially if the road is wet.
03:24Whereas if you sit too far back you may cause the front wheel to lift. Doing a wheelie up a 20% climb
03:30is never ideal at the best of times. Therefore, knowledge on what technique works best for you and practicing this is vital.
03:37It is more likely that riding the saddle will avoid any mishaps but working on your weight distribution
03:42for whatever method works best for you is key.
03:50We've all been there and even though maybe a massive hit on your morale, unclipping on a steep climb
03:55doesn't have to mean the end of your climb in the sense. Even though it could be the toughest thing you
04:01do that day but there are a few tips you can take on board to try and get started again. So clip in
04:09and just face your bike slightly against the gradient. Make sure you're not going too far wide and just
04:15try and get a bit of momentum up and then bring your foot in. You don't have to clip in straight away,
04:20just keep the momentum going. Keep going side to side, lessen the gradient. Eventually you'll clip in,
04:27there you go and then away you go.
04:40Those are our top five tips for conquering steep climbs. Let us know in the comment section below
04:44what tips you use to conquer them yourself and if you enjoy this video give it a like and don't
04:49forget to subscribe to the Cycling Weekly YouTube channel. Until next time, we'll see you then!
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