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,
00:12it's certainly some area that we can definitely improve.
00:15So 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
00:42corners when you're on a steep climb yourself. So as you can see with this one, the inside line
00:47is really really steep and even though on a flat road this may be the quickest option to get around
00:51the bend, but on this road in particular it's definitely the steepest gradient. Whereas if
00:56you can move slightly out without crossing the line into the oncoming traffic in the lane,
01:00it's a slightly lessened gradient. This means you can maintain your momentum and your speed
01:05and get to the top of that climb a hell of a lot faster.
01:14When it comes to climbing, 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.
01:28There are three types of setup which typically come in the following chainring sizes.
01:32A standard setup which is a 53x39 tooth chainring, a compact which is a 50x34 and a semi-compact
01:40which is a blend of the two at 52x36. The chances are that unless you are a pro level rider,
01:47a compact or a semi-compact setup will most likely prove beneficial to you in the long run
01:52for the types of road riding 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 ability itself
02:02is key. You may be able to ride up a steep climb once, but if you know your ride consists of multiple
02:08ascents then it may not prove quite as useful. Remember there isn't a cyclist alive who complained
02:13about having an extra gear on their bike so don't feel like you're wimping out if you go for a compact
02:18chain set or a large rear cassette. It's all well and good having the gears on your bike but make
02:28sure you use them efficiently is another matter entirely. When you're coming up to a climb make
02:33sure you prepare for it by changing down the gears before you reach the climb itself. Otherwise you could
02:38be caught out when the road ramps up. If you can try and time this gear change so you get as much
02:44speed and momentum before hitting the climb itself as well. Changing gears on the climb itself is less
02:50efficient and also puts a huge strain on your bike components. You never want to crunch through the
02:55gears on the climb itself as this puts a massive strain on your bike and is highly inefficient on your
03:00speed and your momentum. We 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 distribute your weight.
03:17When standing up in the pedals you can easily see your backwards lose traction with the road
03:21and therefore speed especially if the road is wet. Whereas if you sit too far back you may cause the
03:27front wheel to lift. Doing a wheelie up a 20% climb is never ideal at the best of times. Therefore
03:33knowledge on what technique works best for you and practicing this is vital. It is more likely that
03:38riding the saddle will avoid any mishaps but working on your weight distribution for whatever
03:43method works best for you is key. We've all been there and even though maybe a massive hit on your
03:53morale unclipping on a steep climb doesn't have to mean the end of your climb in the sense even though
04:00it could be the toughest thing you do that day but there are a few tips you can take on board to try
04:05and get started again. So clip in and just face your bike slightly against the gradient making sure
04:12you're not going too far 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 side to side lessen the
04:25gradient eventually you'll clip in there 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 what
04:45tips you use to conquer them yourself and if you enjoy this video give it a like and don't forget
04:50to subscribe to the Cycling Weekly YouTube channel. Until next time we'll see you then.
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