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.
00:32One 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
00:43you'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
01:06the 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.
01:28There are three types of setup which typically come in the following chainring sizes. A standard setup
01:33which is a 53 by 39 tooth chainring, a compact which is a 50 by 34 and a semi-compact
01:40which is a blend of
01:41the two at 52 by 36. The chances are that unless you are a pro level rider a compact or
01:48semi-compact setup
01:49will most likely prove beneficial to you in the long run for the types of road riding you will be
01:53doing.
01:54But a lot of this is based on personal preferences and ability.
01:58Making sure your bike is not only set for the terrain but also your ability itself is key.
02:03You may be able to ride up a steep climb once. If you know your ride consists of multiple ascents
02:08then it may not prove quite as useful. Remember there isn't a cyclist alive who complained about
02:13having an extra gear on their bike. So don't feel like you're wimping out if you go for a compact
02:18chainset 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
02:34sure you prepare for it by changing down the gears before you reach the climb itself. Otherwise you could
02:39be caught out when the road ramps up. If you can try and time this gear change so you get
02:44as 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 of 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.
03:33Therefore
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 method
03:43works best for you is key. We've all been there and even though maybe a massive hit on your morale
03:53un-clipping 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
04:01thing you do that day but there are a few tips you can take on board to try and get
04:06started again.
04:07So clip in and just face your bike slightly against the gradient. Make sure you're not going too far wide
04:14and just try and get a bit of momentum up and then bring your foot in. You don't have to
04:19clip 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 what tips
04:45you
04:45use to conquer them yourself. And if you enjoy this video give it a like and don't forget to subscribe
04:50to the Cycling Weekly YouTube channel. Until next time we'll see you then.
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