climbing hills
Thread started by
KiMS1 at 06.26.09 - 11:36 am
is it better to breathe faster
or is it better to breathe slower
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keep it relaxed and you'll naturally fall into a rhythm for your cadence
Destroyer06.26.09 - 12:16 pm
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Fuck yo' breff
PC06.26.09 - 12:18 pm
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idk, dumb fixed gear ratio.
i feel like its hard to get into a rhythm during climbs when my cadence is at like 25rpm
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
or maybe i should just save money for a decent bike.
KiMS1 responding to a
comment by Destroyer
06.26.09 - 12:21 pm
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ive been thinkin bout switchin over to like 2.8/1 or somethin like that but worried bout getting tossed my bike going down hills or something.
KiMS1 responding to a
comment by ruinedbyidiots
06.26.09 - 12:26 pm
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just learn how to spin your legs without bouncing out of the saddle. or feather your brake on the downhill.
ruinedbyidiots responding to a
comment by KiMS1
06.26.09 - 12:27 pm
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but dude, if i get a bigger cog, all the cool fixster kids will be like, nice ratio you fuckin pansy.
THEY WILL JUDGE ME TYLER.
KiMS1 responding to a
comment by ruinedbyidiots
06.26.09 - 12:30 pm
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dont worry about the pushing down part, let the kimchi in your stomach act as a free weight for the pedals. i usually find myself climbing out of the saddle for 2+ min if i only focus on bringing my knee upward. the downward motion is assisted by gravity so no point in using excess energy anyways
_iJunes06.26.09 - 12:38 pm
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Just get a 60x21 and everyone will see your big
dick chainring and still respect you.
larsenf06.26.09 - 1:30 pm
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I try to breath slower but always at a constant rate, I also switched to clipless pedals and longer crank arms, I feel it gives me some more power to get up the hill.
Sandman06.26.09 - 1:50 pm
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thats the number one advantage a track frame has over a conversion. raised bottom bracket. ive got 165 crank arms on my conversion and 172.5s on my track bike. my conversion will get pedal strike while i never get it on my track bike. The longer crank arms make it easier to mash at those low rpms.
larsenf responding to a
comment by Sandman
06.26.09 - 2:05 pm
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its frustrating when i see people spinning all fast and easy up a hill and then see myself slowly trudging along. it feels like an endless hike instead of a bike ride.
KiMS106.26.09 - 2:07 pm
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they are spinning fast and moving slow. your clipless and fixed get up and sprint up that mutha fuckin hill.
larsenf responding to a
comment by KiMS1
06.26.09 - 2:09 pm
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I don't know what setup you've got now, but you could also try a lighter wheel with less rotational mass (re: low profile rim and low profile tire). You will feel a big difference.
will06.26.09 - 3:54 pm
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re: your original question about breathing.. i think it can't hurt if you're getting in as much oxygen as you can, regardless fast or slow. i tend to like slow/deep breaths whether i'm spinning or mashing.
tfunk40806.26.09 - 3:57 pm
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mike, quit being a little baby
mmaceda06.26.09 - 4:01 pm
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"thats the number one advantage a track frame has over a conversion. raised bottom bracket."
Unless you had my Peugeot racing bike conversion. 175mm cranks and road pedals, and I never once had pedal strike. The BB was a mile high, way higher than most track bikes. I really miss that frame, if I can't get it back I at least want to find the specs for it so I can get another one like it custom-made.
Oh yeah, my #1 tip for climbing hills - don't worry about the gear ratio, worry about your body weight. I never really climbed well single-speed until this spring when I went from 210 to 185lb. Now I can blast up hills, and I was running 52x17 on my sweet, sweet Peugeot conversion. Of course what "fast" means is relative, I know a lot of people who could smoke me without any trouble. Relaxed breathing is key. Also check your bike fit, climbing goes better with more leg extension.
vladster responding to a
comment by larsenf
06.26.09 - 4:17 pm
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to the question of how fast or slow to breathe...I would say: don't think about it.
Don't over-think hard work.
Man....I've never even thought about what you asked. Honestly, I think that our bodies have evolved over a long time. There are parts of our brains that are dedicated to responses to stimuli, which we don't need to worry about.
I guess I can make an example in the soccer team I played on in high school. Before the season, we got worked until we couldn't move. Some people got sick. But, they never told us when to breathe. And when the season came around, it was all about plays and tactics...not about breathing.
I think cycling is the same. Riding up east fork, or the switch backs at Baldy, is very difficult. You might start out thinking about your breathing, but when you get into the ride...those thoughts fall away. It is the same with soccer, I think. You can run drills, and think about breathing...and do fine. You can progress. But, your breathing doesn't mean shit when you have an opposing defender and a sweeper blocking you from switching fields. In this situation, you don't think about breathing. You think about sending the ball across the field.
I think it's the same in cycling.
You CAN think about breathing on a seated spinner at the gym...or even a spinning class. It is only you and a machine. But, when you put a hill into it...I think you should shift your attention to the hill. You should focus on your goal and how the hill changes, and make adjustments.
tern06.26.09 - 4:28 pm
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how are cahuenga and sepulveda? what about the one we did on tuesday.. up balboa?
66606.26.09 - 4:44 pm
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I guess I should sum it up.
(caveat emptor: I am not a professional of any kind)
If you are thinking about your breathing, you either:
A: are not pushing hard enough.
B: are baffled by the fact that you can't reach your goal.
C: are very detail oriented, or you might need to seek help for o.c.d.
D: you have heard some stuff about breathing, which might be fallacious.
tern06.26.09 - 4:45 pm
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hyperventilation is bad if you aren't exercising....
it is good if you are producing excess CO2...
if you feel like u have to pant and heave, go the fuck ahead, dont stop your body from doing it...
staying relaxed is related to more than just breathing and is also good advice
Jakuta06.26.09 - 5:28 pm
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This is an easy one. If you cant climb hills, all you have to do is trade in your weenie legs for some new ones @ the Get climbing legs store. DUH.
TIMESARECHANGING06.26.09 - 5:32 pm
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i doubt you really care that much about your breathing .get i shape ,lose some weight and maybe get a geared bike.
mandingo responding to a
comment by TIMESARECHANGING
06.26.09 - 6:40 pm
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Perhaps do some mountain biking to help get in better shape? Anyway before a climb, you're supposed to start sucking in the air so when you're climbing you're better prepaired.
rev106 responding to a
comment by mandingo
06.27.09 - 6:52 am
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I agree with vladster...
I got tired of always getting beat up hills so I started riding Topanga canyon every day after work, even if I rode to work and had Bicykillers that night. And similar to sex, the more you do it, the easier it gets to keep going! You'll learn that what you thought was "pushing it" was nothing and you'll get stronger.
By climbing every day and eating right I dropped 30 lbs in 2 months, and it's definitely easier to climb when your body is lighter.
BICYKILLER responding to a
comment by vladster
06.27.09 - 8:19 am
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