The best advice I was ever given when it comes to climbing hills is to "do whatever feels comfortable to help make your climb feel as effortless as possible".
You'll likely have to shift into a lower gear when climbing a reasonably sized hill. Riding in a lower gear will help you pedal with less effort, so your feet will spin with more ease. You may not have to shift at all, if it's a smaller hill.
If you are an off road trail rider, or mountain biker you may want to install bar ends mounted into the ends of your handlebars. Bar ends will give you an additional hand position forward or beyond the handlebar. Allowing you to shift your weight forward which will keep your front wheel down.
Body position is another consideration for comfort while climbing. A seated climb can be easier for some cyclists because the seat will support you body weight. If you stand, your legs support your weight which means you'll use more energy. However some cyclists find a seated climb with their bottom back in the seat and their arms extended to be an uncomfortable position. So they'll prefer a standing climb to get their weight forward.
A standing climb will also allow you to rock your bike and use your body weight to pedal. You'll use different muscles for a standing climb verses a seated climb. So in a standing climb you'll be giving the muscles you used in a seated ride a rest.
If you're riding off road it helps to put a little bounce in you pedal with each downward stroke as you climb in a standing position. This will push the rear tire into the ground and give you more traction and help you get up the hill. |
