How does Hill Climbing Work?
Discussion
okgo said:
Yeah, that's about mountain biking though. Totally different. They wear baggy shorts for one...Gaspode said:
That's exactly what I'm driving at, thanks! The thigh is a lever, with the fulcrum at the hip. What I was thinking about was the point that it's the rider's body that provides the resting mass for the lever to work against, and so therefore there must come a point where the force required simply lifts the body rather than moving the pedal. But as others have pointed out, the ability to gear right down means that so long as one can maintain balance, the weight of your body is always going to be sufficient to move the bike up any gradient so long as traction can be maintained.
The problem I was having yesterday is that the lane I was riding up had loads of loose stones and gravel on it. If I stood on the pedals the weight came off the rear wheel and it broke traction.That and being a broken down old fart carrying far too much lard and not nearly enough muscle, of course
I think the part highlighted is the most important. The problem I was having yesterday is that the lane I was riding up had loads of loose stones and gravel on it. If I stood on the pedals the weight came off the rear wheel and it broke traction.That and being a broken down old fart carrying far too much lard and not nearly enough muscle, of course
Also whilst fitness will generally see the cyclist with the poorest form get up a hill, a cyclist that has the correct technique but is not as fit will have a much better time of it.
Get the technique right. and the fitness will be easier to come by imo.
The vast majority of power comes from the down-stroke, regardless of what shoes/pedals you are using. Where toe-clips or clipless does benefit is in allowing that stroke to be extended further. It becomes more of a forward motion over the top and more of a backward motion at the bottom, rather than a straight up and down. This is particularly beneficial because it allows us to bring more of our running muscles in to play effectively, which are much stronger than our leg lifting muscles anyway.
Before anyone says it, the same can be achieved with grippy flat pedals and soft soled shoes. Clips or clipless just make it easier.
Before anyone says it, the same can be achieved with grippy flat pedals and soft soled shoes. Clips or clipless just make it easier.
barker22 said:
I think the part highlighted is the most important.
Also whilst fitness will generally see the cyclist with the poorest form get up a hill, a cyclist that has the correct technique but is not as fit will have a much better time of it.
Get the technique right. and the fitness will be easier to come by imo.
How do you explain that among elite athletes many people have totally different styles?Also whilst fitness will generally see the cyclist with the poorest form get up a hill, a cyclist that has the correct technique but is not as fit will have a much better time of it.
Get the technique right. and the fitness will be easier to come by imo.
I would argue it makes almost no odds how you push the things round, just that you do, and that your cleat position/saddle setback is correct.
okgo said:
How do you explain that among elite athletes many people have totally different styles?
I would argue it makes almost no odds how you push the things round, just that you do, and that your cleat position/saddle setback is correct.
Different sizes and shapes. Cadence is a key one - a rider like Indurain would always prefer to force a larger gear around at low 80's rpm, Armstrong would be smaller at a higher rate (low 90's).I would argue it makes almost no odds how you push the things round, just that you do, and that your cleat position/saddle setback is correct.
To refer to the OPs question around leverage and where the pivots are etc - it's a twin pronged attack on physics;
Obviously the pivot for the pedals is the bottom bracket. This is a fixed mount in relation to the road and to the rest of the bike. If that wasn't fixed in place, your pedal pushes and pulls would simply make the bb go up and down.
The other "fixed" point isn't quite so rigid and is based primarily on your core strength, and arm strength. Without any core strength bracing yourself against the bike, pushing down on the pedal (in a heavier gear) would make you stand up on the pedal, not push the pedal down. It's the riders own strength that prevents this from happening.
At the weekend I managed a major hill in our area (Streatley, 19% but quite long).
I had to stop near the top but managed to carry on after a rest.
What killed me was my breathing, my legs were OK but my HR was 191 and I just couldnt get any air.
Its also a little mind over matter, its my third attempt and I was determined to get up and I was so pleased that I did. With a few more tries I will hopefully go all the way without a stop.
Im 16st so that doesnt help but it does on the way down
I had to stop near the top but managed to carry on after a rest.
What killed me was my breathing, my legs were OK but my HR was 191 and I just couldnt get any air.
Its also a little mind over matter, its my third attempt and I was determined to get up and I was so pleased that I did. With a few more tries I will hopefully go all the way without a stop.
Im 16st so that doesnt help but it does on the way down
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