Have you ever got invited to a ride that involves a lot of climbing (over 3,000 feet)? Does it make your legs cramp just thinking about it? How many "oh, I am going to take it easy this weekend" excuses have you given when your ride buddies invited you to a mountain-side ride adventure?
First let me set the record straight here: I am not a bike racer nor am I a KOM (King of the Mountain) of anything. I do not make earn a living on the bike. I am probably, like most of you, an amateur rider who likes fancy road bikes and loves to ride.
I was invited by a good friend to go road bike climbing on Azusa Mountain back in 2007. That was my first experience with a major climb ... 2800 feet to be exact. In all honesty, I did not know what I got myself into. All I remember is that when we parked at West Fork, the climb itself was immediate. There were no warm-up flats or small rollers to ready myself. It was in-your-face climb from the minute I threw my legs over the top tube and it didn't let up. I remember climbing at a rate of only 5-6mph for the entire duration of the 9 mile trek up the mountain. We didn't make it to Crystal Lake due to black ice. A lot of emotions ran through my mind that day. I even started doubting my cycling ability and wonder why people would even put themselves through this torture! But after a few more attempts at Azusa and making it to Crystal Lake (and beyond), I began to appreciate the climb ... and to respect it. "Ahh!" I thought to myself. Now I know the "high" that rock climbers and athletes that participate in other activities that require a lot of physical endurance feel when they reach the peak.
As I have mentioned before, I am not a pro nor am an expert climber by any means. I would like to share what has worked for me and hope you may find something that I will be sharing somewhat useful on your first major climbing event.
Just say "YES"
First things first, just say "YES" when you get invited to a climb. Scary? It sure is, but you will probably never attempt something like this on your own. Always find yourself with at least one riding buddy to do this with, preferably with someone who has done this climb before. He or she can tell you all dynamics of the climb and may point out areas such as tight switchbacks during your descent back. I truly believe that there is safety in numbers and more people that are riding this with you, the better. There is also a psychological factor that when you know that a group of your friends will be suffering the climb with you, you are more pumped to say "yes" to the event.
Keep it nice and slow
Unless you are training for a race that requires tough climbs like the Tour, take it nice and slow on your first climb. There is no shame and actually, I encourage you to use your granny gears (small chainring up front and largest cog in the back). My first climb was on a Dura-Ace 7800 group with 53/39 up front and 12/25 in the back. Sure enough, I was on my 39/25 for the entire duration of the climb. Now I ride a compact 50/34 with 12/27 in the back. I still ride it on my granny gears most of the time on the climbs that are over 6% grade. There is no use for you to try blasting up the hill, only to blow up and run out of fuel midway, not to mention cramping your legs big time! For me, I got nothing to prove trying to go up fast. Speed will follow the more you climb. Trust me on this.
Clip On and Stay Seated
If you are like the rest of us and rode a bike as a kid, tackling a small hill back then usually required us to get out of the saddle. This was due to the fact that when we rode as a kid, it was unlikely that we were on clipless pedals and rode the standard flat pedals. Getting out of the saddle was essential since we depended a lot on the downstroke of the flat pedals to get us over the hump. Now since we are on road bikes, this is where clipless pedals come into play. Being clipless not only allow our pedal strokes be even, but now we have an "upstroke" to aid us on the climbs. That is why most of us are on clipless pedals, both on the road or on a mountain bike. Getting out of the saddle also expend more energy since you have to extert more force. Staying seated will conserve that energy for the long haul. Eventually you will get out of the saddle for the really steep stuff or if you want to try doing interval training on the hills (assuming you got a lot of climbing elevation under your belt). For now, just clip on and stay seated. You will thank yourself later.
Hydrate and Fuel Up
As with any ride, hydrating and fueling is essential during climbs. In fact, you may want to double up on your liquid and energy foods since climbing will require more of it. I would take a sip every 10-15 minutes and if you have a hydration pack, that is even better, especially if the climb is long. You MUST hydrate, even when you are not feeling thirsty! Try to drink with electrolytes to prevent cramping. I found taking a tablet based electrolyte like "Salt Stick" once per hour really keeps the cramps at bay. In terms of refueling via energy bar/chew/gel/waffle/real food, I also found out that once per hour is sufficient.
Stay Alert
When you are climbing, be wary of your surrounding. On mountain-side climbs, take note on large debris on the road. Move large stones or rocks from your path if you can, or if there are too many, keep note to see a clear path when coming back down. Sandy areas are to be taken with extra care. If you can't avoid sand, hit it slower and straight on and avoid making any types of lean or turns on the bike when going over sand. If you see black ice, do yourself and your riding buddies a favor and turn around. Black ice is dangerous and you will slip and fall, no matter how you ride through it. Black ice usually occurs during the cold winter season and it looks like wet patches on the road after a rain. If you see patches of snow around you and see these "wet patches" on the road, it is probably black ice.
Blasting Downhill
"What goes up, must come down". We heard this cliché before, but there are a few things to keep in mind. If your climb was steep, expect a steep descent. If you are riding in a group, stay behind someone instead of leading so you can follow his/her line. Stay about 2-3 bike lengths behind, if not more. No need to draft on a descent. Also remember where the debris were during your climb. Got an itch on your face or body during a fast descent? Just brave through it and keep both hands on the bars at all times. For those who fear "speed wobble", it helps to put one knee on the top tube for added stability. Look ahead and avoid looking at your wheels when flying down. Make sure both fingers are at the helm of your brake levers in case you need to slow down drastically. Whatever you do, don't lock up the brakes. Modulate the brakes by squeezing the brakes in an alternating fashion (front, back, front, back, ...). Modulating the brakes like ABS also helps. Check your brake pads, cable, and tires prior to any climbs.
Safety First Because Accidents Last
Nothing rings more true. It isn't worth earning that Strava KOM for getting seriously injured or killed on your bike. Watch your speed and follow the traffic laws.
Happy Climbing!
- James Lee
