Climbing Sucks

[Fat Robert]

decided to do Ceasar's Head today, since I was in the area

was sort of overgeared with a 42 ring

felt ok until the two sets of steep switchbacks, if you know that climb

at the end, I once again returned to this thought:

why in god's name does anyone want to go uphill on a bicycle?



now, getting down the thing was fun....its only 6.5 miles, but it has something like 14 turns...now that's fun....

[obtuse]

i suck at climbing but i love it when i'm in good form. because even if i'm no good at it compared to other people i'm good at it compared to me then so there you go. but yes, it sucks to climb when you are fat and slow. and i'm not calling you fat or slow robert.

obtuse

[1centaur]

What did Wham say?

Gotta get up to get down.

What do some religions say?

Suffering is good for the soul (translation: gotta get down to get up)

Either way, your hill climb worked :)

[Fat Robert]

yo obtuse

36 minutes today -- which is faster than when i weighed 10 pounds less and raced in a higher category

see, its the new magic -- get bigger, climb faster

(and climbing still sucks...why do you have to work that hard to go that slow?)

[obtuse]

What did Wham say?




wake me up before you go-go?

obtuse

[Fat Robert]

wake me up before you go-go?

obtuse

don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo

[obtuse]

yo obtuse

36 minutes today -- which is faster than when i weighed 10 pounds less and raced in a higher category

see, its the new magic -- get bigger, climb faster

(and climbing still sucks...why do you have to work that hard to go that slow?)


doc-
next time anything takes you 36 minutes to get up, stop drinking and consult a doctor. the blueish tint to everything really isn't all that bad.

obtuse

[obtuse]

don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo


i don't wanna miss it when you get that high.

[Fat Robert]

doc-
next time anything takes you 36 minutes to get up, stop drinking and consult a doctor. the blueish tint to everything really isn't all that bad.

obtuse

hey, with 4 rubber bands wrapped good and tight, 36 minutes ain't bad

[obtuse]

hey, with 4 rubber bands wrapped good and tight, 36 minutes ain't bad

is that another george michael reference?

obtuse

[Fat Robert]

is that another george michael reference?

obtuse

he was a surgical tubing guy

[Climb01742]

this time of year, all climbing sucks. all it does in winter is remind us of how much condition we've lost. today i was huffing and puffing up hills that i flew up this summer. ouch. suppose all that pumpkin pie i was lugging upward didn't help either. :rolleyes:

[Sandy]

Climbing doesn't suck. What sucks is having 2 zillion people pass you as you are climbing. At least it used to suck. Now it doesn't suck so much as I realize that if I let it bother me that 2 zillion people will pass me on a hill, then that will hinder my enjoyment of cycling and that is foolish. I realize that I am really fortunate to be able to ride my bike and climb the hills.

So climbing doesn't suck. Some peopld suck. Some cyclists sucks. But climbing doesn't suck.


At the bottom and looking way up.....



Sandy

[davids]

this time of year, all climbing sucks. all it does in winter is remind us of how much condition we've lost. today i was huffing and puffing up hills that i flew up this summer. ouch. suppose all that pumpkin pie i was lugging upward didn't help either. :rolleyes:
I had the same experience riding the trainer this morning. The more I use it, the slower I get...

[obtuse]

i like climbing in winter when its freezing out.....it's alot warmer than riding on the flats or descending.

obtuse

[mso]

It's what makes cycling so wonderful. Your legs get into a steady rhythm as your heart rate climbs. The endorphins start to kick in and the views are awesome. Climbing is for me the essence of riding. The longer the better. Now the down hill, that just sucks!! Sometimes I can get my domestic to pick me up at the top, unless of course there's another hill to climb :)

[1centaur]

i like climbing in winter when its freezing out.....it's alot warmer than riding on the flats or descending.

obtuse

And winter's when you're supposed to ride slowly, so climbing slowly seems like it's fine.

[david]

i came to a different conclusion a while ago...
climbing doesn't suck, i just suck at climbing.

[Dave]

I think most riders would enjoy climbing more if they would just admit that they need a far lower gear, so an 80-90 rpm seated cadence can be maintained. Most riders who complain that they can't climb use about a 60 rpm cadence. Of course if you're carrying a bunch of extra weight, you can hide that if you ony ride rolling terrain, but you can't hide those extra pounds on a long climb.

Another smart thing to learn is to climb standing. Done properly, wiht a brisk cadence, most of the force is provided by your body weight, NOT huge efforts from the legs.

With careful use of pedaling standing, I've dropped my time on the 28 mile climb from Idaho Springs to the top of Mt. Evans from 2:55 to 2:35. The really good climbers in their mid 50's can do around 2:20, so I've got plenty of room for improvement. Yes, I know Ned Overend at age 51 can do this climb in about 1:50.

What I like most about getting to the top is the ride down. No coasting for me. I pedal my 53/12 until I'm spun out and only use the brakes when absolutely necessary.

[saab2000]

It's what makes cycling so wonderful. Your legs get into a steady rhythm as your heart rate climbs. The endorphins start to kick in and the views are awesome. Climbing is for me the essence of riding. The longer the better. Now the down hill, that just sucks!! Sometimes I can get my domestic to pick me up at the top, unless of course there's another hill to climb :)

This is what it is all about! The climbing is awesome if it is a good hill and the legs are good and the position on the bike is right.

I loved climbing in Switzerland. It is hard, but if you get the right rhythm going it works.

I am not a good or consistent climber, but there were good days, especially before I had the mono which killed my riding for good. But there were days when it worked. That is a nice feeling.

Climbing is the most beautiful part of the sport. IMHO.

[bcm119]

Descending sucks. Its cold, windy, gives you finger cramps, your legs cool down, and at any second you can crash and break your bones. Plus, all the big guys pass me unless I sprint to catch their draft.

[bironi]

I love the up, and down. :beer:

[Fat Robert]

word on the cadence thing. with a 42x25 as my low, i was doing 75rpm up that rock yesterday, and my knees feel it today...i need to put on a 39 ring next time and spin a little more...on the plus side, according to the whole vertical meters math crap my no-talent butt was doing 4.6 watt/kilo, which is good for me (though not for the guys at the front end of master's races)

and i respectfully disagree with all this "good position and cadence and its the most wonderful thing about riding a bike." bullcrap. i felt really good yesterday, given that its november, and all i could think of was "this is boring and stupid. this is steep. the view doesn't change. just more "up" ahead. when is it going to end?"

climbing sucks if you have to do it for more than three minutes.

[Ti Designs]

and i respectfully disagree with all this "good position and cadence and its the most wonderful thing about riding a bike." bullcrap. i felt really good yesterday, given that its november, and all i could think of was "this is boring and stupid. this is steep. the view doesn't change. just more "up" ahead. when is it going to end?"

Winter miles are like putting money in the bank. In some warmer month you'll probably be putting the hurt on some other poor bastard as you crank up the hills - then it'll all seem worth it.

[SponsorsWanted]

Climbing is my favorite way to ride myself into the sweet pain that racers know and love. Nothing quite like pushing yourself till it feels as though your lungs are going to explode, then suddenly you are euphoric and nothing hurts anymore.

[Ti Designs]

Climbing is my favorite way to ride myself into the sweet pain that racers know and love. Nothing quite like pushing yourself till it feels as though your lungs are going to explode, then suddenly you are euphoric and nothing hurts anymore.

Yeh, but what about the drug testing?

[Climb01742]

for me, climbing is equal parts physical and mental challenge. i dig the mental part. it's playing with pain in a (mostly) constructive way. taken to an extreme, something like mt washington is, IMO, overwhelmingly a mental challenge. (plus getting the friggin' gearin' right.)

[Fat Robert]

i don't get you and washington, jay oh

yesterday's climb averages about 7.5%, for 6 miles. that's enough for me, thank you. just looking at the numbers for washington makes me want to find a nice flat crit...but i guess that's the appeal of the thing....

[Ray]

I'm with both Sandy and Dave on this one. Sandy in that I *LOVE* to climb, but I hate trying to do it at anyone else's speed. I'm probably one of the slower climbers on the board (at the TDFL, I passed a few people on the last big climb back to DBRK's - otherwise I'd probably claim to be the absolute slowest), but as long as I'm in my rhythm and, as Dave said, in the right gear, there's nothing I enjoy more than climbing. I love long climbs. I love short steep climbs. I love rolling hills where you can just about carry enough speed to sprint over the top. I love everything except the really long/steep climbs. I'll never do Mt. Washington, but I've done stuff similarly steep and about half the distance and hated almost every second. There are no gears low enough to make that stuff fun after the first half mile or so.

But its all about attitude, and if I can find the gear and the speed to feel like I'm floating up the hill (and I usually can), there's nothing more fun.

Except going back down the other side.

-Ray

[Gothard]

If it wasn't for climbing, I probably wouldn't be on a bike. There is a liberation felt when after all the suffering you reach the top, and for some weird reason, you want to do more.
Of course, seing where I live the only flat riding to do is on the rollers...

[Climb01742]

robert, i honestly don't always get me and MW either. the first half of MW is actually "fun". the second half ain't. maybe there's a threshold. maybe 3 miles of extreme climbing is somehow within our zone. beyond that, it's something different. i can honestly say that both times i rode it, the first half of MW was cool, fun, satisfying. and the second half was hell. i don't know whether that's a physical or mental barrier.

[saab2000]

Does Mount Washington get steeper at the top? Changes in gradient are what kill the fun of climbing for me. It is also what definitely defines me as a non-climber. I once rode up a hill in Switzerland that had a section of 20% or so and it sucked. It was not fun. All you could do was hope that your body weight could push the pedal down to maintain forward motion. If there was ever a day for a compact crank that was it. But they didn't really exist then either.

[Climb01742]

Does Mount Washington get steeper at the top? Changes in gradient are what kill the fun of climbing for me. It is also what definitely defines me as a non-climber. I once rode up a hill in Switzerland that had a section of 20% or so and it sucked. It was not fun. All you could do was hope that your body weight could push the pedal down to maintain forward motion. If there was ever a day for a compact crank that was it. But they didn't really exist then either.

the last section is 22%, it's relatively short, but it comes at the very very end when you have very very little left. the second half of MW is tough for a few reasons: it's above the treeline, so there's the wind. there are two stretches of dirt road. the weather usually sucks, with wind, rain and cold. and if you look up, you can see the long line of ant-like riders stretching upward. but counterbalancing all that are the other riders. there's a brother/sisterhood on the rock, and their goodwill and generosity of spirit helps lift you.

[justinf]

ha ha
my 8 yr old daughter just came up to me cracking up and managed to get out:

"dad there's a story on our computer called 'climbing sucks' by some guy called fat robert"

[jmc22]

If you think that climbins sux... then why are you doing it?

Riding should be fun, if your not having fun riding your bike you may want to trade in the steed for a hammock and a case of beer.... :beer:

[AgilisMerlin]

If you think that climbins sux... then why are you doing it?

Riding should be fun, if your not having fun riding your bike you may want to trade in the steed for a hammock and a case of beer.... :beer:


I'll take the steed and the CASE OF BEER: why limit myself :beer:


this is my steed.................beers in the fridge

and that is the stairway to heaven leading to my workbench :banana:




AmerliN

[oracle]

all i could think of was "this is boring and stupid. this is steep. the view doesn't change. just more "up" ahead. when is it going to end?"

climbing sucks if you have to do it for more than three minutes.












clear your mind; stop thinking about it.

[stevep]

climbing is beautiful on the roads in italy and france...
long, not too steep, great views...magnificent history.
gotta get into the mood and do it. ive done most major clinbs used in the tour over the years and learned to love it...though i am not a very good climber as they go...
mt washington, however, suucks large chunks. i wished i was dead after 200 yards and i had 7 miles to go ( might have been dead, actually, hard to tell ).
it is relentlessly steep with only 1 flat spot of maybe 50 meters... i wished there was someone selling a gun with one bullet in it by the middle...i would have shot myself or more likely the idiot who talked me into doing it. you may get the feeling my mindset for this ride was imperfect... that is a good analysis i thk.

[William]

Hey, I'm a big guy and I love climbing. But then again, I love suffering (the self induced kind). Sound weird? Well, I'm a bit strange, or so I've been told. When I was heavily into lifting, leg days were always my favorite. Get the bucket or trash can close, pile on the weight and superset until you puke... or felt like it. I consider my self a good climber....for some one my size and weight. I don't mind the pain and suffering, but it does suck when you know you're off-form and you know you are capable of going faster, but the lungs and legs just aren't cooperating. :crap:




William

[RPS]

I also love climbing, and since I don’t get to climb as often as I want, I relish every opportunity as long as I can do it at my own pace. As a flatlander I see climbing as a great opportunity for a different cycling experience.

My only tough long climb that is similar to Mt Washington (at least in elevation gain) has been the Mt Whitney Portal Road in California which I’ve done twice on a whim. I was definitely slow but managed to make it to the top both times. Other than having completely inadequate gearing the second time, I enjoyed the experience so much that I can’t wait to go back. Or maybe try the MW Hillclimb next year if I can work it out.

[cpg]

I've never done Mt. Washington. How does it compare to Mt. Diablo which is 7 miles and you gain 3700' I think? I know the last bit of Diablo is around 22 percent too. I love climbing Diablo!

Curt

[Fat Robert]

i'll come clean

i sort of like climbing as pre-crit training - to do before you do a lot of high rpm vo2 crap -- the climbs down here are littered with swtichbacks, so you get your cornering practice going down (dude...i get dizzy going down caesar's head on a few of the switchback combos) then your just working threshold on the way up


tt'ing is still more fun. i'll take 28mph on the SS Junkpile vs. 11mph going up some rock anyday

[RPS]

The published information on the Mt. Washington Hillclimb include:

Top 6288 ft.
Base (Toll House) 1565 ft.
Elevation gain 4727 ft.
Length 7.6 miles
Grade Avg.12%, extended 18%, final 100 yds. 22%

[cpg]

Cool. I think I've got to give that a whirl sometime.

Curt

[Kevan]

is reserved for the flatter rides (Westchester Co. doesn't promote a true flat.). I wait until March to cough up my cookies and heart.

[Elefantino]

Here's what I like about climbing, which does suck, sort of:

At Horrible Hundred weekend before last, we hit the bottom of Sugarloaf Mountain at the same time as a bunch of team-clad racers.

Many of them had to snake up the hill. They were fast, but they had to traverse.

Me, in my 34-26, just did the grinding thing, straight up, no snaking.

They beat me to the top. And I felt great about it.

[yeehawfactor]

climbing <3