This may be relevant for other ebikers or it may not be. But I had a thought that when faced with a steep hills what guidance is there for getting up them. Living in a steep hilled area I suppose I have a bit of experience on that front, on both ordinary bicycles and now electric bicycles (hub motor). I differentiate and say “hub motor” as I’ve never rode a drive through the gears bike so can’t comment on them.
My own preferred method is as follows:
Approach the hill at a fast optimum speed (not all out, otherwise I’m too knacked to get up it).
As the hill starts to rise try to maintain the speed as high as possible and start changing down gears to help keep the speed up.
Eventually there comes a point where if you go to low things get silly (feet going like the clappers).
When I had my SLA battery I had to go down to first gear. I also couldn’t maintain a rhythm because the bike was so heavy. However since I fitted the Ping battery I can stay in second, maintain a rhythm and rarely go down into first.
The next part (cycling up the hill) is something I have perfected over my 20 years of cycling up steep hills.
It’s important to get into a rhythm. If it’s the right rhythm it’s possible to over come most long steep hill and still maintain dignity. I personally count in my head.
As the right foot gets to the max power point I count “one”, as the left foot gets to the power point I count “and”. When the right foot again gets to the power point I count “two” and so on. The time between the numbers should be about one second. I can easily maintain this rhythm up most steep long hills. I also find this a relaxing rhythm and it avoids over exertion because the rhythm keeps you in check. I usually arrive at the top of the hill able to cycle on and not have to spend ten minutes getting my breath back.
Using this system I have been cycling the hills of Cornwall for years and am still going, be it now with a little help from my electric bike
PS: Interestingly, this same rhythm shows up when I’m cycling on the flat, in top gear (6th) at around 16.2 mph (power just nudging in and out). Again it’s a comfortable rhythm and one I’ve found I can easily maintain for miles.
.
My own preferred method is as follows:
Approach the hill at a fast optimum speed (not all out, otherwise I’m too knacked to get up it).
As the hill starts to rise try to maintain the speed as high as possible and start changing down gears to help keep the speed up.
Eventually there comes a point where if you go to low things get silly (feet going like the clappers).
When I had my SLA battery I had to go down to first gear. I also couldn’t maintain a rhythm because the bike was so heavy. However since I fitted the Ping battery I can stay in second, maintain a rhythm and rarely go down into first.
The next part (cycling up the hill) is something I have perfected over my 20 years of cycling up steep hills.
It’s important to get into a rhythm. If it’s the right rhythm it’s possible to over come most long steep hill and still maintain dignity. I personally count in my head.
As the right foot gets to the max power point I count “one”, as the left foot gets to the power point I count “and”. When the right foot again gets to the power point I count “two” and so on. The time between the numbers should be about one second. I can easily maintain this rhythm up most steep long hills. I also find this a relaxing rhythm and it avoids over exertion because the rhythm keeps you in check. I usually arrive at the top of the hill able to cycle on and not have to spend ten minutes getting my breath back.
Using this system I have been cycling the hills of Cornwall for years and am still going, be it now with a little help from my electric bike
PS: Interestingly, this same rhythm shows up when I’m cycling on the flat, in top gear (6th) at around 16.2 mph (power just nudging in and out). Again it’s a comfortable rhythm and one I’ve found I can easily maintain for miles.
.
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