[bantam700]

I'm planning on a trip to Colorado next year and I've got the notion that I want to ride up a few mountains instead of just down them. The trouble is that the longest hills here are maybe a quarter mile, not near as steep as a mountain, and you have a nice and thick atmosphere. Any pointers for training or am I stuck with riding up a hill, going down, and riding up again ad nauseam?

[TxCyclist]

You could train indoors. Else setting gear to the most resistance while doing all training might help you.

[chh55]

Great idea with the indoor trainer. Also spinning if you're into that, stair trainer. During the winter weight train for leg/abdominal strength plus distance wind training (running). Don't forget what goes up must come down and descending mountains can be quite scary if you haven't done it before.

[chh55]

here's a youtube clip about mtn descending. See if you can watch it without your palms getting sweaty!!
YouTube - Kühtai 2007 - look 595 vs caad8 highspeed 104 km/h

[funetical]

Some more expensive gyms have altitude trainers. There's always this.

Hypoxico Altitude Trainer

[bantam700]

Any certain workouts with the indoor trainer or just intervals of getting your heart rate up to 80 or 90%?

[eaton]

Originally Posted by chh55

here's a youtube clip about mtn descending. See if you can watch it without your palms getting sweaty!!

Damn.

[chh55]

Get it up and keep it up. The climbs will involve prolonged 20-40 minute periods of nonstop 90% (or more) of maxpulse.

[Cycle]

I went to pikes peak once and got light headed on the train.

[mikebike]

as a flatlander (Florida) ---my answer to your question is SADDLE TIME...lots of it.

Get a really good base then progress to intervals and also periods of sustained tempo (like 3/5/10/15 minutes at 80% of your max effort.

then also make sure you have enough gears (i mean low gearing) to be comfortable.

I have ridden over the cascades - rockies -- tetons --adirondaks-- green mountains and white mountains ....and this works

the altitude will not be as big a problem as you think... at least not at 10,000 much above that HURTS....but you can just slow down

I have found many of the mountains out west with their long gradual 7-8% grades are not near as tiring as the shorter steeper relentless in number of them in vermont or say virginia/ tennessee

good luck... and if it gets bad---- that means it must be pretty ---stop and take a picture (grin)