[Grenouille]

What's the consensus -- downshift and keep up cadence? Or stand on the pedals?

I see many more people standing on their pedals, but i'm of the downshift school. (Keeps with my general approach to riding, start slow and then taper off ;-)

 

[BigJoey]

i down shift of course my hills are small grades.....

 

[awinter]

Downshift and SPIN like mad. Takes too much out of me to mash the pedals especially if its a lengthy uphill section.

 

[wild]

spin spin spin for me

 

[flanderscycling]

Its not necessary to slow down just because its going uphill.......
Keep pushing!

 

[cruiser]

Depends on the hill.

 

[LarryM]

I try to maintain a constant effort while climbing. I stay seated, downshift, and spin at whatever it takes to keep moving. If I run out low gears, I'll slow the cadence. The only time I stand is when the bike threatens to stall in the lowest gear, or if the hill is so steep that I have to shift weight forward to keep the front wheel from lifting up.

 

[SG78]

I'd rather stand and mash, but I've been making more of an effort to downshift and raise my cadence since talking to a friend about this very subject. I took some hills today downshifting and my breathing was fine, even with the dry weather we've been having.

 

[michael2u]

I would rather suggest stand on pedals and keep up cadence but, it depends on the type of hill and the steepness of the slope. I have tried this on smaller hills but not on larger ones as I have not gained perfectness till now. Timing matters a lot.

 

[Grape Ape]

I was told years ago to down shift until you run out of gears then stand or stand if the front wheel is lifting to transfer weight.

The reason I was told to downshift was due to the pressure put on the chain,sprockets and overall rear end of the bike. To stay in a high gear and muscle it could damage components or pull the tire out of line, or torque parts causing damage.

 

[retromike3]

down shift or else

I make sure that I have one lower gear to shift down to if I can't quite make it up the hill. I have been told it is acutely more work for you to push the bike up the hill than it is to ride it.

I like running triples in the front. Looking down on those little gears gives me some solace.

I have some seriously low gears on my bikes on my road bike I have a 22-32 and on my curser I have a 26-32. on my old touring bike I have a 24-30. I don't use them very much, but its nice to know that they are around when I need them to "bailout"