Hill climbing is a difficult skill for many beginner cyclists, but professional riders often struggle to maintain their speed on climbs as well. The best climbers are often lean, have a good power-to-weight ratio and have a light bike. All of these qualities contribute to strong climbing, but the best climbers still need to learn and apply a variety of skills and techniques in order to make it to the top.
Cadence
It's important to spin at a high cadence because it divides the overall work of climbing into small, manageable pieces. Aim for 85 to 90 rpm, which can be measured on a bike computer, on flat to rolling sections and then try to spin at least 60 rpm on long climbs. This will build your aerobic endurance and won't place too much pressure on your muscles. If you mash at a low gear, you risk damaging your knees and fatiguing your legs quickly. When you approach a hill, gear down and focus on producing round, smooth circles as you ascend the hill.
Climbing Out of the Saddle
One of the best techniques you can learn is where to place yourself on the saddle during a climb and when it's best to stand. If you're approaching a small, but steep climb, stand. This will give you the power to maintain your speed. Standing is taxing because it uses the most energy, but it is also the most powerful position for climbing. When you stand, shift up a gear and be sure your body is horizontal and not slumped over the handlebars. Let your upper body relax as your bike rocks back and forth underneath you. Open up your chest and breath deeply.
Seated Climbing
Climbing in a seated position is the most sustainable in terms of energy use. Your glutes and hip joint produce a powerful motion when you sit. To fully utilize this, slide to the back of your saddle, drop your heels slightly and place your hands on the tops of your bars. This is a good position for long climbs. For especially long climbs, stand up for a few strokes to keep these muscles from tiring. This will also increase speed and is good for attacking steep sections. To mix it up again, slide to the front of your saddle, where you'll pull more power from the quads.
Maintain Momentum
Always try to maintain your momentum so you don't have huge variations in speed. Don't stop pedaling just before the top of the hill. Instead, keep your cadence up until you crest the top and are just over the top and then keep pedaling on the downhill, but decrease your effort to recover from the climb. This will help flush the lactic acid from your legs and keep them from stiffening up. It will also help you use the momentum you gained going down to keep you moving at a good clip once you reach the bottom of the hill.
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