Climbing Tips for Heavier Cyclists

Climbing Tips for Heavier Cyclists
We all know that cycling up hill is hard but its especially hard for cyclists that are a bit on the heavy side. Being a heavy cyclist myself, I know this struggle against the power to weight ratio all too well. I can ride my bike up hill but I would never win any races.
Obviously, the fist thing to do if you want to cycle uphill faster is lose weight and improve this power to weight ratio but while you are working on that, there are tips and techniques that can help you right now to get up that hill just a little bit quicker.
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[@jackj3917]

I'll never win any races, especially up hill, so during a climb I remind myself: "Last up the hill is still up the hill." Thanks for the video.

[@IQstrategy]

The only race is within you, no matter who u r. U do one at a time & it just continues until ? no longer.

[@akissparaskevopoulos]

Well said

[@paulmullins4676]

Wow so refreshing to get information that is for us Clydesdales and not for a 20 year old fit elite rider like most videos are. This may be the most inspiring cycling video I have seen! Its been said “ You don’t quit riding your bike cause you get old rather you get old when you quit riding your bike”. At 69 I have come to realize that I win every day when I get on my bike, not when I pass other riders. If they at 40-50 years from now can do the same ...😉

[@scottvessey915]

Losing 18kgs was the best thing I did to help, mostly be eating less food - then I treated myself to the flashy bike 😎 Looking forward to seeing that lighthouse again in a couple of months!

[@tomkunich7388]

It is winter and I'm 4.5 Kg overweight. I am trying to do flat power rides because the temperature in the hills is such that black Ice is always a threat. Mid-day temperatures can get to 10C but in the shadows the black ice can linger all day long. So always be aware of your surroundings and have a bail-out always planned even if that is to ride considerably slower on the descent than you normally would.

[@purpleaki7135]

Pro tip, if you're not racing then you can get away with mountain bike shoes (SPD). They are much easier to walk around in without looking like a Penguin and you still get the benefit of being clipped in.

[@tomgarner5965]

I race and still use them not much of a disadvantage to road cleats

[@andysim232]

I use them too😀. I have had a few devastating ride ending failures and had to walk back to civilisation. Could never do that with road shoes lol

[@tomkunich7388]

If you are not a racer remember - the upper level MTB SpD pedals work the exact opposite of the lower end ones. The low end one's are hard to get into and easy to get out of for beginners. The upper end ones are easy to get into and quite difficult to get out of. In general the average rider will have a better time with the cheaper versions because if they aren't racing they can stand on the pedal to get into them and it you end up crawling slowly and almost come to a stop you don't have to worry about getting your foot out in an emergency.

[@tomgarner5965]

@@tomkunich7388 you can adjust how hard they are to get out of what are you on about

[@JohnNeville617]

I got the multi directional release ones and love them for road cycling. Plus they work for the spin class I go to in the winter.

[@teslar1]

Totally agree. I’m near the Sancta Maria Monastery in the Lammermuir hills. The toughest climb locally and I did it last year for the first time at age 64. I was happy to achieve my aim of getting to the top without stopping no matter what the time was it was a fantastic feeling

[@zeblogo]

Even for those of us not as relatively heavy, this is an excellent climbing tips video! Many thanks!

[@marktrulock3323]

Gearing is also important. I switched to a 46\30 crankset and a 11\34 cassette and I was able to make it up climbs that I had walked before. A 50/34 crankset was just too much for me. I am 63 and weigh 100 kilos. Cheers

[@LowGearDisciple]

Agree with this one thoroughly.

[@UnseenSpirit]

I'm 97kg but 34 years old. I don't know what crankset I have but it's tough going up

[@lynnwood4421]

Fully agree with this. Most of us amateur cyclists will be better of with a 11-34 cassette vs say a 11-25. Having the extra low gear ranges far outweigh the loss of some "closeness" in the gear changes. Should be an automatic option on all new bike purchases

[@MVProfits]

I have a 11-34 cassette but still use a 50/34 at the front, otherwise flats and descents are sloooow. Contador once used a 52/34, I wish that was the norm... that and 11-40 in the back ha ha. For Alps and really steep climbs and such

[@mrvwbug4423]

In the MTB world, those 50 tooth SRAM Eagle cassettes are a godsend for us bigger riders. Especially on tech climbs where you are just tractoring your way up the rocks.

[@PhilipClare]

Great series, I'm 20stone love cycling & do over 10,000k a year. Surprisingly enough, not a good climber & love beer!!!

[@randyeller8139]

Learned a lot of this the hard way. If I ride close to home it’s uphill either direction. The key is to not be faster than anyone else, just a better rider than you were yesterday. Great video and sound advice!

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Cam Nicholls raises some serious questions about how good he "ACTUALLY" is as he is into his 40's and started quite late ! You don't need to be really good to be a level 1 road cycling coach in Australia as it is only local club level . Many riders outpace their coaches anyway .

[@elmerrichardson6413]

Great video as always, i live in a hilly area in southern California, I've applied most of your advice in this video for past couple of years. I Couldn't agree more with your assessment. I wish I could ride that hill you're on. Ride on.

[@TylerMumford]

I've watched a few other cycling videos on climbing, but this was the first one that makes sense to me for my body type. Thanks!

[@heartweddingsphotography2490]

My personnel technique for hills.......Being a heavy cyclist I always attend spin classes to improve my aerobic fitness especially through the winter. When you come to the hilly part of your ride you engage a gear that allows you up your cadence enabling you to spin up the climb. Keep the rest of your body as still as possible and concentrate on being smooth and efficient, not wobbling all over the place. Lastly tell your brain not to pant like a dog, empty your lungs in a fully controlled manner... take in all that fresh air and breath deeply. This technique will take time but you will succeed. The reward is no longer do I drop off the back of the group on the climbs but stay with them and sometimes get to the summit first. Guys I know this works because I just got tired of being last ( my age is 62 ) stay safe. :-) Oh one last tip. On hilly rides, change your shoes to mountain bike shoes which use SPD, this will enable to put your foot down and walk safely. Road shoes can be deadly.

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

But how would you go with cartilege failure in your right knee as I do ?

[@christaylor5787]

New to cycling and I really like your videos! Alot of knowledge and info. I'm a bigger somewhat older guy and I was having alot of doubt as to weather I'm to old and or to big to start cycling. Keep up the good work

[@alexchamberlain9752]

Hello from Sydney Australia, just wanted to say a big thank you, I live in an area called hills district (obviously known for its hills) and gravity hasn’t been my friend for some time, there has been a hill that has had the better of me for a while now, I watched this video last night knowing I was tackling that hill today and your tips were great, first time up the hill and a few other ones after that on the same ride, I no longer fear climbs/hills and feel a new level of competence now. Thank you again, long time viewer, first time poster.

[@petecarl7486]

Loving your work mate.. good too see regular people passing on their knowledge just so we can all enjoy cycling

[@princeandrew5430]

Really good tips and video production! I’m certainly a heavier rider, and I’m hoping to include more hilly routes rather than keep shying away from them! It’s almost a confidence thing for me: now I’ve bagged a few shorter climbs I’m hoping to continue that momentum and tackle some longer ones. Thanks

[@trekkeruss]

I'm an e-bike convert, so climbing could not be easier. The bit of boost allows me to ride like I did when I was younger and thinner. Call it cheating if you like, but an e-bike allows me to ride further, faster, and I still get a completely sweaty workout.

[@doctorpc4x4]

I dont think e-bikes are cheating at all. They do enable you to ride further so you still get that workout

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Not really !

[@hondasaurusrex6998]

Great stuff for a Friday morning. Love the bit - beer and pizza muscle.. keep pedaling my friend!

[@duathlete827]

Sliding back in the saddle an inch or so will also make it feel as though you've gained another gear. Let's you stretch the legs a bit also. Dropping the heals a bit can also help.

[@mijnheerw7253]

Man your vids are so calming and destress me. Nice weekend watching material

[@kenblair2538]

Great tips Leonard. Yep, I've noticed, when I take in deep breaths of fresh O2. my HR drops. Ride On. KB

[@steenie007]

Thank you for this! You’re inspirational! I’m really glad I found your channel, your videos are really informative and great for me as I am just starting out and super new beginner to cycling 🤗👍🏼

[@jollygoodvelo]

Welcome to the channel.

[@drycoconut5898]

You're hitting on all the right notes for me. Thanks for the vid.

[@larryw1389]

Great information, well presented, Thank You.

[@leedorney]

Honestly Leonard, 'the beer and pizza muscle' - never heard that one... 👌 🤣

[@BrianRPaterson]

Spot on about short term targets on tough climbs. I like lamposts. They are easy to spot, evenly spaced, and there's always "just one more" to shoot for. Cheers

[@achiltsompanos447]

Riding on the proper lane again I see, and in lovely weather and light too! Nice.

[@davecruz9249]

6' 214 lbs. 60. Thank you so much. Affirmed a lot. I need to get cadence for the Garmin. I now have a reason to live or at least go to work and make some money. Continued success!

[@BrianRouse]

Good points on the shoes...this is why I use mountain bike shoes when I ride. Also, my pedals are clipless on one side and flat on the other.

[@jonathanbarnham9268]

Great video Leonard agree with everything you said. there seams to be this big culture thing of getting up a hard /long climb without a break... why just stop if you need or want to, then carry on. getting to the top is the real achievement and I've found over the years m some of the best views aren't at the top!. One thing a would like to add is changing your gears , yes its a bit more techy but it does makes a difference. I fitted a rear mech extender to by road bike it started with a 50 /34 crank 11spead rear cassette 11/28. after I fitted the extender I changed it to a mountain bike rear cassette with a 11/40!. this makes a hug difference on the steeper or longer climbs. they are still hard work but it takes away the strain on your legs. ps I'm know lightweight ( currently 23 stone!) but ive cycled up most of the toughest hills in the uk. as you say believe you can do it , concentrate on breathing, pedalling and stop of need be. you will do it and the sense of achievement is fantastic. onward and upward!

[@MVProfits]

You actually have succeeded in having a 11/40 rear cassette with a 50/34 at the front? Nice

[@juanhuttoe4517]

Great tips, I'm a bit heavy myself and have used some of these same strategies. We dont have mountains here to climb thank goodness. Atleast not close by.

[@nicolashelios8556]

You are an inspiration! 🤗 With 51 years and a few kilos too much you can not compare yourself with slim 30 year comparisons. 😫 It's not easy to accept that, but if you compare yourself with yourself and see progress, it makes you happy again. 😊 I translated this text with Googel translator from German to English. I hope it is understandable? 🤔🤓

[@sol029]

Loving the positive outlook. I'm getting back into cycling after many years of honing my beer pizza and cigarettes muscles. Quit the cigs. That alone has sped me right up! Now it's time to work on the other two.

[@jollygoodvelo]

Stopping smoking is a very wise move. Good luck with the other two.

[@redeagle999]

I love your videos! I'm 58, started riding 3 years ago and will never win anything, or even do half of what you do. I find your advice useful and also very encouraging! Keep pedaling!!

[@jollygoodvelo]

Great that you have started cycling. Have fun!

[@itsjavaman]

That was some beautiful scenery and good advice.

[@BTinKH]

I'm 73, though not overweight. My solution for out local, very serious hill, was to put a Tiagra Compact on the front, coupled with an XT (yep) 11x46 cassette on the back of my Giant FastRoad flat bar road bike. Shifting is flawless.

[@leadbelly1960]

All good advice for most of us, light or heavy, MTB SPD pedals with a flat side and a clip in side are a good option.

[@deancowley8045]

Good advice Leonard 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Raven.flight]

Your comment about finding a sign post or tree is right on. When I was doing hills in the Army in full battle order, I found a trick of literally imagining that I’d throw out a rope from my navel and tie it around a tree ahead, and then use my will to pull the rope in. It’s just a mental trick, but it gets your mind off your aches.

[@aidanmasterson50]

I escape to the Dublin/Wicklow mountains whenever possible. Taking on a single minded challenge while loosing every other thought to end up on the top of the World, is about the best head space any person could have. Just even one visit a week makes every other minor psychological or physical challenge work/life throws up seem insignificant. Now if only my cassette didn’t end at 34 and had as many teeth as I have years.

[@smedleybutler1969]

Beautiful ride I rode to Glendalough many times when I was stationed in Dublin!

[@nealmont]

I break the climb up into parts also. Certain tree, Certain sign, whatever. I don't want to see the top on the longest climbs, so I look just in front of me or almost directly down. Works for me. 65 years old, I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and I have just gotten my first compact crank. Should have done this many years ago. My 53-39, 12-23 days ended years ago but I was stubborn... Pantani wannabe no more :-) Thanks for another great video!

[@markus3569]

[...] "I don't want to see the top on the longest climbs, so I look just in front of me or almost directly down." [...]. That works for me too. :-)

[@svrfx3573]

I break my climbs up as well, my riding mates tell me it’s dangerous “ you need to see way ahead of you to spot danger.” No I need to survive this climb.

[@christineorio5855]

Love your videos, keep cranking them out! My husband and I want to travel to the UK and go for a spin with you :)

[@jollygoodvelo]

You would be very welcome. I may also be doing some rides in the South of France again soon that you would be welcome to join.

[@thomashenkler4969]

Like I've said before, watch out for me on the way down!

[@stephendailey3108]

Nice one leonard, I might add, the more one cycle, the more that weight will fall

[@markfeldman6509]

Great common sense advice. We often need to be reminded of the basics. Riding high end trikes doesn’t give one the option of standing for more leverage.....hence the expanded gearing options. It works fine....high cadence and no velocity but one gets up the steepest hills just fine! Keep cycling!

[@jollygoodvelo]

Getting to the top is the most important thing. Doesn’t matter how fast.

[@michaelzoeller9552]

Beer and pizza muscle!!! Love it!

[@stevennorth6484]

Nice informative vid, too many people buy expensive light bikes yet carry an extra stone or more around the middle. As someone that's ridden in Majorca, Tenerife & Gran Canaria going up mountain's is hard work, although the locals might call them hills. Wish I could've ridden in those places when I was in my 20's & 30's & fitter. But love it all the same

[@jollygoodvelo]

The best upgrade any cyclist can make is to the mind and body first, then look at lighter components.

[@nickw6175]

a bit of help is especially on long rides or sportive rides if your carrying a full water bottle or even two just think about where you can get a re fill there is no point on lugging a couple of extra full bottles if there is a cafe for a water stop on the other other side of the summit

[@stevec6232]

Gearing is key for anyone in Alps or long climbs. And i really agree outside of hairpins to carry speed and get a few seconds of breather from pitch of climb.

[@briandineen7857]

I like your emphasis on cadence in the last few videos. Shifting down as you climb to maintain cadence is a good approach even if you slow down. I believe a good cadence also puts lets pressure on your knees as in less straining climbing a hill. I also think some people are just better climbers, some better downhillers, and some quicker on the straight aways. This is also true, i believe for runners too. It definitely factors in muscle mass, confidence, weight, and approach to that part of the ride. Thanks again Leonard. How about just two pieces of pizza instead of 3. That is always my dilemma.

[@jollygoodvelo]

Mine too!

[@peterbee8892]

I put a mountain bike 11 40 cassette on the back of my defy and spin up the hills. I use a heart rate monitor and use this to make sure I don't get over enthusiastic at the start of the climbs. Go your own pace.

[@zyghom]

The best was... the superb weather from your south trips. Anything else was secondary;-)

[@richarddandrea1213]

That old saying - the way to improve up hills is to ride up hills.. .. excellent tips and video.

[@tomkunich7388]

Knowing you CAN get to the top is 90% of riding up hills.

[@Mosely2007]

I'll be 71 soon 5 ft 11 and 190... for me a 53/39 front and 11 /23 cassette I have gone up most of the hard ones on zwift. Lower. Rpm but never stopping. I live where 2000 feet daily are the norm outside

[@tonyalbanese9961]

Great perspective. Ride on 👍

[@jollygoodvelo]

And you.

[@crux_timberjack]

Thank you Jolly, At fifty five years and thousands of arse aching miles on my bum, I still pick up scientific tidbits from riders like yourself. Twenty years ago, I was dropped by seventy three year old former Olympic rider on a century. We have what it takes to ride into our golden years. I drop the occasional thirty or forty something today and continue to hold the line for myself. Old guys rule is not just a tee shirt slogan. It’s my life. I’ll see you on the world’s roads and trails. Jon

[@tommccafferty5591]

As a 70 year old overweight cyclist with one artificial knee, and the other one on the verge of needing replacement, I agree with what you say in this video. It's been a few years since I last had to walk up a hill. Slow and steady will eventually get you there.

[@jollygoodvelo]

Good for you Tom. Keep at it.

[@rsantos15]

Hello, a great video. I would like to humbly suggest a segment on road gradients. Not necessarily how to calculate it, but what each gradient category 'feels' like in terms of exertion required to climb, and how to 'recognize' the type of gradient you are on. I hope that's clear! My new home of Montreal has a lot of steeper routes.

[@perkarlsson4915]

On my Niner RLT frame, it reads "Pedal damn it". Works for me. 😊

[@tomkunich7388]

One trick is to rest while you're pedaling - that is; to ride slower than you can until your heart rate and breathing drop back down to normal. Most people climbing push too hard for some reason. Particularly if they go up a steep section - as they get past that and the gradient lessens for some reason they will continue trying to put out the same amount of power and in doing so burn themselves out. So be aware of hard spots and make sure you do not continue pushing hard once you're past it.

[@jollygoodvelo]

Thats a great tip. One I forgot.

[@sameoldcircus]

Great video as I prepare for a rather hilly ride next month

[@jollygoodvelo]

Good luck.

[@cathalkenneally1614]

I took my hybrid bike out today since I had it serviced. I did 30 miles in a fast time, using only the middle chain ring. Surprisingly my cadence was higher than normal. The average was 78 rpm and it peaked at 250 rpm. Using my road bike on a similar route my average cadence is 62-65 rpm and the highest I’ve achieved is 124 rpm. I keep trying different gears but where the road bike is concerned I can’t improve. I’ve noticed that my climbing on the hybrid is better. 🤔🧐 PR’s on Strava are the least of my worries. Saying after a long hard ride, it’s nice to see a few when you look at difficult areas that always seem to be a struggle.

[@kenp.7304]

I believe that your hybrid simply has more suitable gears for you. Road bikes typically do not come with super low (easy) gearing. Check with you Local Bike Shop for lower gearing options for your road bike. See below for suggested cadence ranges. Sprints (< 30 seconds) ---- 110 - 130 rpm. Anaerobic Intervals --------- 100 - 110 rpm. Flat ground --------------------- 85 - 100 rpm. Seated climbing -------------- 70 - 85 rpm. Standing climbing ----------- 55 - 70 rpm.

[@MrRideBikesFastDownHills]

My technique is to never look to far ahead. I look at the scenery. What is close by. I do not really care as to how far away the top is. I just pedal and have a look around. Works for me.

[@markgunnison]

I live at the top of a 7-9% half mile climb so I have had to learn to enjoy climbing if I want to ride. Breaking climbs up into small sections really helps for me. Great video.

[@eddieluvski4499]

My new "super hero"! Been riding for 10 years." I'm a picture sort of guy." Lol! Agree with most everything. A couple of tidbits---physics can be really strange sometimes. I hover around 235-250lbs most of the time, so any gains in momentum, no matter how tiny, I really notice. So any drop in bike weight is noticeable. Little weight changes, like carbon pedals, a lighter saddle, seat post, wheels, really seem to make a difference. After all, the lighter the over all package, the better right. Also I believe your choice of bike makes a big difference as well. You want it to be as stiff and efficient as can be. Zero flex. So every once of energy gets transferred to the ground. Just my opinions. Thanks for sharing the video Sir.🤟😜🚴‍♂️

[@jollygoodvelo]

Thanks Eddie. I have also recently been thinking about choice of bike making a difference. My Trek is much faster than my Cannondale and I was riding a Canyon over in France last month that was faster again.

[@cyclotaur6315]

I’ve been on a few euro mountain tours, and I usually claim ‘best climber’ status because I spend longer doing it than everyone else. 😉👍😎

[@jollygoodvelo]

Like it. Time is experience and all that.

[@syrus3k]

Power meter helps too, if you've done your FTP test recently that is. Just keep it below vo2max and you're golden

[@douglasmarsh9482]

I was hoping for some ideas on how you position yourself on the seat.

[@alexlencioni545]

I like the bike you're riding Leonard, Iam on the same bike, a giant tcr advanced 105 compact 32/ 54 and the colours are the same too , cheers . 🚴‍♂️👍🇦🇺🍺

[@jollygoodvelo]

Great bike. I only rode it for short while as it was one I hired for a week while I was in Mallorca.

[@Saverio49]

I'm pretty sure the same physics concerning my weight going up is the same physics that enables wicked fast downhills. I am the heaviest rider in my group and when we coast down together, I am way ahead real fast . If I pedal downhill and tuck for max speed I'm untouchable among my group. Still I would trade downhill speed for faster speeds uphill. I'm pretty sure losing some pounds ( or kilos ) would trump any training regimen I could devise.

[@whazzat8015]

Good tips on climb it change.

[@doctorpc4x4]

I'm a 100Kgs and ride a mountain bike on cycleways (greenlanes) or off road. I'm not built for hills and can do a fairly good imatation of a steamtrain, so I just grind, but if I cant cant ride I will push and next time will try to get further up the hill

[@mdtwigg75]

Definitely break the climb up. If you know the climb you can pick the sections otherwise like you said use visual queues. Remember if using HR to pace yourself there is a lag so it is easy to go too hard too soon. I would back off when it gets to 70% try to allow it to stabilise before pushing up to 80%+

[@Zeeley01]

Hey Leonard, thanks for this video. What kit are you wearing here and where its it available? Keep up the good work man!!

[@jollygoodvelo]

It’s from a travel company here in the UK called Love Velo

[@dech7745]

Dr Jason Fung. Fasting. First 4 days of each month. Countdown to 24 hours then the hunger dissipates and next 24 hours you have keto energy and clarity of thought like never before. Fasting to go ....fast.

[@djokotriono7787]

one more to monitor if you can have them: heart rate. I've passed out and crashed after 5 min session of > 100% zone, so.. manage your own capacity. I'm a 100kg bloke myself and always said that if group ride is to be fair, other riders have to carry 30kg backpack each own. They never did lol

[@peterdaly6137]

Best tip, Leonard, is to invest in a road ebike!!! Especially if you're old, such as myself. Bought one last year after many decades of avid cycling and whole new worlds were opened up to me!

[@jollygoodvelo]

I don’t need an ebike just yet but maybe in the future.

[@peterdaly6137]

@@jollygoodvelo Of course, Leonard, I'm not suggesting you should as you are still relatively young. I wouldn't have wanted one at your age. However, for someone like myself who is nearing my 70th year, it makes eminent sense! It enables me to keep up with my son when tackling the upward gradients! Keep up the good work!

[@fruktaingenting1848]

Thanks

[@thetwowheellifeplus4065]

I always used to say that for bigger guys racing dirt bikes. The best and cheapest perfomance mod's is a diet! I was never very good at that!

[@icejunki]

First time viewer, terrific content. Thank you. SUBSCRIBE

[@1967davidsrebrnik]

My last real ride is more than a year ago, it was mainly going up and I reached my limit that was the first time I had to give up in sport. The group leader was saying that I must trough away my 30 years old bike and use/buy a modern one.

[@KeithHeinrich]

You need a better bunch to ride with. The two bikes I ride routinely are both way more than 30 years old and there are groups who prefer the aesthetic and experience of older bikes rather than smashing about of the newest carbon fibre fad du jour. Get back on the bike and find your people. You'll be glad you did.

[@mtnbikehead]

Best way to go faster up hill as a heavier rider, is to go low carb in the offseason. I dropped from 224 lbs to 160 lbs in 5 months. Ride fasted for easy rides, and periodic preload with carbs for longer or faster ridesto maintain metabolic flexibility. Eliminate bread if you can, cut out sugar and other other high glycemics. Good luck.

[@jollygoodvelo]

The more I hear about keto, the more I am tempted to try it.

[@mtnbikehead]

leonardmlee You can ease into it; or go full keto to which the transition period could be a couple of weeks to 3 months. Some people call it the keto flu. Easing into it through extended fasting periods is likely the easiest. Fasting fixes insulin resistance for most people. My A1c was 5.6 mmol a year ago and I felt terrible. That is the edge of prediabetes. It’s now 5.0 mmol, and been that way for 8 months. By eliminating breads, sugars and other high glycemic foods, you will find that you are less hungry. Best part, about the low carb, is you can go out, socialize eat drink, enjoy yourself, and go back to normal low carb/keto for day to day. My sources were Dr. Jason Fung High intensity health Thomas DeLauer LowCarb DownUnder Prof Tim Noakes Dr Phinney and Dr Volek GCN

[@jollygoodvelo]

Rockhead Gary It’s quite a step. I’ve got to work out some sort of meal plan as I have little idea about what I can and can’t eat on keto.

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

On the carbon Pinarello , road buzz hurts my left wrist as I have scaffoid damage ( NON - UNION ) . The TREK mountain bike does this less and doesn't tire me out as quickly but it is 30% slower on a given climb . Is there a way to compensate for this without "ELECTRIC BICYCLE CHEATING" ?

[@markperry4474]

I love this. Bicycle advice for real people, nut just the racing snakes.

[@mikecrockford6500]

Thanks for your videos, I'm signed up for a century charity ride (106.6 miles) in July I'm 52 currently 130kg and alhough I will be doing it on an E gravel/road bike I know it's going to be hard ! Any tips on what I should be concentrating on ? Currently only using the spinning machines at the gym every other day oh and dieting !

[@jollygoodvelo]

Spinning is a great start. All of the aspects are important: lightening up as much as possible, improving cardio, building strength and simply believing you can do it. Good luck.

[@Greenjuiceman]

thank you - great tips - my problem is I can lose it but I always put it back on :-(

[@jollygoodvelo]

I have a similar issue, although I struggle to lose it.

[@whichdoctor4858]

Nice weather.

[@carstenschroder7054]

Walking Tip: wear two pairs of socks. So if you need to walk: take off one pair, get the midsole out of your shoes and put the socks on again withe the Sole between the socks. May help you up the Timmelsjoch. :)

[@TheraPi]

I 'm 194 cm tall and weighed around and slightly over 100kg most of my young adulthood. I struggled. Now in my late thirties I'm oscillating around 85-86 kg. Even with the quite lean body, due to my height the weight ist still substantial and I'll never be an outstanding climber. Admittedly, also due to a lack of training :D But still, I feel like smashing those hills now. Tip one: get lighter (with all due respect :D) Tip two: You are allowed to give up whenever you want, as long as your legs don't notice that and keep spinning. Tip three: "Shut up, Legs!"

[@tomkunich7388]

You and I are the same height and weight. I'm 75 and due to a medical problem I didn't tide for over 2 years. It took me five years to recover to the point where every climbing ride wasn't torture and another 3 years before I had my confidence back. I was never able to get any sort of advantage by standing other than to stretch my back. I simply increase the power pedaling circles. Funny thing is that climbing no longer bothers me at all. I know that I am going to slow a great deal near the end of a hard climb and I no longer care. I just get to the top.

[@winstoncat6785]

You probably shouldn't even worry too much on the really long climbs. Even for lighter riders, it's still 1 hour at near impossible wattages for mere mortals, and plenty of people end up on their lowest gear after only half way, and grovel the rest of it. Also, are triple chainsets still a thing? I never used one (well, except on the borrowed bike over Christmas), but they were widely available on road bikes up to about 10 years ago. Since then, not so sure. Don't seem to see many any more. And the "classic" groupsets long since stopped offering the option. But worth considering if possible,

[@jollygoodvelo]

I’ve seen the odd triple on budget road bikes in the past and mountain bikes but you are right, they are becoming increasingly rare.

[@StoccTube]

Someone’s been reading “the little engine that could”

[@jollygoodvelo]

Family guy.

[@Victorl3363]

humble lesson

[@craigarcuri2930]

Hello. I love your channel (being a large cyclist in my 50s). I noticed you rode Cap Formentor. I am going there beginning of March. How was the ride out to Cap Formentor and back? How long does it take? I'm apprehensive about that one. My season ended beginning of December due to winter, and although I ride indoors, it's not the same for fitness. Thank you.

[@jollygoodvelo]

It’s not an easy ride but it’s not super difficult either. The road undulates and there are a couple of long climbs but they have re-surfaced the road so it’s nice and smooth and the scenery is stunning. It’s about 60kms from Alcudia to Cap Formentor and back to Alcudia. My advice: relax and enjoy it. It’s a great day out on the bike.

[@craigarcuri2930]

Thank you. You've eased my fears a bit :-) I'll report back in a month.

[@TheNovaNorm]

Great advice. It's much cheaper to lose weight off the body than the bike too. However, it's Friday; reward day. I'm tucking into pizza today and back at the gym in the morning! :-)

[@jollygoodvelo]

Enjoy your pizza Norm.

[@LLewis-vu9qf]

My hometown was a city with quite a few hills -- not San Francisco hills, but pretty respectable nonetheless. In order to make it up those hills I always rode the drop ends of my handlebars. It gave me extra leverage that I lacked when holding the flat area of the bar or even holding the brake hoods. I didn't see anyone in the video riding the drop end of their bars to help climb. Is that technique not used any longer? 🤔

[@jollygoodvelo]

Not that I am aware of.

[@KeithHeinrich]

Love your work, but whats the deal with the cam? Its incredibly soft at the edges.

[@jollygoodvelo]

It’s a look!

[@johnm5385]

Thanks, I'll take any advice I can. I'm rubbish on hills, my breathing goes out of the window

[@jollygoodvelo]

Mine too. You just have to pace yourself.

[@rudyhoffman1683]

Leonard, as I can see, You are doing really great! Were You on the Canary Islands?

[@jollygoodvelo]

Thanks. This is actually Mallorca.

[@rudyhoffman1683]

@@jollygoodvelo I see, it's amazingly beautiful

[@u.e.u.e.]

Good tips! 😃👍 What beautiful bike in blue/black/orange matching your clothes had you rented???

[@jollygoodvelo]

Yes, it was a rental bike.

[@u.e.u.e.]

@@jollygoodvelo Do you remember what it was? It could be a Giant, but I didn't find that color on their homepage. 🤪

[@jollygoodvelo]

It was indeed a Giant. Can’t remember which model off the top of my head but if you watch the first of my Mallorca films it’s in there.

[@ministryoftruth8588]

I run a 10 sp. 11-36t cassette with my compact 34/50t crank. I'm 50 y/o and weight 103kg. At 6'4" I suppose I'm just slightly overweight. I need to lose 8 kg. I REFUSE to Diet though. Healthwise a strong Cardio system compensates for a few extra pounds, so no biggy. I also have a custom 12-40t cassette I can swap out on the same Bike (with a Derailleur hanger extender and longer chain) for STEEP Hills. You will need a long cage RD for that setup though. Climbing seriously HURTS when you're a Clyde. You feel like you're going to EXPLODE trying to keep up. Just suck it up! If you feel you 'deserve it' for being a 'fatty' that will motivate you to just shut up and take it. I daredevil downhill to make up lost time. Being HEAVY does have it's ADVANTAGES in Cycling Sometimes. Best to buy a robust Budget Entry Level Bike with an Alloy Frame, THICK Carbon Fork with ALLOY Steerer Tube and 32 spoke Wheels. Rebuild the wheels swapping out the cheap stock spokes with QUALITY 14G Spokes and make sure you have clearance for 28mm Tires. Have a THICK Alloy Seatpost, Stem and Handlebars and BEEFY Saddle and Pedals. Brooks Saddles are PERFECT for Clydes. Who cares if the Bike weighs 10+ Kg! You're WAY overweight as a Cyclist anyway. How's 2-4 extra Kg. going to make a difference when you're 25+ kg. heavier than an avg. Cyclist anyway!? Your CONCERN is your EQUIPMENT NOT BREAKING! Forget 11 sp. Your weight will wear out the chain/sprockets QUICK. Stick with 8/9/10 sp. It's WAY more durable. BTW watching you ride, you're 4X better a Cyclist than you LOOK. I mean that sincerely, not as a 'Backhanded Compliment' Leonard.

[@jollygoodvelo]

I’m like a bumblebee.