Beginner - live in the hills, should I drive to a flatter area?

A light bike doesn't replace good fitness.

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Rty1138
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jun 16, 2017 10:46 pm

by Rty1138

I live on a pretty big hill and I'm a bit intimidated bombing up and down it. I'm very new to road biking. Should I look for some flat area to bike around first or is variety the spice of life?

Carnkycolnago
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Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2017 12:06 am

by Carnkycolnago

Rty1138 wrote:I live on a pretty big hill and I'm a bit intimidated bombing up and down it. I'm very new to road biking. Should I look for some flat area to bike around first or is variety the spice of life?


Hills are your friends, take it at your pace and watch yourself get stronger faster !!

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Shrike
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Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 5:08 pm

by Shrike

You need both so, yes do travel out to a flatter area regularly. You use different muscle groups climbing v on the flats and both need to get worked if you want to be fast all round. That hill you live on... later that'll be the greatest boon to your cycling career. Just hard to appreciate it when starting out :D

AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

After you get some miles in your legs the hills won't seem so torturous. I just came back from a year of injury and little fitness. 700 miles later and hills are starting to get enjoyable again.

kode54
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Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

great living in the hills. you'll be the strongest one eventually...especially if you have to climb to get home after a long ride.
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kulivontot
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by kulivontot

Do what you enjoy. There's a place for both for training, but if you're not having fun, you're not going to do either.

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

Simple answer no. Yours rides are not a race. Enjoy going up be ause you get to come down.

beanbiken
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Location: Great Southern Land

by beanbiken

I wish I lived in the hills, my son and I drive most weekends so that we can ride in "the hills". Just take it easy and build up and as the others say you will be the strongest.
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KCookie
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Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 9:40 am
Location: Pom living in Australia

by KCookie

I can't remember the last time I rode on the flat, it's so boring. I love ridding through the hills, great scenery. Defiantly will strengthen your legs and be fun at the same time, as stated it's great coming down. Always good to see PBs on some of the harder/steeper hills to. Just go your own pace and build up gradually. Enjoy. !!

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Asteroid
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 8:43 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California

by Asteroid

If the OP lives among terrain similar to me, ending a ride with a steep climb can blow. And with the exception of warm weather rides, coasting down hills for a few miles in frigid temps does nothing to warm you up. Consequently, many of my rides involve driving to a lowland destination. My thinking is this makes sense for a beginner, until they get more confident with bike handling and build up that butt callous. :lol:
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Shrike
Posts: 2019
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 5:08 pm

by Shrike

Nothing boring at all about riding at threshold and above on the flat. It's a buzz. The speed you go and the higher cadences produce a different type of stress compared to the same power on a hill. Both types of work should be done. Lots of riders in my area, which is ridiculously hilly (even called XXXXX Hills) don't have high average speeds, even after years of riding, when they hit the flats. They just didn't do the work I'm guessing. Not used to that type of cadence. Faster pedalling puts a higher load on your aerobic system.

Do both OP, ignore the hardcore spend your life on a hill nonsense. You will end up learning to love climbing though, it's a separate art form and massively useful when starting to do intervals outdoors.

Rty1138
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jun 16, 2017 10:46 pm

by Rty1138

Thanks all for the feedback. Luckily I live in an area where I can choose some easy climbs or hardcore climbs. I'll mix it up.

GambadiLegno
Posts: 67
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 10:26 am
Location: Spain

by GambadiLegno

Just go at the same intensity whichever the terrain is. If you use a powermeter or a HR monitor you'll need to slow down to maintain intensity, same as you don't use any as well. Don't focus on speed, just intensity and perceived effort. With all the combinations we have nowadays in our bikes you can pedal easy or hard in 90% of areas.

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naylor343
Posts: 483
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:46 pm
Location: Haute-Ariege, Midi-Pyrenees

by naylor343

As said above, you just have to temper your speed and efforts to ensure you train correctly. I live in haute ariege and have a set of wheels permanently mounted with a an 11-34 cassette to allow for easy days, and a 36 sprocket on my CX/winter bike, with a 34t chain ring. Without these I would have to do most zone 1-2 rides indoors and i spend enough time training indoors due to weather as it is! Most others go to the mountains to push themselves for a day or two or to complete specific rides/workouts. When you live there, you will soon burn out if you spend almost all of your time at tempo and threshold.

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