I am hoping to do the Ride the Rockies tour next June. Lots of long climbs, some passes over 12000 feet. I am of the "Big sprinter body type" and while fast on the flats I "suffer like a pig" on steep climbs. I live in Virginia and we just don't have climbs as long or the elevation that I will find in Colorodo. I ride maybe 175 miles a week but am hoping to up that average to get ready for this ride. I will also be working on droping down to 6 or 7% body fat from my current 12% Any traing advise would be of great help. Any advise on gearing would alo be of help. Thanks

About the fat: Make sure that, if you want to lose weight, you do it during the very first buildup periods in the late winter and early spring, when you will probably be doing long endurance rides and strenght training. Also make sure not to lose more than .5kg a week and keep a healthy diet.

Combining weight loss with high(er) intensity training usually results in poor recovery and thus, reduced performance and the risk of overtraining. Keep in mind that being lean and powerless does not get you over the mountain... a little less than "optimum" weight (in your view) and a well trained body will. I agree with you that there certainly is room for improving climbing ability with 12% body fat.

Also bear in mind that 'enough is enough': I would not focus on a specific fat percentage value to reach. The values vary a lot, depending on circumstances and measuring method, anyway, so there is no point in wanting to 'break the 7% barrier' or something like that.
There seems to be a limit of fat percentage for every person, under which the immune system is not able to keep you from staying healthy. Better be on the safe side of that limit! Headcolds prolonging themselves longer than usual or little wounds not healing quick are signs of your body not able to keep up with things...

I reccomend Joe Friels' book 'the cyclist' training bible' as a great support for designing your training buildup to the Rockies Tour! (If it is an MTB tour, check out the 'mountainbikers' training bible' version )

About training climbing ability in a flat country: Check out the topic 'How do people from the Netherlands train for climbs?'

This is not the first time I hear about this book, so it must be good me thinks. You have any idea where I can order this book in Europe ? Or is anyone willing to sell me a second-hand version ?

Thanks
Ivan

Thanks for the advise on body fat, all good points. This is a six day road tour in the rockies( see www.ridetherockies.com ) Looking at last years profile it has some real killer hills! I am very much looking forward to this but as a flatlander I must confess to a bit of fear. I road this spring in Boone N.C ( of Armstrong/ tour Dupont fame) and almost died in the mountains. Should I start training for the hills now building on my current base or go back and start with aerobic foundation work? Does anyone use an online coach? Will that require a powermeter of some sort? This is going to be awesome!

you find on amazon.co.uk or most any online bookstore near you
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931382212/qid=1093167542/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_11_10/202-0029281-0001442

BTW
that ride looks realy fun!!

You need to look at a solid training plan to get you there. I assume yuo still have some time before your "off-season" now, so you could work on hills now. When you start your plan, you will need to lay down serious aerobic base work. Worry about the hills after you have done this.

BTW, you will need to build yourself up to the point where you can make it over these climbs mostly aerobic. BTW, LOTS of people on that ride use triples. Oh, and friends of mine have done it for a few years now on their tandem

Where in VA are you? I can direct you to rides with easy 12000 feet of climbing (100 mile rides) in the western VA region (also, MD too). I have some cue sheets I can send you if you're interested. If you're going to be riding in the hills the only way to train is DO allot of climbing. In fact, I know a group that routinely trains at this level almost every weekend if you wanted to train in a group.