Climbing Tips For Heavier Cyclists
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- Climbing Tips For Heavier Cyclists
Yes, you can get faster on the climbs.
Everybody know that the heavier you are, the harder it is to ride a bike uphill. There is no getting away from it. Many heavy cyclists avoid hills and mountains, mistakenly thinking that they either can't ride up them or it is far too difficult. While it is not easy, it is not impossible. There are things you can do right now to get faster on the climbs.
Many heavier cyclists are successfully riding their bikes not only to the top of hills but some of the more epic climbs. Just about any cyclist can climb.
At the end of the day cycling to the top of a climb is not meant to be easy. No matter how heavy or light you are, riding your bike up a climb is meant to be a personal challenge. With a little bit of intelligence, technique, perseverance and brute strength, it is possible for anyone, of any weight to ride their bikes and cycle to the top of any climb.
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However fast (or slow) you're climbing, you're always climbing faster than the guy sat on the sofa.
Absolutely.
Amen!!
That is correct ☺
here here! just go ride and have a great time.
Except for the guy sat on the sofa of a private Lear Jet during take off.
“Successfully got up at all.”
Agreed.
I (50 yrs, 109 kg) go by the motto of the Sloth Cycling Club.
“We get there when we get there.”
Ride On!
I think I need to join the Sloth Cycling Club.
But on the descents, my sloth becomes a cheetah!!
On a recent descent one of my very fast cycling chums said to me ‘my word, you take some catching’.
I'm 65 yrs and 86kg, my motto is I made it home again.
Very funny club name !
As a 90kg cyclist I resemble this video description.
I remind my feather light cycling mates, "You help lead me up and I'll sure help you down!"
I found eating less for the ten years before the climb was a good idea unfortunately.
Yep, that will certainly help with the power to weight ratio.
69 likes, nice...
but nobody as fat as this dude should be worried about anything but losing half of himself.
I have been cycling for almost 2 years now. And since then I've lost 25kg weight. Really proud of myself. Not only due to cycling though, gym and food habits also, but cycling definitely keeped me being consistent. 110kg starting weight in september 2019 -- 85kg today! -- Hills are still hard though.
Well done
A tip when you stop on a steep section and want to continue. Cross the road and even descend a couple of meters to get clipped in and then turn around to continue the climb.
Its a great tip but where I live some of the roads are so narrow it is very difficult to ride across.
Stopping? On climbs? Should be forbidden :D (just joking)
I do that when I am feeling exhausted. Turn around, speed up couple of meters and head back up hill. Pretty sure does nothing to improve my endurance, but that's what I do.
Works for me!
@@raphaeltiziani7476 The real crime is having to stop during descents! #IdahoStop
When struggling I rather do not look at the top of the climb but just at the road right before my front wheel. When looking to the top my mind tells me that it is still so far to go. When not looking at it literally I feel like it gets less steep.
I also find that getting into a rhythm is key. Sometimes I even use my shadow for pacing me, looking at my shadows pedal strokes as if it was someone else and trying to stay in sync. This helps me to stay more constant withe the cadence. And do not feel bad when you get dropped. A lot of riders have problems finding their rhythm and may get slower and slower. I learned to approach the longer climbs with a high cadence and easy gears, finding that rhythm and then I might even shift to harder gears. When I was travelling with panniers and all sorts of bikepacking bags I was just into the climb up Mont Ventoux when a peleton of riders with an escort car took over. It was still early and I was slow but used them as a refference point in the distance. Within just a couple of minutes I caught the back of the group. I did not want to show off but they got kind of slow and I did not want to loose my momentum so I took over and rode on. Two riders of that group caught up and we had a kind of race up the climb. They always caught me in the steep sections and I was able to pull away again when it eased off. I was great fun.
I agree. Looking at the summit or at people who are ahead of me on a climb is discouraging. Looking at my pedaling feet or my front wheel (occasionally looking up to make sure I'm not going to crash into anybody) on a long climb works best for me. When I do look up, it is a nice surprise to see how much progress I've made.
Totally agree!!
I hate it when my garmin pops up a climb screen, illuminated in amber and red! I always change the screen.
Me too! I can’t look up at the top. My mind would just give up. I can only make it when I look right in front of me, just enough to not get run over or hit something.
Great advice... when you are climbing look a few metres ahead, when descending look as far as you can.
Don`t cry for me if I drop dead on the road, because I died happy...
Tell that to the family of the poor bloke who died doing the "Pedal for Scotland" Glasgow -Edinburgh on the 8/9/19.
He was a heavy rider too, and until his heart gave out he was enjoying himself a lot.
R.I.P.
I don't have a pokeflute... don't fall in th road snorlax. >:/
That was surprisingly, possibly alarmingly, interesting, informative, positive and encouraging. Thank you.
Doing wheelies up hill's helps me, as you only have the rolling resistance on the back wheel 🖒
Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong.
Unicycling maybe the answer then :-)
Remove the front wheel for weight saving
Thanks for the tips! Recently back on the bike. 65 years old and 100kg. Its going slow, but its going. Have lost 5 kg so far.
Neal Montgomery 52yrs @ 105kg and just back on the bike here. Dropped 5kg quick in the first couple of weeks, haven’t seen much loss since. But I sure feel better! Keep well.
@@geoffreyfowler9198 that's typical. Lose the first 10 or 15 pounds pretty quick and then kind of stall. I have done this before. As I START to get fit, the fat turns into muscle. Muscle is much heavier than fat. As I continue to ride, the weight starts to come off again, although once I got over about 50 years of age, I had to start watching my diet along with riding my bike.
Neal Montgomery - Indeed, we can’t outride a lousy diet!
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right" is actually a Henry Ford quote. But it's definitely funnier coming from Stewie.
It's also a quote from Boss Baby
As a 70-year old guy who loves the bike, I have an ultimate fall-back: a very low bottom gear that I use when I absolutely need it. Then, I just resort to patience, and I get up the hill. The energy required is slightly greater, but the power generation is less than those smart Alecks who blow by so fast that there is a Doppler Effect.
I changed out my cassette to include a 42 tooth low gear for the steepest hills, and as a 70 year old, weighing 198; I need every advantage I can get! Semper Ridiculous!
Triples are a goodness. Narrow ratio on the cassette + wide range for hills. the trailer, or just being tarred.
Great tips, thanks. I also use the "Little Engine That Could" philosophy by repeating "I think I can, I think I can".
Plus side of hill climbing, is on way down with my wieght, im like the runaway boulder in Indiana Jones. Flying by all the skinney guys.
Flying by the skinnies? Only when they've been waiting for you on top of the climb. It is my experience that you can never win back the time in downhill that you've lost in the climb. It would, if it lasted as long in time, but sadly downhill time is only about a quarter of the time you need to go up.
@@befab4ever1972 that is true, i wish i can climb fast. But my physician Dr. Pizza from 2 Bros academy says dont stress it.
Yes, and I love the evil little smile you guys can't quite hide as you go by us...but you deserve it!
Thanks for the tips! Love the mental side of things! Probably the most major factor :-)
Your videos are encouraging and inspiring. You've given me a much needed confidence boost and strengthened my resolve to keep at it. THANK YOU
Great video and info. As a clydesdale cyclist myself, I find your mental tips of getting to the next sign or focusing on the summit always helps. Thank you.
Hi Leonard. Your video has just given me a boost. As someone who’s BMI chart say I’m too short, I decided at 59 to try cycling as a way of losing a bit of weight and increasing my fitness level. I often see the professional types with all the style and Gucci kit and you can’t help but feel a bit self conscious. Especially when you feel your struggling. But it’s not about others, I’m trying to do this for me. Your video has helped with my attitude and I’m going to bear your tips in mind. I’ll never be a pro but if I can maintain a positive mental attitude, learn a few tips then I know I’ll enjoy being out on the bike and as they say i’ll at least be better than the guy lying on the couch. Cheers
+Tony Paris Good luck with it. Doing it for yourself (and the people we love)is the only reason to do it.
Solid advice Leonard !! (also for riders of any weight) @ 4.27 re walking on cleats, I now use mountain bike cycling shoes with recessed cleats & matching peddles. Well presented, please keep up the good work.
From Pete, an ex 1st Cat UK amateur cycle racer in the late 1950s to mid 1960s.
The other advantage of mountain bike cleats is that the pedals are double sided making it easier to clip in.
What great advice for any cyclist 😉 You've created a classy video. Thanks a lot 👍👍👍
+Marie Smith Thanks Marie.
Your information and delivery as always is humorous and spot on. I am 55 years old and only took up cycling this year. I’ve started bike touring and so add 30lb to my 140lb body weight and bike, so your advise here helps me a lot. I’ve recently only had to climb a couple of hills at 7%, I had to get out of my seat and in my lowest gear but I was very happy to just get to the top.😀
Thanks Leonard, Totally agree with relaxing and breathing correctly, your vid clips reminded me of last October going up the Formentor on our first day. I'm 15st, & 50 years old, staying "on top of the gear" and spining at around 100 cadence certainly is the way to go for us more "rotund" athletes..ahem..
As you probably saw, some I’ve used footage from my Mallorca trip, including my ride out to Formentor.
I'm a big old boy and I ride a big old bike. I pump and grind and get it up the hill. Breathing technics are so important I count it out to match the rhythm of the pedals. Love the challenge. I'm about 325 and my bike empty weights 47. That's pounds, would hate to dragging around them stones.
Wonderful advice. Exactly what I've experienced these past few years. Thank you for taking the time to put this video together.
Thanks for watching.
Great video. It's worth mentioning that changing to an 11-32 rear cassette is a real help on the steep stuff. Sometimes the difference between getting up there of having to stop. It's also a great confidence booster, knowing you've got that bit of extra leeway. It's really helped my climbing on the steep stuff.
Absolutely, using a compact chain set definitely helps.
Living at the foot of the alps and being 69 I found going to an 11 : 34 cassette with compact chain ring.
I love biking too. Did a lot of swimming in my past, thus forming my upper body structure to be much heavier than the one of the average cyclist. I'm going strong on flat land but I happen to live in Tuscany, known for the many hills and mountains, sometimes roads are even steeper than in Switzerland! hhhhhhh... Your advice about climbing is definitely accurate, I had found out exactly the same techniques by myself already so I can herewith confirm that it works in our favour. Good luck, friend, and keep the pedals turning
Thanks for your tips and encouragement!
Thank you for posting this video. Great tips for those of us over 100kg. I agree that the right mindset is a key factor in climbing. I recently completed a "dream day" of climbing in the Cap de Creus region of Spain with my brother-in-law. We did 1534 meters over 4 climbs, and 85km distance for the day, in one of the most beautiful areas I have ever been to. The climbing was brutal but the descents were awesome! Never give up! Never give in! LIVE TO RIDE - RIDE TO LIVE!!
+LVTiguy22 But you did it. Well done.
Thanks. Can’t wait to go and enjoy rides in a place like that! Good tips, cheers.
I just love your videos because of your enthusiasm & great ideas. You're also encouraging to the average cyclist & present cycling as fun & for everybody
Great video mate. Atleat I'm not alone in this struggle. I'm now 50 yrs about 100km. What keeps me going is the knowledge and believe in what the younger me was able to do, believing that you are only a failure when you give up. The trick is to run my own race and slowly but surely with determination, I will improve💪
Spot and and thanks for taking the time.
Getting fitter, getting stronger and shape changing.
25lb down further 3 stone to go. Thanks for the inspiration. Cheers Sel
I lost 80 lbs. cycling and eating healthy meals with calorie and portion control. The weight melted off at about 1 lbs. every 10 days.
Anyone who is bigger can do the same if they really want to.
Congratulations. Healthy eating and regular exercise is definitely the way to go.
Well done mate. Can't have been easy. I'm trying to lose weight myself so it's good to know a fellow cyclist did it already.
@@SuperShabz1 I start each day with a 2,000 calories allowance. For every mile I ride I get about 30 more calories to eat in the form of food.
A person can ride and eat pizza and drink beer as long as the calories do not exceed the daily limit. Google the phrase Basal Metabolic Rate and you can learn what you daily baseline calories are.
Try the keto or carnivore way of eating. It will give you lots of endurance ( when you’re fuelled on fat burning it’s like burning logs instead of kindling) you’ll also experience longer endurance and it’s even possible to ride while fasted at times. Give yourself a few weeks to adjust though, you’ll lose stamina at first but then you’ll take off. And weight loss is amazing on keto.
What say you ranger to those who really want to yet struggle? Gain yours back yet? Be honest.
My love of beer outweighs my desire to be thin.. but it will never stop my legs from going around in circles on my bike.. I fell in love with cycling 2 years ago and will never stop. I’ve since bought a road bike, a fat bike for the trails and a gravel bike that I also use as a grocery getter / commuter bike.. I haven’t lost a pound in 2 years but I love the excercise and adventure I get out of my bikes everyday. Cheers Lenny! 🚴🏻♂️💨
beer is too much work to drink... and liquor is less calories by alcohol content. >;/
Getting back into mountain biking. Saw this in my feed and watched it, thanks for the video and inspiration! I'm 6'2 235lbs and i often struggle with how slow i go uphill. Thanks for the vid 🤙
Ditch the mountain bike and go for a 700cc wheel hybrid. It made a night and day difference for me.
@@stevelampard I have both a mountain bike and a road bike. They are both fun. Road bike is lighter and faster. MTB is heavier and slower but I can go everywhere not only road. On the road bike I can go for a greater distance but the MTB gives me a harder workout since it is heavier and has bigger tires. I am lately not using my road bike much because I'm so much in love with my MTB even when riding it on paved roads. It comes in phases. Sometimes I stop using my MTB and switch to my road bike again. It's all fun. But I will never say ditch your some kind of bike to anyone. Bikes are all nice to ride.
Great tips! Thank you! I would like to add that equipment choice will help significantly. After spending a lot of money experimenting, here is where I've ended up. I do live in the Denver, Colorado metro area, so yes we have a lot of climbing!
Gearing: I am running an FSA Gossamer TRIPLE crank on my Synapse, with an 11-34 cassette and a Shimano 105 GS 10-speed derailleur. I believe the 10-speed 105 is only rated to accommodate a 32T rear cassette, but the 11-34 does work flawlessly. Caution-the big-big, 50/34 combination stretches the derailleur out, leaving very little play in the derailleur, but I shift to the middle chain ring way before I get to that point. I have found I spend 75% of my time in the 39T middle chain ring, and I use the 50T chain ring only for flats and downhill runs, and the 30T small chain ring for climbs. While the light-weight arrogant roadies will make fun of you for having a triple, here's the math. A 39/11 gear combination with a 25 tire at 100 cadence will carry you to 27.94 mph or 44.97 kph. How many people can hold 25+ mph on a 2% grade? If the tiny people continue to deride you, sit on them until they stop breathing. This strategy leaves no marks on the body.
Wheels: Buy a set of wheels that have heavy-duty or touring/trekking rims, and 32 or possibly 36 spokes. Let's be honest. For all of us in the 100kg/220lb range, a 20 spoke front wheel is not going to cut your climbing time by 25%. Go for strength (and therefore safety); ignore the wheel weight. I had a set of wheels built up with Ultegra, 32 hole hubs, DT Swiss spokes, and Mavic Open Pro rims. After about 6,000 miles, the rear rim cracked. I have nothing but praise for the Mavic rims, but I would say they are not designed for heavy people coupled with the "quality" pot-hole covered Colorado roads. Lesson learned-stay away from light weight rims, regardless of manufacturer, or you WILL be repurchasing or rebuilding wheels. I had the wheels rebuilt with DT Swiss RR511 rims and 32 spokes. While these rims are not cheap or especially light, they have a recommended system maximum weight of 130kg! If your wheels look like they came from 1970, you know it is built correctly. Heavy person = boring wheels.
Bike Choice: The gravel bikes that have come out in the last few years really do give a heavier person options. Many of them are coming with 48/32 or 46/30 cranks and 11-34 cassettes. For a road bike, a strategy for a heavier person in a mountainous area may be to buy a Sora equipped aluminum model bike, and then install a Sora triple. Yes, this is a bit pricey, because you will be changing the crank, front derailleur, and shifter, but it will get you a bike that works for you. My opinion only, after owning the Synapse with a triple, I would never go back to a double crank because of the 16 tooth jump between the two front chain rings. I found myself either spinning too fast in the 34T, or grinding in the 50T, spiking my heart rate. I often was shifting both the front and rear derailleurs trying to find the right gear as the terrain changed from flat or a descent to a climb. Another interesting point-the first time I took the triple-equipped Synapse out on a ride, I had twenty-four 1st, 2nd or 3rd best times on Strava segments over a 32 mile loop I ride often. Granted, most time improvements were only a few seconds, and I was not trying to set a fast time, but it is intriguing how more efficient gearing does make you faster.
you are really cool and a good cyclist. Love your oh so british way of talking. In cycling as in so many other things you get better by repetition, repetition, repetition, climb, climb, climb..... you will be astonished how much progress one can make. After even 1 month or 2 of repetitive climbing & climbing & climbing you do things that were utterly unthinkable before. Everything gets stronger, mind, legs & lungs.
My favourite climb, Cap Formentor, love it. Thanks for this, subbed
I really look forward to these videos. As always, good advise. We are currently taking an advanced climbing, descending class and one of the cyclists told me to move more forward on the climb in order to put more weight directly over the pedals. I always scooted back on long steady climbs.
HI David, glad you are enjoying the channel. Yes, they are also very good points which, unfortunately I missed out in the film.
I love your video§s as I am a heavy guy and need all the encouragement I can get . Keep them coming
Thank you Leonard for these great tips fro commuters too. I climb a double hill on my commute home and the only thing that keeps me from getting off the bike are your tips! ! Your music is also very cool 😎
What a wonderful vid. Thank you so much for this, it's inspired me!
Glad to help, Gary.
Great video. Had a 6 mile climb the other day that I didn't think I could do, but I made it. I used some of these techniques.
Well done, Timothy. A six mile climb is quite an achievement. Thanks
Al good advice Leonard
Among many others , Sevy used to say that the biggest distance in golf was between the ears. As someone at. 60 returning to cycling after many years and victim of middle age spread , climbs are as much a mental obstacle as physical. The other day "defeated" by a local climb where l had to dismount ( 14Kg Bike 97kg Rider ) l,thought tomorrow lm going to concentrate on climbs. Took the car for a 25 mile tour round our local roads thinking "no way could l do this but following day rather than think "oh god here's a climb" , l went out knowing they Were coming - 6 miles in the middle of a 25 mile run and 1,000 ft (No dips ) average gradient 7.5% on a hybrid. Never dismounted once . Chuffed & inspired by your own efforts .
Thanks. Keep the videos coming.
Well done, Robin. You must be really pleased.
thanks for videos you're a inspiration
you are an inspiration.. detailed and very precise advice for climbing.. ride safe sir
At our hippo riding club we specialise in flats and downhills 🤣🤣
Here's some sage advise from an old guy (69). Never feature a women in a film about "Climbing Tips For Heavier Cyclists."
Ha ha.....oh dear. She’ll forgive me....I hope. Maybe....no, I won’t be making that mistake again.
Thank you for the tips and leaving weight to the end. I have battled with people about this that suggest I swap my touring bike with something lighter. I pointed out that even the lightest bike still had me a weight disadvantage. Hills are not my favorite but have accepted that and moved on. Love the videos
As much as we love having new bikes and stuff losing weight off the rider is always going to be a more efficient way of improving one's power to weight ratio.
Here in mountainous Utah, USA heavier riders benefit from having a triple chain ring with a cassette having at least a 34-tooth cog. All about the cadence and staying in the aerobic effort range.
Ha we call it the Granny Ring here in the UK :) Jokes aside, a successful summit - or a valiant effort - no matter the gearing used or the time taken, is to be applauded
Compact crank has worked for me. I always had a triple until 5 years ago but the compact is just about equivalent.
Solid advice. Hill training is a focus area this summer. Weather has finally permitted some riding. Thanks
Good luck with the hill training, although its turned chilly here again and Storm Hannah is on her way.
Great tips! Thank you.
Thanks for this video, mate
Leonard this was a great motivational video. I am going to bookmark this link.
Glad you liked it.
Great advice.Nowt patronising,just well thought out help.Thank you.
Totally get the vlog. Glad you didn't go down tighter lycra, shaving your legs route... your vlogs are honest, informative and me relevant. It looked like a great place to ride as well.
+druth24 If I was that skinny next big thing 20 year old I might have suggested that but, sadly at my age, that’s not going to work.
Climbing is very mental, you got that right! I just did my third century, the last one with a 10 mile climb. I found that dialing back a bit and not pushing too hard made the difference. Also, I use mountain bike shoes, you can walk with those if you have to. Really the only way to get better at hills is to just ride them. Keep up the good work!
Sometimes it really is all about the mindset and attitude.
Good video! Power to weight ratio applies to many things. The most affordable performance part around is a diet. Eating less costs less and makes you go faster. Great video. Keep up the good work!!
Absolutely.
you inspire me. thank you very much!
One other helpful tidbit - do squats 3 times a week. Work your way up to doing 25 - 30 squats with 10 lb dumbells in each hand. This will help your climbing immensely. My advice: 1) Time in the saddle, train on short but steep hills. Do at least 6 climbs in say an hour. 2) Lose weight !!! 3) Do squats.
Grest video! Thank you, i needed that
Glad you liked it, David.
Hi Leonard ! An over weighted cyclist here too, from Mallorca. Nice video !
I use these tips myself and am not overweight. Especially concentrating on my controlled deep breathing, that helps a lot. Though I can't look up at the summit, but set little check points along the climb. For example, lamp post in the distance, once I hit that mark I pick something else and only focus on covering that part of the road.
Beautiful Mallorca love those climbs!!!!!
Me too!
Great video! Thanks.
As a heavy MTBer, I am always behind on the climbs. My lightweight friends are going up like crazy and they are super awesome amd always wait for me. It seems like the only thing I can do is improve my leg's power and cardio along with mental focus. If I have to walk my bike up I'll do it. Thanks for the tips, ride on!
I’m not a very good climber but have got better since my bike fit which has naturally increased my cadence and being advised to ride more in my little ring! Great video as always 👍
Hi Heidi, yes, a bike fit is really going to help and riding in the small ring is great advice.
An excellent video. Initially I thought it was one of those “tips videos” that are more excuses by an overweight cyclist than any real advice by a good cyclist. But I was wrong. This guy gives sensible and meaningful advice to us older and heavier cyclists.
great content, keep rolling! ps. When the climb is steep somewhat I like to imagine that my cranks are rolling a flag up a flagstaff, just gives you better feel for a lot of spinning with a little distance covered.
Hi Leonard another great video i,ve just got into riding after some health issues im 66 years old, just love the bike there,s a climb near me that i,ve been avoiding after this video tomorrow is the day to give it a go if i have to push so be it. It will be good comming back down thanks for the inspirational videos
Good luck with it, Frank. You’ll smash it.
This is such a simple and really well-thought-out information, I am thoroughly enjoying this and the relaxed method in which you are speaking translates into the relaxed method in which we should be pedaling try to make the correlation between the two and the miles up that steep grade will become easier yep I really like your how are you explaining this
Glad you are enjoying the channel, Clay.
Great video ! (Subbed) I started cycling a year ago (43) and got an ebike through C2W scheme. Best investment I ever made, I lost a stone in 6 months just cycling to work and back and slightly modifying my food intake. I now have a carbon road too bike which I love to ride. Still a relatively heavy rider at just over 15 stone but the more I ride the easier hills become and riding becomes so much more enjoyable! My tip is to keep hydrated and keep tackling those hills.. they get easier, the reward is the ride back down the other side :)
Thanks for the sub. Good luck with your cycling. Enjoy!
You would have made a great neighbor. Thanks for your perspective and honesty, From across the pond, slaint
Tips valid for everyone! Great to be cycling and everything that goes up has to come down!
+Rob English Hooefully there will be more downhills!
...man... you're good. Thanks for the inspirational ideas.
Definitely it’s valuable advice and bound to show results
"REST STEPPING" is used in climbing up mountains and can/should be applied to bicycle hill climbs. This works by stepping up to the next foothold and immediately straightening the leg to "rest" on your skeletal frame, rather then support yourself with muscle. "PRESSURE BREATHING" is also employed where your breathing is managed by forcefully exhaling fully to enable yourself to inhale fully so you do not have to stop and catch your breath. I find there is much in common, physically with both endeavors, but is worth the effort and the use of logical technique for each situation. Most importantly; HAVE FUN!
Great advice for this older, lighter rider heading to the Pyrenees. Enjoyed the presentation style very much.
Have a great time, Peter.
I just wanted to encourage your video making as you have been excellent in focusing on the activity as opposed to the weight. However, we should all try to drop the weight.... it is possible. There's such a benefit when we can do this. No sugar, 2 meals a day, don't eat after 6pm, and no snacking between meals. It really works. Good luck.... and great video!
Wonderful advice. You can also lighten up in your “mind”
Your videos are aesthetic, entertaining and informative :)
Great video - love the cake versus carbon comment. I've been saying this to people for years. Being a lardy 54 year old (getting lighter by the day though!) getting back to after a break, I have found a well built steel frame far more comfortable and ridable than any wafer light carbon bike and half the price (I do have carbon forks on one of my bikes as they are almost standard these days)! I am enjoying getting back on a bike after a break of over 5 years and back on a road bike after a break of over 35 years - keep the videos coming.
I been riding again for the first time in 20 years I could not make it around the block 1 and a half years ago now 20 miles a day is a norm. But you ste definitely right about eating to lose weight I lost alot the first year and I am plateaued right now but it's time for a major eating ch as bad...I am so glad I c as me across your videos
Well done.
Excellent Video, and Great advice
Thanks for the tips, I really need this as a heavy cyclist.
Glad to help Kim.
Excellent tips for the hill climbs. When I was a featherweight I searched for climbs as a super heavyweight I dread the climbs. Attitude attitude attitude is something I have to work on . Especially the beer and pizza ;)
Hi Leonard, A wonderful video. A couple of things I do to aid in climbing as I am an older ride (70's) and about 10-15 lbs over the ideal. I use mtb shoes and double sided XT peddles; this way getting into the peddles on steep sections is not an issue. On my 2 main bikes I have moved away from what the manufacturers generally include which is a compact with an 11/28 cassette. On my Domane I use a 34 tooth cassette (700cX25MM tires) and on my gravel bike running 650b/47 I use a 46/30 chainset with a 36 tooth cassette which is particulalrly good for steep gravel inclines. As the world moves to larger tires, such as 700c x 28mm, or bigger on road bikes, for most recreational riders a compact with a 28 tooth cassette is not ideal for steeper terrain. Anyway, please keep up the great work.
Yes, gearing is a big consideration. For larger riders I would recommend a compact chainset at the very least.
This is the second video I've seen from this guy, and I really like (and appreciate) his honest and pragmatic approach to cycling, which, at even the basic standard, can be very elitist.
+Neil Thomas Glad you are enjoying the vlogs.
I agree with his statements. I do a lot of what he said and also put a larger cassette on the rear....ha...like a 11/34... that also helps alot...👍
Top tip from 63 year old. I have fitted my bike with shimano xtr mountain bike cassette with 11 40 ratio. You may need a wolftooth roadlink adding to the derailure. It will depend on the cage length you have . This allows you to cruise up the hills with a decent cadence rather than get out of the saddle which always feels exhausting. Keep up the great videos.
I’ve had a few people suggest something similar. Unfortunately one of my bikes has Di2 electronic gears and it won’t take the wolftooth.
@@jollygoodvelo .There are folk out there with wolftooth and di2. Don't take the bike shop as gospel . Maybe worth some investigation as the benefits of a bigger cassette are easier hills.
Peter Bee agree 99% of bike shops don’t have a clue about larger cassettes and wolftooth
Great video! Thank you for all the work :)
Thanks for watching.
This is great advice for any cyclist casual or racer who will get older. Sooner or later this will apply. I know.
It comes to us all, sadly.
Great video, @leonardmlee and some good tips
At 60 kilo and standing 5'8" tall I consider myself skinny. I recently did a 150 km ride in tge Himalayas - my first at age 54. I agree 100 per cent with everything that is said here, particularly the first point. The philosophy and approach preached here is universally applicable to all - skinny or fat. The best video I have seen on the subject.
60 kg or not, riding 150kms in the Himalayas is one hell of an achievement. You should be proud of yourself.
Good advice, thank you. Love that ride out to the lighthouse! 👍
Thanks Mike. Isn’t that a fantastic ride?
You are so right Leonard, lovely route and great views! Thanks for taking the trouble to send me a reply. 👍
No worries, Mike. I always try and reply.
Thanks for the info [Class of 40Years +107kg] 👊🏾
Beautifully said and done! :-)
Thank you.
Great tips Leonard. I generally like climbing - until I hit those climbs where I run out of gears and then it's a grind to the top or, even worse, having to stop. A good tip for clipping in on a steep climb is to set off across the slope.
Trouble is some of the steep little climbs round here are so narrow it’s very difficult to ride across the road.
Cycling inspiration for aged people who are challenged by gravity - Thanks L :-)
Hopefully not too aged.
Age is a social construct...
Getting older is compulsory, growing up is not!
Great Video and awesome footage. At 100kg I'm pretty slow at climbing, and if Im riding with faster riders I just let them fly off ahead and focus on myself. Theres no point hammering yourself if you can't keep up anyway.