How do you get better at cycling up hills?

Hills are where cycling becomes honest. On the flat you can pretend; on a climb, the road quietly tells you how things are going. And yet climbing is also where some of the best cycling lives: a switchback road through vineyards, a village square at the top, the long freewheel down. Getting better at hills is less about suffering more and more about wasting less.

Gear down early

The most common mistake is waiting too long to change gear. You start the hill in a hard gear, your cadence drops, your legs grind, and by the time you try to shift you are pushing so hard that the change is clunky or does not happen at all.

• Shift before you need to. Change to an easier gear as the road starts to rise, while you can still pedal smoothly.
• Ease off the pressure as you shift, for a pedal stroke, so the chain moves cleanly.
• Use the easy gears. They exist for exactly this. There is no prize for climbing in a big gear.

If your bike simply does not have low enough gears for your local hills, a bike shop can often fit an easier set-up. Our page on using bike gears covers the basics.

Pace it like a long conversation

Climbs reward patience. Start the hill more gently than you think you need to, especially if it is long. If you are gasping in the first few minutes, you will be crawling by the middle. A useful test is that you could still say a short sentence. Aim to finish feeling you could have gone a little harder, rather than having to stop.

Break long climbs into chunks: to the next bend, the next tree, the next kilometre marker. On famous passes, the little signs counting down the distance are either a comfort or a taunt, depending on the day.

Sitting or standing

Both have a place.

• Sitting is usually the steadier choice for long climbs. Slide back a little on the saddle, keep your upper body relaxed and your hands loose on the bars.
• Standing is useful for short steep bits, to stretch your legs and back, or to get over the final ramp. Shift up a gear or two when you stand, so you are not spinning, and let the bike rock gently beneath you.

Mix them. Stand for twenty pedal strokes, sit again. Many riders find this rhythm makes long climbs more bearable.

Breathing and body

Relax your shoulders and unclench your hands. Tension in the arms wastes effort and makes everything feel harder. Breathe deeply and steadily, and look up the road rather than at your front wheel.

Practise on hills you like

The fastest way to get better at climbing is to climb, and the easiest way to keep climbing is to choose climbs you enjoy. A short hill near home that you ride once a week. A climb that ends at a café. A scenic road on holiday. Repeat favourites and you will notice them getting easier, which is much more motivating than any number on a screen.

If you dream of a proper mountain pass, our guide to riding your first mountain pass explains how to prepare.

Walking is allowed

If a hill is too steep, get off and push. Everyone has done it, including riders who would never admit it. Walking up a steep ramp is often barely slower than grinding up it, and you can admire the view.