Not a Natural Climber? Here's How I Tackle the World's Hardest Routes
Certain cyclists possess remarkable abilities A few riders exhibit exceptional talents Some individuals who ride have amazing capabilities There are some cyclists with supernatural skills Several riders have incredible strengths Not all riders are ordinary; some have special gifts Among the riders, there are those with outstanding abilities Some of the riders have unique and powerful attributes Numerous riders boast extraordinary capacities A number of cyclists have phenomenal powers which allows them to ascend slopes with ease. It's like they're unaffected by the laws of physics and physical exertion that affect everyone else, and they appear to float uphill as though being propelled by unseen powers.
I'm not among those cyclists. No matter what my present physical condition or weight may be, each bit of vertical gain seems like a significant struggle between my mind and body. Even on my finest days, the continuous, demanding work needed for climbing always feels challenging and unnatural to me.
Nevertheless, I have a passion for ascending hills. It remains the most challenging aspect of my cycling abilities that I strive to enhance, yet it also presents greater opportunities for development. Achieving improvement brings me immense joy. I appreciate the difficulty involved, and I cherish the places that climbing leads me to. Additionally, there's usually a pleasant downhill ride waiting for me afterwards.

Since climbing is my greatest challenge, I've had to create methods to assist me in enduring and achieving success. I have applied these techniques to handle road ascents such as Mount Evans, Mount Lemmon, Hautacam, Tourmalet, Alpe d'Huez, Haleakala, Stelvio, Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, Passo Valparola, and many more, along with various backcountry gravel and mountain biking inclines. I am now presenting these effective tactics to you so that you can also reach your peak performance.
Believe in Yourself
I'm continually impressed by how cycling demands both mental strength and physical effort. Nowhere is this clearer than during climbs. There are times when your mind urges you to give up. At others, it seems your body isn't capable of continuing. These are the instances where shifting your mindset becomes crucial—by having faith in yourself and remembering that despite the pain and heavy breathing, you've overcome similar obstacles before, and you'll do so once more. You possess the power to push yourself up a hill through sheer determination as effectively as with pedaling. If stopping or walking is necessary, that's perfectly fine. Pause for a bit, capture an image, sip some water: Celebrate how far you've come and accept the remaining difficulty ahead. We're out on our bikes because it's enjoyable, active, and demanding. The greater the struggle to get to the summit, the sweeter the satisfaction upon reaching it.
Have a Mantra
Perfectly aligned with self-belief is having a phrase you can recite to soothe and energize yourself when facing tough situations. I often use "pain doesn't hurt" (thanks to James Dalton) to remind me that what I'm experiencing is largely mental rather than actual physical harm or risk. Another one I repeat is "stronger, lighter, faster," which keeps me focused on the positive changes I aim to achieve. And sure, this might sound a bit strange or spiritual, but it actually works quite well.
Think Small

Considering the long hours of challenging climbing that lie ahead may seem overwhelming. It might also feel disheartening after enduring discomfort for an extended period, only to discover that much more climbing remains. One effective method to prevent becoming overpowered and demotivated is to divide a difficult ascent into smaller, easier-to-handle objectives. Concentrate on giving your best effort for the next kilometer or half-mile; pay attention to keeping a steady pace during the upcoming 12% incline; spot points along the route and aim to reach them with ease; get out of the saddle and ride hard for 45 seconds every five minutes. The concept here is that rather than focusing on one huge, scary task — reaching the peak — you stay encouraged by establishing minor, attainable targets that accumulate and drive you closer to the summit.
Use a Power Meter
I rely on my power meter as a reference. When I feel fine but disregard my power levels, I usually overexert myself at the beginning and end up exhausted before finishing the ascent. Conversely, when I'm tired, I tend to go easy on the climb, moving slower than my actual ability allows. As I typically use a power meter during rides every day and complete most of my training this way, training on Zwift I understand the number of watts I can reliably hold over various durations and am aware of how my body responds to accumulated tiredness. I apply this knowledge to establish a power level that I can keep up for extended periods, sticking to it without deviation. Adopting this approach is crucial when facing multiple major ascents during a single day or when planning consecutive challenging days. I've experienced situations where I performed well on the initial ascent or the opening day, pushing myself too much, which left me drained for the remainder of the journey.
Monitor Your Diet and Fluid Intake
During an extended ascent, where you're exerting maximum effort and struggling simply to continue progressing, it's common to become unaware of the passage of time and neglect to consume food and fluids.
You should consume more food and fluids while climbing because you're likely working harder compared to when walking on level ground. Additionally, as your pace slows down on an incline, you'll experience less cooling from the breeze, causing you to perspire more, which makes proper hydration even more crucial.
I have a time tracker displayed on my primary computer screen and I mentally remind myself to eat and hydrate every 10 to 45 minutes, based on the weather conditions and how hard I'm working. If this seems difficult to manage while focusing on climbing, most newer devices offer customizable reminders for eating and drinking, and your phone or wearable device can also be programmed with recurring alarms.
Get a Bike Fit
A proper bicycle fitting delivers its greatest benefits during extended, challenging ascents. It not only enhances your posture for greater efficiency and comfort while climbing but also helps you save energy before reaching the incline.
Downshift for Victory Gear Down, Power Up Embrace the Lower Gears Winning with Low Speeds Tactical Gear Selection Mastering the Lower Ranges Gain an Edge with Slow Gears Strategic Use of First Gear Lower Gears Lead to Triumph Effective Shifting Techniques
Certain bicyclists appear to possess an unusual dislike for losing traction when going downhill. I once felt the same way, but many years back, during a long day cycling through the Dolomites, after the fourth or fifth challenging ascent, I came to understand that I prefer to lose grip sooner and have ample gearing available for the hills instead of fighting with a harder gear.

Lately, I went on a 10-day trip to cycle up some of the well-known ascents in the Pyrenees. Although I was in decent physical condition, I didn't mind using a bicycle that my travel mates jokingly called "gravel gears." In particular, it came with a SRAM Force AXS drivetrain With 46/33 crankset and a 10-36 rear cog set, providing a gearing ratio under 1:1 in the lowest setting.
Hey guys, I frequently utilized that low gear and still managed to go down quickly even with my gear setup focused on lower speeds.
Funny enough: just a few days into the journey, everyone else confessed they were jealous as I handled the "gravel gears" on the ascents, whereas they found themselves struggling with heavier gear ratios.
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