Hills for practicing standing climbing

[lordofthemark]

I am pretty sure that I am not doing my standing climbing very efficiently (I read you are supposed to sway to avoid downward pressure on the pedal coming up? I am pretty sure I have seen some folks doing that) and I would like to practice to improve my technique. My real goal is to make it up the 31st Street Ascent (from Shirlington to Fairlington) quickly and efficiently, but I do not want to practice there. I am not sure if I shouldn’t practice someplace where the climb is shorter and less steep. But I am sure I want to do it where there is less traffic. Not that it is the most congested road in the region, but there is enough traffic to make me uncomfortable climbing slowly while taking the lane.

So what I would like is a hill, like that or maybe slightly shorter (or less steep?) where there is no door zone bike lane (I want to be able to do this without worrying about being too close to doors) and where there is very little traffic. And not too far from Park Center/Shirlington, because I don’t want to be too tired from the ride to get there. I am up for your suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@lordofthemark 143737 wrote:

My real goal is to make it up the 31st Street Ascent (from Shirlington to Fairlington) quickly and efficiently

Standing to climb *can* be quicker, but it certainly is not more efficient, since you’re essentially using your entire body to do what just your legs would do otherwise. So standing and climbing will cause your heart rate to spike and you will run out of breath much quicker than if you just shifted to a lower gear and spun at a steady pace. For a long-ish climb like 31st St, standing and climbing may actually make you slower, since you’ll get worn out quickly after a standing burst, then have to slow down to recover. Maintaining a steady, even spin is going to be less physically taxing and probably just as fast overall. The benefit to standing and climbing is you use a different muscle group and ease pressure on your butt, and it can allow you to power through a climb *if* you have the energy.

To directly answer your question though, I think you’ll find that it’s actually steeper climbs that are better for practicing this type of thing…one good place I can think of is the hill that goes into the NVCC-Alexandria campus (E. Campus Drive) at Braddock/Beauregard. Traffic isn’t really an issue and there’s no parking.

[Emm]

My neighborhood in fort hunt/hybla valley is nothing but hills. It’s probably a little further out for you than you’d like, but if you take the MVT to Tulane Dr, and go through the neighborhoods there, and across Fort Hunt Rd you’ll find nothing but hills (many of them steep), in some slow-traffic neighborhoods. I’ve been using them to build strength since hip surgery and it’s been really helpful.

To your original comment though–I am a fan of only standing on the truly ridiculous hills, or when I have to start climbing a hill from a stop. Otherwise it’s alot easier on your joints and lungs to just drop to a very low gear and “spin” to the top. It’s slower, but overall less painful in most cases.

[tnelson]

I’ve done a group ride, Bumps of Belle Haven, that tackles some pretty good hills in quiet Alexandria neighborhoods. This is the route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5066410

If you want to try it with the group, they meet on Wednesday nights. You have to join the VeloDCity group on Meetup to be eligible, however, and it does usually fill up pretty fast.

[bobco85]

You could try Menokin Dr and Early St. It’s less steep than the NOVA campus one that TwoWheelsDC recommended. The only downside is that you’d have to cross I-395 using King St to get there.

As far as standing while climbing, I’ve learned that one should switch between standing and sitting every 10-15 seconds or so to avoid tiring out by using different muscles. Shifting down earlier than you think you need to will help.

Also, I think there’s a psychological aspect to hill-climbing that requires one to remain focused on climbing without getting impatient. I focus on keeping my legs moving while distracting myself with random thoughts to avoid the pain and “Are we there yet?” thoughts about reaching the top of the hill. It’s saved me quite a few times on rural roads where you think you see the crest of the hill just to hit a curve or slightly flatter section with even more “hill” in front of you.

[Emm]

@tnelson 143743 wrote:

I’ve done a group ride, Bumps of Belle Haven, that tackles some pretty good hills in quiet Alexandria neighborhoods. This is the route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5066410

If you want to try it with the group, they meet on Wednesday nights. You have to join the VeloDCity group on Meetup to be eligible, however, and it does usually fill up pretty fast.

Yep, these were some of the hills I was referring to above–this ride goes right by my house!

[jrenaut]

My wife counts pedal revolutions. She knows how many it takes for the big hills she rides regularly, and knowing how much she has left helps the hill feel more manageable.

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

I know S Arlington better than your neck of the woods so here’s some hills that came to mind that seem relatively close to you:

This segment is a serious hill very close to where the 4 mile run trail meets the intersection of Glebe and Mt. Vernon ave.
Crossing that intersection sucks, but once you head up Arlington ridge road and take that first right to head up the steeper part of the hill, there will probably be no car traffic at all. June St. there turns into a very little known, narrow paved trail that goes up into oakcrest park at the top.

You can also take S. Eads street from the 4MR trail and turn left and go up Ft. Scott Drive to the park, to about where this segment ends. I’m surprised there is no segment there up Ft. Scott drive, the hill is fairly long, above 8%, wide and with lower traffic. Only downside is that it T’s with busy Eads at the bottom.

There’s also that kidney shaped hill loop, the gunston side being steeper. The intersection with Valley drive is probably not fun during rush hours though.

Is going up 28th just as bad traffic wise as 31st? It’s a beast of a hill.

[Henry]

@lordofthemark 143737 wrote:

where there is no door zone bike lane (I want to be able to do this without worrying about being too close to doors) and where there is very little traffic.

I assume this rules out Superman Hill (Walter Reed from Four Mile Run to Pollard).

I suggest 3 nearby options:

1) S. 16th St. From Taylor to Quincy in Douglas Park,
2) S. Oxford St. in Nauck, from Four Mile Run Minor, up to Oakland.
3) Also in Nauck, the back side of that same hill, 22nd Street, from Kenmore to Nelson.

All are low-volume neighborhood streets. I think Oxford is the lowest volume, steepest climb.

Henry

[GovernorSilver]

Wow, a lot of great suggestions! Can’t wait to try them out myself.

I haven’t tried crossing GW Parkway from MVT at Tulane Dr – I’ll probably start there.

From what I understand, standing has a lot of the same cost-benefit tradeoffs as pendulum dancing/sprinting – you get a burst of power but the duration is short because it consumes so much stamina. I’m trying to get better at steadily spinning up hills myself.

I always climb up a hill to get home. The distance is less than half a mile, but it’s steep enough to give me a workout every time. I had my most efficient-ever climb up that hill one night last year and I’ve been trying to replicate it ever since. I basically just “walked the bike” with a cadence that wasn’t all that fast, but was steady and didn’t consume much energy. It was one of my last rides before the surgery that put me off the bike for 4 months.

[DrP]

Does the hill need to be on a street or will a trail do? I am not familiar with how long a hill you want, but there are some steep hills on the 4MR trail in the Columbia pike area, if you just wanted some general practice.

In particular, the hill heading up to Columbia Pike. This is south/east bound on 4MR and starts under the Columbia Pike bridge and goes up pretty steeply to the pike. While there are other people on it from time to time, it isn’t overly crowded most time. Just bike up, turn around, go down, turn again, and continue the up and down until you had enough.

The double hill on 4MR heading north/west just north of the apartment buildings are two short but steep hills separately by a bit of flat. Also, the hill in Barcroft Park heading north/east on 4MR is another short but steep hill – it is just after all the picnic areas. You could easily attempt all in one trip. And continue for more hills. Actually, the hills on the 4MR bit immediately after Glen Carlin Park and before Rt 50 is quite steep and longer. I have yet to bike that, only walk it.

[wheelswings]

Hi Lordofthemark. Don’t believe anything people say about efficiency or using low gears. Indeed, standing is the best way – the only way — to get up those freakin’ hills, ‘cause it aligns your body over your pedals and lets gravity do all the work. No pressure on your joints. It’s just like dancing…upward. And while you’re at it, you might try standing on the flat too. It even works on the descents.
Isn’t this what Ben E King was talking about in Stand by Me? http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/05/ben-e-king-dead-at-76-stand-by-me/392126/

[scorchedearth]

The North Chambliss St hill beginning in Dora Kelly would be a decent climb that is quiet and will give you the peace of mind you need to practice. If you want to go steeper, try exploring the neighborhood directly west of Chambliss. I know there is at least one doozy of a climb in that area.

[DismalScientist]

Find a nice flat low traffic road.
Unlock your rear quick release.
Move your rear wheel so it is against one of the brake pads.
Lock your quick release.
Ride back and forth on the flat road.
This will seem like you are continuously riding up hill.

[hozn]

While I agree it’s less efficient to stand (at least 10%, if I remember correctly), I definitely incorporate brief periods of standing into even not-so-steep hill climbs to change up muscle groups remove pressure temporarily on saddle, etc. I remember reading some advice somewhere suggested standing up briefly when effort increases before dropping into an easier gear (and sitting back down); that seems like a good plan, though I’ll stand and then sit back down in the same gear.

As you practice this, try to stand and then sit down without lurching your bike forwards or backwards (i.e. keep your forward motion constant and smooth); that is a really important skill to master, especially when riding in groups.

[Author]

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