But.....we have hills! « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

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But.....we have hills!

(30 posts)

Started 11 years ago by crowriver
Latest reply from crowriver

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Gonna have to face it you're addicted to cycling

crowriver
Member

Yesterday evening, I had to deliver something to a fellow cyclist in Edinburgh. I rang to arrange a time, and mentioned I'd hop on the bike soon.
"Oh, we're at the top of a big hill, could be a problem if you're coming by bike."
"Oh that's okay, I'm not afraid of hills." I replied.
Indeed I did actually enjoy climbing what was a pretty steep incline on the eastern approaches to Arthur's Seat.

It strikes me that I would not have thought this way a couple of years ago. I would have probably dreaded a steep hill climb on a utility journey in fact. Now I actually enjoy it.

What's going on here? Cycling appears to have changed my outlook, but which bit of cycling? The pootley commuting part? No, probably not. The schlepping kids around the place bit? Maybe, a little (good resistance training). The cycle touring part? Possibly. The audax bit? Aha. Could be...

There's an accumulation here, a snowballing of just more and more cycling, which reaches a certain stage and.....you're hooked on just the act of cycling itself. Is that a bit strange? Perhaps. It's also fun.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

My father-in-law lives at the top of Willowbrae Avenue, and whenever I pop by on bike I've just got to attack Lilyhill.

I think the 'fun' theory is pretty much bang on. Okay, so the hill is damned hard on the way up, but there's an alive feeling at the top, even just a sense of accomplishment. Probably the same thing that leads to most Strava segments being uphill, and me wanting to ride the Pyrenees next year.

I do find, these days, if I see a particular big or steep or windy hill my immediate thoughts turn to what it's like to ride.

Posted 11 years ago #
cc
Member

Hills are fun to go up. (And I'm a pootley commuter.)

People who don't cycle don't always get this. I often hear the opinion that Dutch and Danish people cycle purely because it's flat there, and that Scotland is simply too hilly to permit mass cycling. Load of crap of course: gears were invented quite some time ago now and they make hills dead easy.

Posted 11 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Oddly, I was having a discussion at school football practice and somehow cycling came up. there was a chorus from the other Mums that edinburgh's too hilly for cycling. then turned out that 2/3 of them were Ducth!

Posted 11 years ago #
Bhachgen
Member

Did an overnight trip with some guys from my cycling club a couple of weeks ago, across the Pennines from Chorley to Bingley. Overnight in a Premier Inn (they don't quibble about bikes in rooms), and back by a different route the next day.

Lots of climbing. Loved it. Suggestion is that we go somewhere flat next time as "some folk get put off by a hilly route". Have to confess to feeling disappointed at the idea. Despite the fact that I thought I was about to be sick on one of the climbs on the Sunday morning, and only didn't stop and walk for a bit because I'd just overtaken a couple of mountain bikers!

Posted 11 years ago #
ARobComp
Member

You're absolutely right.

CX racing is a clear example for me. It is horrid, beastly and tough, but damn if it's not great fun!

My sister says things like "you're mental" but I just enjoy being on my bike!

I've done similar 100mile routes in the pennines. If someone suggesting riding 100miles on the flat I'd be worried it'd be pretty boring frankly!

Posted 11 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

@Bhachgen exactly my experience of Pennines - hated the process of going up, loved the feeling of getting up there, the view, the achievement, freewheeling and (most importantly) getting up faster than my mate (who was much fitter than I, but being a marathon runner wasn't programmed for cycling!)

Posted 11 years ago #
steveo
Member

Had a similar experience of the Pennines, lots of pain going up then an effective 3 hour freewheel down to Newcastle.

Posted 11 years ago #
steveo
Member

Yesterday I had to run a message up to Fairmilehead and i'd brought the single speed, after half an hour of worrying I'd not make it looking at maps for "easier" ways I decided I'd just hit Commiston road and go for it. Made it. Knew I'd had a work out but wasn't as sore as I expected.

Now I'm thinking that might make a good winter "training" route for my aim to better with hills next year.

Posted 11 years ago #
recombodna
Member

The thing about cycling in holland is, OK you don't have any uphills but you then don't have any downhills and you have a lot of headwind. I must say that cycling around Amsterdam IS a total doddle though.

Posted 11 years ago #
PS
Member

I think I enjoy the climbing more than the descending, TBH (same applies in fell walking, too). Which is not to say that a long, ideally not too steep descent isn't great fun too. Achievement, endorphins and the view are the main rewards.

The only thing I don't like in climbing is that point on a particularly steep hill where you start to doubt you're going to make it to the top. Well, that and that point on the steepest bit of the climb when you hear the tell-tale sounds of a internal combustion engine in second gear behind you...

Posted 11 years ago #
cc
Member

Those Dutch mums maybe just aren't used to bikes with gears!

Posted 11 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Those Dutch mums maybe just aren't used to bikes with gears!

Exactly. Or maybe just 3 speed hub gears, like in ye olden days of yore.

There's a reason why Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op started out selling mountain bikes.

Posted 11 years ago #
recombodna
Member

My wife is one of those dutch mums and she is very adept at riding bikes with gears ( she has lived here for 20 years) and has great calf muscles as SRD will no doubt testify.....

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"There's a reason why Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op started out selling mountain bikes."

Not in 1977...

Posted 11 years ago #
Arellcat
Moderator

Now I'm thinking that might make a good winter "training" route for my aim to better with hills next year.

Maybe that's why I don't worry about hills much. I have to ride up Comiston Road/Pentland Terrace every day! It's also easier than it used to be, now that we have a few months of glass smooth tarmac to replace the endless series of bus wheel sized indentations. Now if they'd only do the bit from Morningside clock to Greenbank.

Posted 11 years ago #
Smudge
Member

I must be the exception that proves somethinorother... I don't enjoy climbing hills (except possibly on a nice light roadbike on a sunny empty road, the rest is jst work), whooshing down the other side at 40+mph however is excellent and justifies the work put in climbing B-)

Posted 11 years ago #
twinspark
Member

It's fear of the unknown isn't it? There's a hill its steep, it must be hard work. Possiby it is so you stop, maybe several times.

Do it the next day, I still had to stop but further up, fewer times.

After a few times I didn't stop.

I remember the first day I managed to cycle up the first bit of Braid Hills Road from Comiston Road without getting off and pushing! - Huge personal victory.

Posted 11 years ago #
crowriver
Member

@twinspark, yes that's it. If you know the hills in question, maybe you've climbed them once or twice, then you know what to expect and can get to the top without too many problems.

Posted 11 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Actually Mrs Recombodna is not one of the Dutch football moms I was describing. there are at least 2 others. I can't imagine that Mrs Recombodna lets the hills (or anything else) inconvenience her much.

Posted 11 years ago #
gembo
Member

There is. Jersey in Wilmington cow's range that will suit everyone onnthis string. I am changing my order

KOM Gembo

Posted 11 years ago #
recombodna
Member

@SRD These crazy dutch football mums get everywhere eh. Lolzz

Posted 11 years ago #
Uberuce
Member

Hilly Tuesday reboot, anyone?

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Has to be done. I've got to make it along to more than one this time!

Posted 11 years ago #
PS
Member

I'm going to be spending A LOT of time on Arthur's Seat once I get the all clear to hit the hills again, initially as the most convenient leg-strengthener, then as a gauge for how I'm progressing...

So it's likely to be Hilly Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays... for me in 2013.

Posted 11 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Can I come along the very first time you go up? I'm sure on one leg you'll still be faster, but I might stand a chance....

Posted 11 years ago #
PS
Member

Yeah, come and point and laugh. ;o) If my legs don't give out on that first lap, then my lungs will.

I suspect I'll be doing a bit of indoors exercise bike (or turbo trainer) "action" before I'm let loose on the mean streets, but I'm well aware that the indoors stuff is nothing like the real thing.

On which subject, anyone got a turbo trainer gathering dust that they don't need for the next few months?

Posted 11 years ago #
steveo
Member

You can borrow mine, its been down with my mate all year and I've not missed the spiteful thing one bit. I really need to sell it but I never get round to it.

Posted 11 years ago #
PS
Member

That would be most kind, steveo. An hour or so a night on low resistance may well be the best way to start my recovery.

Posted 11 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Hilly Sunday afternoons can be quite pleasant I find. You can see where you're going without needing lights for a start...

Frost/ice likely to be an issue on Arthur's Seat in the dark just now?

Posted 11 years ago #

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