Why I Suck on Steep Climbs

Brett found this article on the web somewhere. It basically explains why I suck on climbs of 6% or more and offers some advice on how to get better. Here it is:

Why Do Only Steep Climbs Defeat Me?

Q: I'm a strong climber with good endurance on long, gradual hills, even at the end of long rides. But as the climb steepens to 6% or more, I fall apart, especially if I stand. How come, and how can I get better? -- Mel S.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies: You didn't mention your size, but from the nature of your problem I'll assume you are relatively large guy.

Size is important because climbing always depends on power-to-weight (PTW) ratio. If another rider puts out more watts per kilogram of body weight than you do, he'll climb steep hills faster even if you generate more power in an absolute sense.

Example: A 90-kg (198-lb.) rider who can produce 360 watts for 20 minutes has a PTW ratio of 4.0. A guy who's 70 kg (154 lb.) and produces 300 watts for 20 minutes has a ratio of 4.3. He'll climb the steep stuff faster even though he's putting out fewer watts.

But a big, powerful rider will go faster on the flat where gravity isn't an issue. That's why horses like Fabian Cancellara time trial better than lightweight climbers like Carlos Sastre.

As the grade steepens, the advantage of pure power lessens -- and the advantage of a superior PTW ratio increases. So, if you're pretty big and typically ride strongly on the flats, this explains why climbs get harder for you as they get steeper.

You mentioned having trouble when you stand. That's often the case with larger riders because when you get out of the saddle, you have to hold up your body weight as well as push the pedals. The more you weigh, the more of your available power goes to supporting your body.

Now, how can you improve on steeper climbs? Here are 4 fundamentals:

• Lose weight if you carry extra body fat.

• Increase power with well-designed hill interval training as described in my eBook, Climbing for Roadies.

• Get to the front of the group before steep climbs. You'll probably slip back and may even lose contact, but heavier riders can descend faster so you'll have less ground to make up.

• Finally, employ the technique all good climbers know: Suffer!

So, the coach says lose some weight, do more training, get to the front and suffer. I actually did the last two suggestions on RedSpoke so maybe I should try the first two in future climbs. I'm surprised he didn't mention my special technique of switch-backing. Perhaps this isn't legal.