Any question answered...

Good tip. Why then does the Dura Ace 'Special Grease' cost £80 for the same amount?

little lambs thread >>>

What should I get/do for my sister for her 30th Birthday?

She is engaged to be married this year if that makes any difference.

Scilly, get some flowers.

"What should I get/do for my sister for her 30th Birthday?"

Depends really... Is she open minded?

^A helmet?

One of many options... More info required.

i just banged my thumb with a spanner, not terribly hard but its gone entirely numb down one side. wtf?

Always use the right tool for the job, in this case a hammer.

I'm pretty rubbish at climbing hills at the moment - even ones that aren't that severe I just seem to lack power/strength and have to keep dropping down gears. I'm not in amazing shape but equally not that bad shape (ie - I could jog for 40mins, or ride for a few hours with ease).

**So my question is, **In terms of the principle of what I need to do to increase my strength up hills, what do I need to do?

The need for stamina makes me think spinning would help. But it feels more like my legs are just soft. So should I be trying to cane it up hills in a slightly higher gear to improve?

Cheers.

ps I'm in North LDN so if anyone has any tips on routes - Crouch End / Alexandra Palace / Muswell Hill all seem sensible, but if anyone has any other suggestions - especially long inclines that would be useful.

dropping down gears.

Your bike sounds broken. I think it needs to be fixed.

Isn't going up hills the whole point of having gears to drop down into?

Ha! Well yes, to a degree.

Last time I was out on a ride with friends I just seemed to fall back completely and have to drop down faster and more than I'd want to/expect to. Whereas on the flats there is no/less real difference between us.

I'm pretty rubbish at climbing hills at the moment - even ones that aren't that severe I just seem to lack power/strength and have to keep dropping down gears. I'm not in amazing shape but equally not that bad shape (ie - I could jog for 40mins, or ride for a few hours with ease).

**So my question is, **In terms of the principle of what I need to do to increase my strength up hills, what do I need to do?

The need for stamina makes me think spinning would help. But it feels more like my legs are just soft. So should I be trying to cane it up hills in a slightly higher gear to improve?

Cheers.

ps I'm in North LDN so if anyone has any tips on routes - Crouch End / Alexandra Palace / Muswell Hill all seem sensible, but if anyone has any other suggestions - especially long inclines that would be useful.

Someone will be able to give you a better more technical answer, I'm sure. But I reconise the feeling. Before embarking on a biggish climb. I simply do loads and loads of hill circuits (theres a one behind my house). Its boring, but it builds the leg strength I need for extended seated climbing.

My Fixed /SS background makes me a good out of the saddle hill masher. But that technique leaves me dead if the hill is more than say 700m long.

I don't go up hills so probably can't offer more help.

Ha! Well yes, to a degree.

Last time I was out on a ride with friends I just seemed to fall back completely and have to drop down faster and more than I'd want to/expect to. Whereas on the flats there is no/less real difference between us.

I see folk do this on mountain climbs. Eventually they end up dropping too far, and need to gain momentum again, and change up. The whole thing cycles.....

Its part of my resoning for doing fixed hill climbs. Keeps me honest, and remove the indecision.

My Fixed /SS background makes me a good out of the saddle hill masher. But that technique leaves me dead if the hill is more than say 700m long.

My track background has left me with good seated power and difficulties finding non-hipser-fit trousers. I find it best to stay seated, start fast and try to concentrate on keeping cadence higher without really looking at how much hill I have left.

So are we saying I just need to get off my arse and train more on hills generally, rather than exercising any particular methods?

edit: and read the training threads... which I some how managed to miss completely!

Yes.

"Your bike is broken. It needs to be fixed."

+1

Hugo, in spite of my flippant response, I have the same trouble (albeit I do most of my climbing fixed). My problem is that I'm heavy - not unfit, just heavy. I'm a fast descender (because I'm heavy), and I've got enough power to keep up with lighter people on the flats. It's just that as soon as the gradient rises, that power isn't enough to counteract gravity so I go up much more slowly than everybody else and it takes more effort.

I'm making a mahoosive assumption but if you've got any excess weight, whether that's fat or Chainbreaker arms, getting rid of it will speed you up. I've got a little formula tacked to my monitor with how to work out your climbing potential - divide your weight in lbs by your height in inches. If the number you end up with is greater than 2.3 you're going to struggle. If it's between 2.2 and 2.3 then you can build your strength to compensate. Anything lower than that and your climbing should be golden. Mine is more than 2.5 and the chart says "avoid hills", which is boring advice that I ignore.

If you go out of your way to ride up proper hills fairly regularly (at least once or twice a week) you'll be surprised how quickly you get better at it. Well, I was, anyway.

I tend to spin a very low gear compared to most of my riding mates (one of whom in particular grinds his way up nearly everything in the big ring), but we get to the top in about the same time.

And yeah, losing weight too.

looks at xmas belly

Is there a quick way of fixing a shoulder impingement / rotator cuff injury, or do I just have to deal with the pain and rest it?

If you are in the habit of lying down with your arm over your head, tie or tape your arm to your body before you sleep.

A flatbed scanner that can do films and is networkable and/or has wifi.
Do these exist?