That’s interesting. Standing helps my knees when it’s steep.
I took the handle off my 36. I only use the 36" on pavement. I like to climb steep roads and will stand for 5-10 minutes on some of the climbs. Standing is more comfortable for my knees and of course, my tender crotch bits. I’ll stand for most of an uphill ride that may last about an hour when off road, but this is on a 24, 26, or 29 inch. I use 150 cranks for all of my unicycles except the 29 which uses 125s when on road. The only handle I use now is on the 29. It’s a short one-handed handle. I have never tried two hands while climbing.
I am not fast. It takes me between 10 and 15 minutes to go one steep, uphill mile. I stand up for most of that. I prefer climbing over descending or flat ground because then I have to sit. I think sitting is uncomfortable after about 20 minutes.
I considered it, but I know it has some weak points and I would break it with off road use, so it’s either a KH bar with a stiffener plate of a stoker stem with a seat support.
I’m going to try both, also looking at building a double handle “bar” for my custom set mount.
Anyone remember George Peck’s “Rough Terrain Unicycling” video? Possibly on youtube these days, but it’s a bonus feature of Dan Heaton’s Universe 2.
Anyway, he advocated wheel walking to get up steep hills, as a way to get a better gear ratio, there’s a clip of him doing it to get up a steep bridge. But good luck to anyone who can successfully wheel walk anywhere of consequence. I find that after about 30 or so feet, either my calves are cramping or I’m just bored of not being able to pedal…
More to the point, I find it impossible to ride up anything steep without both standing and pulling up on the seat as much as possible. And I’ve never really practiced at riding a hill, it’s usually “I can probably get up this” or “I really can’t get up this.”
After watching the video of BungeeJoe, I went out for a 36er ride and paid more attention to what I was doing with my hands, did some two handed riding (I only have a single bar end handle), so I think a two handed position might help support my legs better.
It seems easier to ride two handed when I’m cranking harder, like up a hill, anyone else notice that?
The KH T Bar arrives in a week, I’m going to set it up “tall” so I can extend my torso, also planning to add a center bar end for muni use. I’ll post pics when it’s mounted.
I also worked on a taller seat position, which helped to a point, but when I had to much extension I noticed some new croth pain, so I backed it down.
My son doesn’t have a handle bar yet, and I noticed that as he’s getting into more challenging riding he has started using a technique similar to Joe’s. So I also gave it a try, planting my palms on the seat handle, and it does work. . . . but I still like the T bar better.
I took spin classes on a Lemond stationary trainer.
My best advise would be to go learn how to hill climb on a stationary trainer. Learn how to spin at a high cadence with plenty of resistance while standing on the trainer without holding anything but the front of the seat or clasp your hands together in front of your chest. You really need to be able to pedal at 90 plus cadence with smooth power application while standing and holding on to nothing and not flailing your arms or swimming. The resistance should be high enough to get your heart pumping. Now build up your endurance so you can sustain whatever rate you need for the length of the hills you want to climb.
Also learn to climb steep hills (10% or greater on a 36) as slow as you can. You need to be able to climb at a slow enough pace that your heart rate doesn’t go wild. I would suggest you get good at riding up a minimum of 10% no faster than 3 mph.
One climb I have yet to complete ‘clean’ has two sections that have in the past driven my heart rate to 200 b/m before I ended up stepping out of the pedals. Sad part is I was past the break over. One of these times I might make it.
We have a spin bike, so I’ll try what you suggested. In terms of climbing slow, I do that now, which is how I am trying to build “tolerance”. What I need to find is a long steady climb, but unfortunately so much of Appalachia is up and down, none of those shield volcanos for the steady climbing.
How much extra “help” do you feel the SPD’s provide?
Yeah when I’m riding 36er with 110’s for long stretches of 15-20% grades, and my heart rate is around 350 bpm, I can only maintain that for about 40 miles.
My hill climbing endurance is embarrassingly awful these days. I want to train on a long, steady hill (2-3 miles long?) at least once per week, but I only have 24" wheels. Has anyone hill trained on a 24"? If so, what is your preference for crank length? I don’t know at what length I would pedal strike, as I have only been riding 24" for a few months now with nothing longer than 150mm. My options are as follows: 125mm (but I prefer longer cranks on hills), 150mm, 165mm, 175mm.
I’m really curious about the 175mm, but I have no idea if that’s just too long for a 24" wheel.
I am an awfull climber too … but, as stated before, my climbing skills are better with shorter cranks.
I have now 160 on my 26 and I can’t climb hills I could climb with a 24 with 140mm cranks
(the problem is that 140mm cranks on my 26 are slightly too short for steep descent …)
I have also a 24" with 150mm cranks … and believe it or not 140mm are still better for climbing :o (though the problem then is that I get out of steam on long climbs)
Well sure but I don’t ride steep sections well with shorter cranks. Most of the time I’m walking a hill with anything shorter than 140mm. :-/ but I get your point.
I have 140mm right now on my muni, and I still struggle staying over the uni with the long, steep sections. But it’s definitely better than the 135mm and the 125mm cranks it tried beforehand.
Maybe I’ll try out the 150mm this weekend, then 165mm during the week. I’m still curious about 175mm cranks though. It would be very slow-going, but I imagine I’d have much more control on the steep sections.
I run 175’s on my 36" Muni and I think it’s the bees knees. However I don’t think they would work on a smaller wheel very well. You would have lots of pedal strikes and no speed. I would think 150-165 would be what you want for climbing Muni.
I like to climb my 24 or 26 muni using 150s. I tried 165s and hated it. I practice on uphill paved roads on my road 29er using 125s and my 36 with 150s. I like 125s on the 36, but have trouble starting on slight uphills or over bumps, so I stay with the 150s. I am a lousy technical rider, but for paved or nontechnical climbs I am a steady, though slow climber.
Where do you ride? I did the John Nichols last weekend on my mountain bike. It would be a good climb on the muni. Downhill would be easy. Some switchbacks with good traction. If you ever ride Santa Teresa Park, the rocky trails are fun, but I fall off a lot when riding unicycle.
I don’t know many trails in Santa Cruz, but it would be fun to learn some. I don’t ride the Sunday Rob’s ride because I’m pretty slow compared to that group. I will have to go along someday on my mountain bike to learn some of the trails. Do you do those rides? I have wanted to, but don’t like being “the slow problem child:o:D.”
I’ve got 150s on my 24 and any longer would give me too many pedal strikes.
I’d stick with the 140s for now and work on technique rather than use the longest cranks you can find (says the guy running 165s on everything). There’s a lot if good info on hill climbing in this thread, best thing I’ve ever tried was to slow down.
There’s nothing wrong with a walking pace if needed. If you can find someone to pace you its even better. I ride behind my buddy in his granny gear and could climb much further because I wasn’t burning myself out.
Crank length changes will usually assist with riding ability (technic) but not so much with fitness (endurance). For me added length or shorter length will not have as much affect as many think on the needed fitness to assend a long incline at the same speed.
Added length usually assist one to ride the same incline slower (which appears to help with fitness).
Short cranks for me on inclines below max abillity usually seem easier to climb on because I willl “charge the climb” with greater determination.
For myself once a week hill climbing does not produce much noticeable change to either technical ability or fitness. But maybe the young who are still blessed with youth make greater progress for less.
My favorite crank lenght for 24 inch muni is 150. With 150s I will still occassionally pedal strike if not careful. Some are able to learn to ride out some of the pedal strikes like hitting an unanticapated bump.
If a steep trail gets rough it is faster for me to walk or run up the slope. I’ve passed slower mountain bikers pedaling up hill while I uni-hiked up the climbs during mountain bike races.
