Peddler123

,,

jgwilliams

I saw 'Looking for a climber' and my first thought was: how about a clematis or a honeysuckle? However, if it's a bike you're after there are really too many to list here. Apart from the Trek you mention there are also good models from Canondale, Specialized, Giant ... honestly the list could go on forever. Shopping used a useful guide is the level of equipment fitted to the bike. Manufacturers will tend to reserve the higher end groupsets for their better bikes, so for Shimano equipped look for Ultegra and DuraAce, for SRAM look for Force and Red, etc. It isn't a sure fire method but it's somewhere to start.

Korina

Hah! I get to say it first!

HTFU, dude.

Elvo

Scott Addict SL

79pmooney

Ride the bikes! Remember, weight and equipment level matter but aren't the goal. The goal is to go uphill fast. The bike that allows our body to put out its max will get you up a tough hill far faster than a considerably lighter and better equipped bike that has yo in a poor position,limiting your power.

For a hypothetical example, consider a 15# bike and a 17# bike but the on the 17# bike, your torso is not as compressed and you can breath deeper. This could well be a 5% of more increase in steady state oxygen. I'll propose that this leads to a 5% increase in average power and a tough, long climb. (It might be more that that. Your body is going to supply its basic needs regardless and your muscles get what's left.)

Now the numbers. 15# vs 17#. (I'm assuming you weigh 170 - you, clothes, shoes, helmet and water bottles.) 1# for pedals. So total weights are 186# and 188#. That's a 1.1% difference, Now, power is power. Double it and you go twice as fast (uphill, no wind resistance). So looking at the gain in power riding the heavier bike because if its better fit. 5% power increase vs 1.1% weight increase is 5/1.1 = 4.5% better or faster.

I fall out of the normal range of limb length vs torso length. I never knew how much "standard" bikes were hurting me until I bought a rather extreme, pure criterium bike. Suddenly I was much faster. And times fell all that summer. Rode a very hilly 100 mile race with the big boys (back before any Americans in America were pros) staying with them every climb. (This was long before light bikes and mine weighed roughly the same as everybody else's. None of us actually knew or cared, Well, some did, but they weren't front runners.)

I'm NOT saying you should run out and by the most extreme positioned bike out there! I'm a daddy longlegs. No body, all limbs. For me, the very steep criterium frame worked so well because it moved me forward realative to the BB and my handlebars far forward. It also placed the wheels forward relative to the BB (very short chainstays, longish front end for a very short wheelbase bike) sop for my position it handled like a dream. The long reach (for my very long arms) meant that for the first time, my torso wasn't compressed and I could easily do full diaphragm breathing,

At the time I was riding that bike on the east coast, there was a junior making his presence know on the west coast. He went on to win some big races, then created a line of bikes patterned around the bikes made for him as a racer. Greg Lemond. His riding style and his line of bikes is far, far from what works so well for me. (He was also gifted with both engine and drive that I missed out on. Rats.)

So, like I said, ride the bikes! Look at fit. (Maybe get fitted. If you are not "there" a fitting could mean far more that a couple of pounds.) And, buy a bike that you like! That speaks to you, that feels right to you, Different bikes steer differently and handle differently.

Ben

bpcyclist

Find the 15-pound "climbing" bike that fits you the best. There's a million of them. Maybe not quite that many. But a lot.

That said, don't crash it. 15-pound CF frames are not the most durable things ever invented... It can get very, very expensive very quickly, given current pricing of elite-level racing bike framesets.

wolfchild

What type of a bike are you riding right now and how much does it weight ??

alcjphil

Whether a bare bike weighs 15 pounds or 19 pounds has little to do with how well it will climb for you unless you are extremely lightweight, say, under 150 pounds. Proper gearing for the climbs you face is much more important taking your fitness into account

Rogerogeroge

No, I get to say it first - Take a dump/p!ss before you ride, and lose some body fat!

Full disclosure - this is coming from a Trek Emonda owner (bike weights 14.00 lbs with pedals, cages and computer), and I weigh 195 lbs, probably 25 lbs of beer belly/late-middle-ageness.

nomadmax 

If climbing is your goal, specific training to get fitter is the best bang for the buck. Fitness is one of the last fair things on earth. You can't buy it and no one can give it to you; you have to earn it by doing battle with the human tendency to take it easy.

Peddler123

Thanks to those you who provided productive comments. I'm currently riding a 25lb Lemond Alp d Huez. The 15 lb isn't magical but I'm just looking for references for an older used carbon bike that is lighter weight. Just not sure what to search on Ebay or Marketplace. I do realize losing a few pounds of my own would also help, but I thought I'd start light on the bike first. Thanks again for positive comments.

ggpepper

'Fitness is one of the last fair things on earth. You can't buy it and no one can give it to you; you have to earn it by doing battle with the human tendency to take it easy.'
Brilliant, Life changing comment.

wolfchild

This is one of the best replies I've ever read on bikeforums…

canklecat

Depends on how serious you are. Are you British-autumn-hill-climbing-competition serious? If so, gut the headset, clamp the bar (minus the drops) directly onto the steerer; give the single brake the drillium treatment; cut the seat post as short as possible (have a proctologist on call in case of disaster); go single chainring. And get rail thin.

But don't strip and drill the saddle. No need now that we can buy superlight plastic web saddles that are more air than saddle for $20. Should last for at least one race; longer if you always stand to pedal.

Seriously, tho', check out the many videos on the autumn British hill climbing competitions. Bikes range from pricey purpose built to crazy homebrewed solutions. Almost makes me ashamed to huff and puff up our handful of modest climbs.

koolerb

I just went through the same exercise, I bought new, but on a budget. The two bikes at the top of my shopping list were the Edmona ALR and CAAD12, rim brake versions. I ended up with an Ultegra level, CAAD12 (on sale) and a custom set of aluminum Psimet wheels. The bike was actually pretty light stock with the boat anchor wheel set, about 16.5 lbs. After replacing wheels, tires, bars and saddle I'm guessing it's pretty close to 15 lbs. If you don't want to spend new bike money just keep an eye on craigslist and be patient. I see CAAD's come up all the time. Used a 5 year old carbon fiber bike would be pretty inexpensive.