Hermes

It is okay to walk downhill. 2018 in Tahiti, I was on a route climbing a grade and hit a section that was covered in a thin layer of mud. I did not want to walk in the mud so I slithered up. When I go to the top, there was mud on the downhill side. I walked down the hill in the mud until there was rideable pavement.

ofajen

Riding only single speed for a couple years cured me of any issues about walking or jogging up very steep hills, but it ruined my patience for slow climbs in the saddle in low gears. Now I rarely shift below 60 gear inches unless it’s one of those annoying 25% gravel grades.

Otto

79pmooney

I look at really steep hills as full body exercise. Out of the saddle, hands on hoods, one or two fingers over the levers (or in the drops with headwinds), shoes and cleats that do not slip! (and toestraps pulled tight on my fix gears) and I push/pull for all I'm worth at whatever RPM my breathing can sustain. The trick is to have the upper body strength to do this. Also, watch your breathing. Slow down before it gets too hard. And - doing this gives you that strength that never comes when you worship the high RPMs of "doing it right".

I'm getting older and it's getting harder. I did not do enough riding last winter and spring, tried to do the hard fix gear climbs in early summer, pulled muscles in my quads and had to do the balancing act of nursing them and riding enough to be able to ride Cycle Oregon last month for a very hilly week. Made it through Cycle Oregon with minor muscle pulls throughout my body. Wake up call! Gotta be more serious over those early months.

But - I am most alive when I do those hard climbs! And love it when I am strong enough to "loaf" up hills in ridiculously high gears. (I'm now to old to do this again but in my late 50s, I could loaf up Portland's German Town Road from the river side on a 28# fix gear commuter in a 44-17. The joke? I was "loafing" with every strand of muscle in the chain between each foot and its corresponding hand on the two very steep switchbacks. (Oh, those core muscles workouts so necessary for both good health and good cycling posture? Do these climbs and your core will be hard as nails. Fully part of the "chain".

Yes, I've stayed skinny. But it's not because I cannot gain weight or its not an issue. I stay skinny because those climbs are what I live for. (And I heard that quiet little voice that's always right when I was 19 that said I was never to weigh more than 160 pounds. Mid '20s I raced at 145. 69 now and losing muscle mass. Down to 141.)

My geared bikes all have triples. 50-38-24 X 12-23 to 28, 52-42-24 X 13-16 and 52-42-30 X 13-26. City fix gear is (still) 44-17 (that I should lower to a 42). I change ratios as needed on my other two but many of my rides I run simply 42 X 16,17 or 17,18 so all the local hills get climbed in whichever cog I'm on. Now, the big hill/mountain rides I can and do go as low as 42-24 one the fix geare of my avatar photo or 36-24 on my Mooney (if I bring my chainwhip, 36-21 if I don't). The triples get used. The second bike is my geared commuter and farmers market bike. I ride it over 500' loaded coming home using near all the low ones. The last bike of the three is a straight race bike with a Chorus triple. For the very real hills of Portland's west hills and the Chehelems, a 30-26 is NOT low! (Except compared to my fix gears.)

Final climb of Cycle Oregon was 2400' in 10 miles. Did it on the 36-21. Mile after mile of push-pull. Body tired to the bone after. But what an experience! I won't do it again. But do I regret it? Not one bit! (And funny - I got passed by a young lady on an electric bike in the final mile or so. She'd heard me say that I was tired to the bone after the lay day long ride (not directed toward her - just my reality) as she shared that she was working hard too. But after that last day, she heard me say that "to the bone" piece again and said very humbly that she had no idea how hard that climb was for others.)

I write this not as a boast but in the hopes that maybe my love of hard climbs will rub off and perhaps inspire someone. I feel selfish that I get to have and do this and others don't.

Iride01 

I'm okay if you have to walk some over the place where a hill suddenly pitches very steep. Though if this is a route you do regularly, then you might consider if you have the correct range of gearing on your bike. Or if you even have the correct bike.

But if I see you walking and I'm still riding, then really you are just making me feel better about myself! You don't really want to do that do you? <grin>

tomato coupe

It is okay to walk up steep hills

Everybody knows it's okay to walk your bike up a steep hill. The real question is: can I eat my salad after my entree?

rsbob 

Yes I have to confess that I try to keep my weight down too to make climbing easier. If I wasn’t such a masochist about climbing I wouldn’t bother.

There is a local early spring ride here called Bainbridge Island where thousands of people get together and ride together. There are a few hills where people get off and push their bikes up. My attitude is it is great to see people attempting a very hilly route to begin with so good on them.

Polaris OBark

I actually kind of suck (probably because I'm nearly 200 lbs). I also have really low gearing, or I could not do it (46/30T crank and 11-34T cassette or 11-36T depending on wheelset). Also, I am really slow.




Also, please note the 2.8 mph.

I also have a lot of trouble going downhill fast.

I have also had to walk downhills that others seem to be able to ride without issue.

Polaris OBark

I also seem to have used the word "also" much more often than the Bike Forum Literary Style Guide would permit.

livedarklions

I'm often really surprised by how many times I can use the word "really" in a single sentence.

Polaris OBark

For reals?

livedarklions

I think my condition is called "emphatitis".

Hypno Toad

It is okay to walk up steep hills... but I am an idiot and I'll grind up, just barely faster than the folks walking.

Here's a clip from last Saturday's Filthy 50, 44 miles into the ride with a climb that kicks up to 15% ... and for reference, we are mashing up a tandem in this clip.

rsbob 

Funny. Reminds me when in my 20s I was a pretty good long distance runner, I past a cyclist going up a 3 mile grade. Took me two miles to catch her.

Fredo76

I hope it's okay.

I don't want to get a ticket!

urbanknight

Sounds like something I would do.

sean.hwy

I was on my light weight Blur MTB with only a single water bottle. So I don't have the I was carrying 20lbs backpack excuse. I was avg 3.6mph and I was trying. ha-ha I saw a jogger way behind me. He started getting closer and closer. oh shoooot.... He didn't pass me because I had such a huge lead but he was definitely going faster than me.

Bald Paul

Well, that was pretty stupid of him.

Velo Mule

Is is ok to walk up steep hills? Yes. This is like your low-low gear. There are some places that are too sandy or with too much loose gravel to ride as well were walking is better.

Being in full kit with cleats or cycling shoes means that you have to have a higher threshold of when to dismount. For the rest of us with shorts and a t-shirt, we can walk at a lower incline and not be shamed. And if you have a basket on the front carrying beer, walking both up and down hills is acceptable.

big john

I don't think you would do that but you might surprise me.

big john

I walked this part.

livedarklions

I ride platforms exclusively, and I just won't give in to a hill on a road. It's an attitude thing, not practicality. If anything, it's a minor ocd on my part. I definitely pay for it when I ride in 90+ degree weather.

livedarklions

We're all Sisyphus now.

big john

Just a few careful steps.

t2p

you didn't power up over those big rocks ?

smh

big john

Too much risk of a flat.