Paul Smith lives in the Peak District village of Crich, 250m above sea level. There are seven routes into the village and they all involve a hill climb with gradients up to 20% (one in five)! Here are his top ten tips for hill climbing.
The only way to get better is to go out and do it. Don’t let yourself be intimidated by any hill. Instead of seeing as an obstacle, treat it like a glider pilot treats a thermal – an opportunity to gain potential energy. Every hill climb is “charging the battery”, stocking you up with potential energy for the blast down the other side
Break it down into sections to make it manageable, if necessary yard by yard (you can cycle another yard, can’t you?). Set yourself markers so that you have (mentally) a series of short section
Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC): A company limited by guarantee, registered in England no.25185. Registered as a charity in England and Wales No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541
CTC Charitable Trust: A company limited by guarantee, registered in England no.5125969. Registered as a charity in England and Wales No 1104324 and Scotland No SC038626
