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[Closed] Starting to enjoy climbing but...

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My thighs burn. Now I thought this was normal but mates, some faster than me, some slower, say theirs do not. So,

a) are they messing with my head?
b) is there something wrong with my thighs?
c) is there something wrong with my technique?

FWIW I never feel it in my hams or calves...


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 12:14 pm
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Standing or sitting?


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 12:27 pm
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sounds totally standard to me. Tired muscles burn, the more you do it the less you'll get (unless you try to up the pace all the time)


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 12:30 pm
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My legs burn going up almost anything! My thinking behind this is that I don't spend enough time riding up hills!


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 12:31 pm
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keep changing position to rest muscle groups and do some hill intervals to increase lactate tolerance.

If you have a turbo trainer then download Sufferfest Angels.


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 12:37 pm
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My thighs burn like hell going up hills. More you do it, the easier it gets though.


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 12:41 pm
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only thing you, are you grinding or spinning? Grinding a big gear wears my legs out in no time


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 12:45 pm
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these are nothing more than idle guesses:

a) your saddle is too low.

b) use easy spinny gears.

c) a combination of a) and b)


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 1:17 pm
 mrmo
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"It never gets easier you just go faster" Greg Lemond.

'bout sums it up really.

Learn to enjoy the burn, you will get faster.


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 2:06 pm
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On Friday I didn't get leg burn

I was riding a bit slower and I'm a bit fitter


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 5:12 pm
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+1 for the saddle height, even a couple of cm's too low makes my thighs burn.


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 5:20 pm
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It's all about aerobic vs anaerobic stuff innit. Or, as was once explained to me by a far better rider than I'll ever be, thigh burn usually means acid build up which means you aren't processing enough oxygen in your fuel mix - ie: your heart and lungs engine is being overworked. If you go slightly slower, or ride more efficiently (lower gears spinning a bit faster, saddle height optimised, etc.) you can keep the oxygen in balance and avoid the acid build up.

Or - get fitter and you'll get better at processing the oxygen so you can go faster before hitting the same threshold.

Your faster mates are just fitter than you.

Your slower mates might be more, or less, or the same fit but don't ride as fast, and stay below the limit.


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 5:35 pm
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Good advice, will double check saddle height though I think I'm about right (slight bend in knee).


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 6:52 pm
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And it burns standing or sitting...


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 6:54 pm
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Leg should be straight when it is at full extension IME, but make sure the saddle isn't too high or your knees will take a beating.


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 6:57 pm
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i love climbs, i'll go do rides just to do certain climbs. you've got to love climbing or there is no point in riding a bike - unless you live in holland. the best climbs are the ones that you look up at and think no way, but you go, you hurt, and you make it. up, down, its all good!


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 7:54 pm
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i love climbs, i'll go do rides just to do certain climbs. you've got to love climbing or there is no point in riding a bike - unless you live in holland. the best climbs are the ones that you look up at and think no way, but you go, you hurt, and you make it. up, down, its all good!

Amen.


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 8:03 pm
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Leg should be straight when it is at full extension IME

not quite, should be bent a little


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 8:26 pm
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There was an awesome steep climb on my 'local' loop, proper horrible bottom section was really steep so needed a run up and a dig deep to get over it before sitting down and grinding up the rest. Recent tree felling they couldn't get their machine up/down it so have levelled the bottom section off ๐Ÿ˜ก Still nearly died on it on Friday, was so freakin hot!

Still the massive trails/ditches cut through the forest give me the perfect cheeky fallback ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 8:31 pm
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mtfu


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 8:33 pm
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mtfu


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 8:33 pm
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twice


 
Posted : 25/04/2011 8:34 pm