If you are going to delight in road biking, you better learn to like the hills! Riding up hills is a challenge especially for people new to road biking. In my opinion, riding strongly up hills is a fantastic challenge as well as a fantastic part of your workout.

The most vital tip to cycling up that first hill is to ANTICIPATE where it starts. That is, watch down the road and see where the road starts to steepen. Find a marker like a tree or telephone pole to note where you reckon the beginning of the hill starts.

Second, increase your RPMs, that is your Rotations per Minute (how quick you pedal), as you near the start of the hill. If you typically ride at 90 RPM, try increasing to 100 RPM. As soon as you start to feel your RPMs slowing down, shift to an simpler gear.  If you start to feel your RPMs slowing down again, then shift to yet an simpler gear. Unless you are a very strong cyclist, I suggest making sure you are on the smaller ring in the front when you start your hill climb!

The third tip has to do with whether you should sit or stand as you climb the hill. In my experience, I prefer to sit for the first half of the hill. I make sure my grip is on the rubber part of the brakes during the entire climb. Once I hit the halfway mark (or my legs start to burn, whichever comes first!) I then stand and ride the rest of the way up the hill. You will obviously develop your own rhythmn and do what is most comfortable for your ride.

Bottom line, learn to like the hills!  Using the above tips, get out there and start hammering those hills! Try to make the ride up the hill as much fun as the ride back down!