Hill climbing

Share the pain.  Vary the muscles that you use.  Practice 'pedalling circles not pistons'.  Not on a hill, pedal with just one foot to get the hang of a circular stroke.  Then change to the other foot. Then both together.  When you're going up the hill give tiring muscles a break by alternating pushing down with this circular stroke.  Vary your seating position too, sitting up more makes it easier to engage the muscles in your backside.  When you get out of the saddle, really work on the circular motion and keep your knees in line - don't pedal like a cowboy, keep the 'stair climber' going.  If it's so steep that your back wheel is slipping when you're standing, turn your hands round so that you've got your bars in an underhand rather than an overhand grasp, which will push your weight back a bit - or sit down and get your weight on the back wheel.  If you're getting serious, do laps of a moderate 8 to 10 minute hill, once standing, once seated - and repeat.   That way, when it comes to standing, you know you've got it covered.

Just some random thoughts...

Start off very gently- you will need to dig deep toward the top.  Get into a low gear straight away.  Breathe deeply early on, don't get into oxygen 'debt'.

Aim for smaller goals... e.g the manhole cover 10 metres up the road, then the tree, etc.  Break the climb up into bits, tick it off a few metres at a time...

Consider getting out of the saddle toward the top (but beware of slipping on the cobbles)- it loads up different muscle groups, so can give you a bit of extra go!

Good luck, its a great feeling cresting a challenging climb!

Average 15%, max 25% just sounds purgatorial to me; I'd either re-gear a road bike or grab my MTB or hybrid that have v low gearing.  We don't have climbs in the UK that match the continental ones so perhaps we see beasting ourselves on 15-25% as compensation.  It's pretty hilly around me and the 2 climbs that feature in books are absolute 'munters'; far more satisfying climbs around in my opinion.  Rides with killer climbs in them just wipes you out.  Even Mt Ventoux only nudges 10% at most, but you're at it for 2 hrs or so which is why it's hard work.  People I know who are good climbers are v light with great power to weight ratio.

No idea what bike you have or what tyres you use but possibly having 28s on at lower pressure would help on the cobbled section

Appropriate gearing. Even a compact with 32t cassette might be a bit big for something like that. Don't be afraid to use small gears.

However, improving power generation with low-cadence intervals is one of the best ways to get better at climbing.

Alongside this, learn to ride uphill smoothly and with greater efficiency - holding a good position, relaxing your upper body, pushing from your glutes instead of over-using your quads. Breathe deeply and evenly, train your lungs as well as your legs.

Use easier, steady gradients to work on technique. As you get better you can do more of them or use longer and/or steeper climbs to practice on. I'm not a fan of going up and down one hill so would prefer to create a route that goes up several hills, allowing some variety but also some rest in between.

Some people like timing themselves and tools like strava segments can help with motivation and tracking progress. However, like weighing yourself too often when you want to lose weight, you can focus on day-to-day variation and be distracted from the greater goal. Create mid and longer term goals that are achievable but not too easy.

There will be days when you feel sh*t, feel slow and don't feel like doing it. If it's really bad then save it for another day but bear in mind that, like learning a musical instrument or other skill, consistent and regular practice is the way to make progress.

Some good advice on this thread, particularly the post by AJ101:

http://road.cc/content/forum/161475-weedy-legs

Let us know how you get on.

There's no substitute for practice!

If you're near Halifax, then there's no shortage of almost-as-steep-as-Shibden-Wall routes to practice on. Personally, I really like the climbs around Luddenden - like Halifax Lane - Birch Lane - Raw End Road - although most are tarmac. There's a cobbled climb up towards Midgley which scares me and I've never been up.

Have you tried the Buttress? Compared to Shibden Wall it's deeper in the shade of trees &c., so better wait til the weather's been sunny for a couple of days til the cobbles are less slippy...?

Hill repeats is your best option but over a longer distance with less gradient. 15% for the vast majority over that distance would just be happy to make it.