“Finish the hill” is a term coaches use to remind riders that a climb doesn’t end till gravity starts pulling you down the other side.
Many riders, however, start easing up when the top comes into view. It’s understandable. You’ve been working hard. Your legs are burning, your lungs are heaving — but now you risk losing lots of time.
Backing off when you see the top will make the final meters last much longer. Instead, beginning with the next hill you ride, train yourself to ignore the physical and mental temptations. Don’t let up during those final few strokes. Keep your pace (or even accelerate) all the way over the top.
Finish the hill this way and you’ll gain distance on everyone who’s doing it the “normal” way. You’ll even be increasing your fitness. Once you make finishing hills a habit, your climbing confidence will grow. So will your climbing reputation.
This is a classic example of going too hard at the bottom. Case in point, COMO street ride in Orange County, guys that have been riding for 25 years and know better push the bottom part of the hill too hard, then, about half-way up the pack/peloton passes them and drops them.
1) Easy at the bottom, harder in the middle and then all-out including pushing over the top
2) Power meter – know how much power you can put out for a given time AND don’t go over that number. That’s as fast as you can do that hill.
a cyclist with a lot more experience than me (an other way to say an older rider than me LOL) told me not to be constantly looking up at the top of the climb, look at the immediate road ahead of you to ride safely but do not be measuring how long until the top of the hill. He made the comparison to when you have to go to restroom, the closer you get to it the less than you can hold it in! your mind is playing tricks on you!! keep the pace, look at 2-3 bike lengths in front of you and keep pedaling.
i have made climbs in my MTB that i would normally not even attempt with this “method” try it! it may work