Beginner's Guide - Vintage Bicycles and Hills

 

Occasionally I get questions about vintage bikes and hilly terrain. I get questions like "aren't they too heavy?", or "don't you need more 10 speeds?", or "old bikes were only for flat areas, weren't they?". You can ride up and down hills successfully (and comfortably) with your old bike. 

 

Here are a few tips:

•  Don't be afraid to add multi-gear hubs to your bicycle. Many older bikes were single-speed models. Unless you absolutely must have an original rear hub, try adding a three speed (or more) internal gear hub. If you don't want to mess with your original wheels, build a spare wheel set with a geared hub. That way you have a "rider" set and an original set. 

• Choose a lower gearing that is comfortable for you. My bikes all have larger rear cogs (20 to 24 teeth size range) to help lower the gearing and assist with climbing hills. I have several bikes geared with 48 teeth in front, 22 teeth in the back. I have several others with 46 teeth in front and 22 teeth in back. I have one bike with 48 teeth in front and 24 teeth in back. All of them offer better hill climbing than the stock 18-tooth Sturmey Archer rear cog. Some bikers opt for smaller front sprockets - also OK so long as it fits your drive train.
  

• Have a good set of brakes. Remember that going uphill often means going back downhill at some point.
  

• Have a comfortable saddle. Many vintage saddles are either too narrow for casual riding (as is the case on many old track or race bikes), or too wide for climbing effectively (as is the case on many bikes that have large saddles inspired by motorcycles). Often, a comfortable saddle is of moderate width and is supple yet supportive. I prefer the Brooks B66 and B67 saddles, but also use B72s, B73s, and Gyes tourist saddles. A saddle that is too narrow will not allow you to ride upright comfortably and a saddle that is too side will not allow full range of motion for your legs.
  

• Don't be afraid to experiment. Sometimes the most comfortable bike is one with a combination of features you did not expect would necessarily work well for you. 
  

• Keep your chain and bearings clean and lubricated properly. Less friction means less lost energy.
  

• Keep your tires properly inflated. 
  

• Ride "through" the back side of the hill in front of you. Don't aim at the top of the hill, push yourself through the crest and keep pedaling while aiming for a point somewhere on the back side of the hill. This is akin to "following through" on your golf, baseball, or cricket swing.  
  

• Pace yourself on the hill from the start. Don't sprint into the hill only to run out of energy halfway up. Steady is better than fast and burned out.
  

• If you can safely do it, use a "switch-back" method on larger hills. Although it is slower, you can take the teeth out of some hills by riding back and forth up the grade in an "s" turn type pattern. It will take you longer to get to the top, but it will also lessen the steepness of the hill by stretching the climb out over a longer distance traveled. Do NOT attempt this on a busy road where the switch-back will take you out into traffic.

• Become familiar with where you like to shift the internal gear hub. After awhile, you will get a feel for when you like to shift - speed, number of pedal revolutions, etc. If you have a feel for that, you will know when to shift when heading up hill. Try a couple shorter rides before tackling a challenging one.
  

• Don't be afraid to try new technology when planning your ride. There are new map and device applications that help give you an idea of the terrain where you are riding. Don't be afraid to try those before you ride, to get an idea of what kind of hills you will encounter.
  

• Lastly, don't be afraid to get off and walk the bike. If you feel overwhelmed or you begin to feel pain or the effects of injury, don't force yourself to continue. It is OK to sometimes dismount and walk the bike up very steep hills. 
  

I live in an area where there is rolling, hilly terrain just about everywhere. I've had great luck on this 1957 Schwinn Traveler three speed, similar to my other internal gear hub tourist bikes. I lower the gearing, make sure the brakes are good and everything is serviced, and keep riding.