The Effect of Frame Design on Hill Climbing

Last July, Simon posted a nice piece on 'The Science Of Efficient Cycling', which, as he said, didn't cover the issue of hill climbing very well.  I'm pretty convinced that hill climbing is a very important part of the cycling mix, and that it is the part where most gains can be made in overall performance. My reasoning is that you're hardly going to go faster downhill, and that on the flat the great wall of air that you're pushing aside is pretty immutable.  But, just maybe, there looks to be scope to do better uphill.  If you could do a little better on every hill of the day, then your mileage would increase with minimal risk to life and limb, and you might have more fun too.

So how could this work?  Conventional wisdom is that climbing is basically Power/Weight.  A light, powerful rider on a light bike will always climb better.  Well, up to a point, Lord Copper ...

Some of you will know my Old Dawes.  It's a nice bike, and with updates over the years it goes very well.  Its fat tyres make it roll nicely and it has a decent turn of speed downhill.  But it's a very poor climber.  Once the Dawes is on a hill, your only real option is to change down and crank away.  Even working very hard doesn't do much.

By contrast, my French Bike is a very good climber.  It responds immediately to extra effort and will spring up a hill.  On the face of it, it looks pretty similar, so why should the performance be so different?

Here's my analysis.  The Dawes is made of good steel - Reynolds 631 - but is built as an 'Expedition Tourer'.  That means that the heaviest gauge of steel is used, with particular emphasis on a stiff rear triangle to carry heavy loads.  The French Bike is also good steel - Reynolds 853 - but is constructed of the lightest possible gauge.  It rides very well, but is not up to carrying anything much.  It's designed for a small bag on the front, and that's your lot.

The French put a lot of effort into this type of bike in the 1950s, the intention being to create a frame that acts as a spring, so that the rider compresses it while pulling up a hill, with the stored energy being released as the pedals go over centre, giving extra impetus.  Sounds like baloney, but it works - and, interestingly, British frame builders never bothered with these ideas.

All right then, if this is such a good idea, why don't people do it now?  The answer is that they do.  Take a look at my Open special:

It's made of carbon fibre, and you'll see that it has very thin, flexible rear stays, a sharply tapered top tube to be stiff at the front and flexible at the back, and it's the best climbing bike I have ever ridden - and, as my Clubmates will attest, I've tried a few.

Looking at the weights, the Dawes weighs about 14 kilos, the French Bike 12 kilos and the Open 9 kilos.  By taking off the bag and the rack I could get the Dawes to about 12 kilos, but I'm confident that this wouldn't make much difference to its climbing capability.  I could bring the Open up to 12 kilos with a couple of bottles and a bag of sausage rolls on the handlebars.  It would still beat the French Bike hands down.

So, my assertion is that frame design is an important element of a bike's ability to climb hills well.  If your bike has a spring in its tail, it will climb better.  Light weight is no harm, quite the reverse, but making the Dawes quite a bit lighter won't make it climb better.

Worth thinking about for your next bike - a frame with the right sort of springiness gives better performance uphill.  If you need panniers, carry them on low-loaders at the front, and let the back of the bike work for you, rather than the other way round.

A Happy New Year to you all,

Mark

Annual Lunch - Wednesday 7th March

Further to Dave's post about the new venue and the menu for our big lunch, and to Simon's advice about collecting pre-payments for the meal (and our annual subs), here is a preview of the Lunch Set Menu:

Note that our menu on the day may vary slightly from this one.

Early in February I will be asking you all to make your choices for the Starter and Main courses from the menu. In the meantime please be ready with your £16 (£15 for lunch, £1 for your sub) when Simon corners you tomorrow.

Thanks

Tim

'B' Ride Weds 3 Jan 2018

A Happy New Year to everyone!   For our first ride of 2018 let's begin in style with lunch at...The Assembly Rooms (Wetherspoons), Epsom!   The planned route will take us off road to Bookham, then to Westhumble and Headley via a couple of the easier climbs of the North Downs.  Tea at Long Ditton or Hampton Court Bridge as preferred.  Ironically, the off road section was rideable without problem on Monday but some of the lanes to be used are very mucky and mudguards are preferable!  The photo is looking towards Tattenham Corner on Jan 14 last year.  At our nearest we'll be a mile or so away from there but it was the nearest I had in date and location!   Rider - if the weather is worse than currently predicted we may need to change route or destination.

David (W)

John Mason

John

This is a photo taken on 9 June 2010 of John having lunch on an MWW ride at the Little Park Hatch at Cranleigh. Some may remember Toni d'Italia sitting on a freshly painted bench and having to strip as much as possible of the wet green paint from his clothes before he could comfortably take to the saddle after lunch. We remember John with great affection.
Jeff

John Mason

Terry informed me yesterday that John Mason died on Thursday 28th December.

John was suffering from Alzheimer's disease in recent years and had recently been moved from a home in Bookham, his home town, to a home in Westcott which was better suited to his needs.

John's wife Marguerite spoke to Terry yesterday to inform him and she will let him know when and where the funeral will take place.

Graham and Terry remember John as a regular with Cheam and Morden from about 2004 to 2010. Perhaps he rode with the Wayfarers too.

John, in blue, at Elevenses, Henfold Fisheries, 2007

Competitors in the 2006 Freewheel Competition

John, after beating Peter and David in the Freewheel Competition

New Year''s Day ride and lunch at Ed's

Wayfarers subscriptions due

Well it was a very sad end to 2017 with the loss of two of our dear and very experienced friends in cycling, Ron Powney and then Margaret Squirrell.   We will keep their memories in our hearts as we meet on Wednesdays, and we will just have to work that bit harder to ensure that 2018 is indeed a happy new year.

Meanwhile, it is time to collect subscriptions for the new year, and pre-payments for the Annual Lunch and Prizegiving, which takes place on Wednesday March 7th.   As you will have seen from Dave's post, we are trying a different Italian restaurant this year, and to streamline the service I will take pre-payment of £15 for the three course fixed-price menu, while our Maitre d' (Tim Court) will take food orders.   You pay for your own drinks at the restaurant.

It would be a great help to me if you could bring the right change on Wednesday, which is

• £1 for membership only
• £16 for membership plus food at the annual lunch

Wishing you all a healthy, safe and enjoyable year of cycling in 2018.