and Steady -- On big climbs, effective climbing is about monitoring your effort so you never redline. Stay seated for prolonged periods. Slide back in the saddle a bit for leg extension and leverage. Relax your upper body and open your chest by pulling your shoulders back a bit. Hunching over inhibits breathing. Stand intermittently to give certain muscle groups (not to mention your butt) a break. Your cadence should be high (not below 70rpm; 80 to 90 is ideal). Mashing gears fatigues you fast. Spinning -- like a low weight, high rep weight workout -- lets muscles recover faster. Amp up your effort for steeper pitches, then revert back to a lower intensity. Keep it measured. Start by setting your pace at what you can sustain, then back off a notch so you have some cushion if the grade steepens. Extra Credits -- Stretch on the bike: stand and push hips forward to help your lower back; to loosen your shoulders, slide backward and round your back; pin shoulders back to lengthen your neck. Rollers -- You'll go fast on rolling terrain if you maintain your gearing and cadence as much as possible. Stay in the gear you started climbing as long as possible. Shift down only to keep your cadence steady. When you can see over the crest, shift up a gear to power over the top. Try to spin at 70 to 90rpm. If you drop too low, you'll get bogged down; but if you go too