I’m looking for workouts (or routes) where I can practice short, steep climbs - like I would while mountain biking. I tried the climb portal but it’s just basically long, gradual climbs.
I’m looking for something where on my smart trainer it will get really hard to pedal all of a sudden if I don’t change my gears (because of a sudden, steep climb) and that I’ll likely even need or want to get off my seat. This just doesn’t happen in regular climbs on Zwift (instead, my speed really slows down but the resistance feels about the same)
I want to feel high resistance if that makes sense.
Any recommendations? Or should I be doing this a different way like manually going into a hard gear whenever I see a climb? Still the problem is most are longer, gradual climbs.
I’m in the same boat.
I live in US Midwest and our big hills are 2 min or less.
The route in Zwift that I find as most helpful is whatopia Hilly.
A race on Watopia Hilly really pushes me.
I also just designed my own workout to max 2,3&5 min power.
Most of the provided plans didn’t give me enough time for recovery so I just pick one that was close and modified it.
Another option with a lot of rollers would be to ride through Titans Grove and then make a U-turn and do it again. Also increase Trainer Difficulty to 100% in settings to make sure you are getting the most out of the bumps on free rides (has no effect in workouts)
Richmond has punchy climbs.
Makuri too, particularly the Islands.
Scotland is good too–even the one side of the central climb isn’t too long (KQOMs there are ~2 min most days).
The city side of London has short to medium climbs too.
New York, on the ground (not up in the skywalks).
I’ve found Titans to be the most replicative (is that a word?) of mtb. Everywhere else the hills just don’t variate fast enough, which is normal I think for road.
Great shout. Hill repeats in Richmond would be a good way to either develop some anaerobic power (long recoveries btwn effort) or anaerobic caoapcity (short recoveries)