Power to weight ratio
Improve your hill climbing ability by improving your power to weight ratio. Improving your body composition will do wonders. If you're a 150 lbs rider (68.18 kg) and your able to sustain 250 watts for your favorite local hill climb you're putting out about 3.67 watts/ kg. Now let's say if the same given rider drops the excess boy scout gear on their bike and drops a few unwanted lbs they could rack up some extra horsepower after netting a 10lbs drop in weight. So, the same rider now at 140lbs (63.6 kg) at the same sustained power (250 watts) on their local climb would be generating 3.93 watts/kg. So how do get trimmed up? Riding more will get you there but when you're unable to get the mileage in the sure fire way is to manage your caloric intake. Keep a log an make the necessary adjustments to reach your optimal body composition.
Cadence and position
Choose a gear that allows you to maintain your cadence. Avoid a gear that causes you to grind it out. Stay seated in the saddle and find the gear which allows you to spin up the hill. While spinning relax the upper body and arms. The energy spent white knuckling the bars and added tension in the upper body could be put to better use in turning the pedals. If you find yourself running out of gears and grinding it out swallow your pride and consider getting the triple chain ring. Find your rythym as you spin up the hill and make note of your heart rate or power output. With each climb focus on being relaxed and maintaining your rythym and manage your effort. If you find your heart rate sky rocketing back off on the intensity by selecting an easier gear while maintaining your spinning (cadence). Once you master hill climbing while seated give a try while standing and compare your numbers (heart rate. power) to the seated position. On your first attempt be sure to pick a low grade hill as your cadence will drop when you get out of the saddle which can cause instability (loss of control, balance) and may cause you to topple over.
With that being said if a rider passes you and you get on their wheel be sure to ride with your front wheel off to the side. If your directly behind them and they decide to get up out of the saddle you may be making some unwanted contact and go down.
Practice
When venturing out to do hill climbs ride with others of comparable ability. Otherwise when you get shelled off the back on the first climb with the gazelles it can leave you demoralized to the point of hanging up the bike and letting the negative self talk creep in. So, on your first climb as you approach the hill be sure to maintain your cadence and as your cadence starts to drop shift into an easier gear and keep your cadence. As the hill seems to be forever long think positive," I can do this!", and on your second visit to the same hill think, "I've done this!", and start dialing in your relaxed position. Now as you near the top of the hill and the elevation starts to level out you'll find yourself spinning faster and this is when you start to shift into a gear that again allows you to maintain your cadence. Avoid spinning out (pedaling super fast). Manage your cadence and avoid "finding" your favorite gear. With hills, tail winds, head winds, cross winds, drafting, acceleration and slowing of the group ride, etc., you'll be constantly shifting gears.
Stepping it up
Once you've mastered the maintaining of your cadence, staying relaxed, and managing your power output then take it to the next level with riding with climbers that are bit better than yourself. On the hill climbs try to stay in contact. When you become familiar with the pace of the group with subsequent rides attempt to lead the group but sustain your own pace. As the group passes you try to stay in contact. Don't go out to fast as you'll blow your engine but manage your power and sustain your effort.
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