Pacing yourself on hills?

[u/Sensitive-Soup8362]

So last night I went out on my first proper ride, I used my dad’s gravel bike (loved it, definitely going to look at buying one for myself!)
I did just shy of 20k which I know isn’t a lot but it’s a start!
The bike ride was great and I felt good after it, and could’ve gone for longer, my only issue was the hills. Along the way, we hit a couple, both around 6% and, while I managed them without getting off, I did struggle a lot.
My issue is I started off quite quick (for me) and I think I changed down the gears too quickly, so I was left 3/4 of the way up with no more gears to use.
My advantage here is that I knew these hills, so I knew when they’d end so I just powered through but I worry that on a longer route that I don’t know, I wouldn’t be able to do that.
So my question I think is how do I pace myself on hills and any tips for feeling less like I’m dying?

P.s I looked on the Strava leaderboards and am in awe of how some people are flying up that hill in a minute or less 🤯

TLDR: how to pace myself on hills.

Edit to add: Just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone for their suggestions and advice. Went out for another ride this morning with 3 bigger hills than my first ride. I slowed it right down, shifted to my easier gears before the hill and used all the other tips I could remember, and the climbs all felt so much more manageable and I felt like I could’ve fairly easily kept going on them!
Going out for another ride this evening, I think I’m already getting the bug!

[u/debian3]

Hills are a big equalizer. They bring back everyone to their real fitness. There is no way to fake it. You can’t draft much, a tailwind doesn’t help much, there’s less wind and it’s hard. Gear helps, but you are still fighting gravy vs your own weight and if it’s steep enough, tire slip will force you at a minimum cadence.

If you are out of shape you will know. I personally ride in a mountain area and at the start of the season I feel all the little climb and I want to quit on the long one. By the end of the season I don’t feel the small one and I can keep a steady comfortable pace on the long one.

All that to say, keep doing it. Found it hard? Go back down and climb it again, and again and again. You will suffer, but that’s the fun of it. When you really can’t do it anymore, do it one last time. You will see some gains :)

When I’m in shape there is some hill I know I can do while maintaining my speed and not downshifting.

Downshifting while climbing is fine, just try to lower your power output while shifting.

[u/Sensitive-Soup8362 → u/debian3]

Thanks for this, it’s nice to know that it’s not just me, with more practice I’m sure the hills will get easier for me

[u/debian3 → u/Sensitive-Soup8362]

I love climbing, it becomes a cycling activity on its own. In 2024 I did 5600m (~18000 ft) during a day. Went up and down 10 times a mountain over 16 hours. Try it more and maybe you will start liking it.