Shifting while standing

[Sky]

I finally got brave enough to stand up and pedal and this works great for getting up hills, but I have one question...can you shift gears while standing? I'm afraid to try it.

[Veronica]

If you have STI shifters, yes you can. Probably Campy's Ergo too.

V.

[Irulan]

it's very hard on your drive train to shift under load, which is what you will be doing if you shift in a standing climb.

~Irulan

[SadieKate]

I agree with Irulan. Shifting under load can cause damage and if things aren't tuned up perfectly you can cause even more damage.

Edited to correct my vacation-enhanced grammar.

[Veronica]

My experience on the tandem with STI has been that yes under extreme pressure (17% grade) you can throw the chain when shifting and standing. However, we have shifted more times successfully while standing than not. Everytime we ride back home, we shift while standing up to climb our hill.

Riding the tandem by myself (a funny sight) I often shift while standing. It is the one advantage STI seems to have over friction shifters in my opinion.

Under heavy load bad things can happen whether sitting or standing. "Heavy load" is going to vary from person to person as well. It's a function of weight and power.

v.

[Irulan]

I agree with Irulan. Shifting under load can do cause damage and if things are tuned up perfectly you can cause even more damage.
Let's just say that shifting under load has taught me lots about chain suck, and how not to shift under load.

I think I was on the MRT when I finally got it: that chain got sucked so good I thought I was going to have to hike right out of there, and one of the guys on my ride gave me a little talking to about how to (not) shift.

[SadieKate]

Theoretically, Shimano Hyperglide will shift under pressure but you risk damage: chain suck, bent/broken teeth, chain into the spokes, broken chain, etc. With the new narrower chains for 9 and 10 speed drive trains, you have even more fragile equipment. I’ve bent chain ring teeth and I’m fairly small. I’m sure I screwed up a shift somewhere along the trail even though I try to anticipate and shift early. Every coach I’ve worked with has drilled into me that a shift should be silent which is only possible when you anticipate and unweight for the shift.

[Dogmama]

I shift while climbing but I unweight, as someone else said. I pause in my pedal stroke for a split second, shift, and continue on. It takes a bit of practice. Start on gradual hills. I never jam the gears, but see the guys do it all the time.

[JanT]

I'm with Dogmama. I shift on climbs, and I shift while standing, as needed. The secret is to unweight the pedals, pause briefly, while shifting, so you don't jam the gears. I do it more often on climbs when mountain biking, but when road biking in the city, I always stand and gradually gear up when I start up from the stoplights.

[caligurl]

i've shifted while standing.. and it doesn't sound so great sometimes! :eek: so i try to sit.. shift.. then stand back up again!

[Dogmama]

You have to pause briefly - I usually pause when my feet are in the 3:00 - 9:00 position.