Help! My rear end is glued to the seat!

[RolliePollie]

I think I'm ready to ask for some advice on a little problem I'm having. Sorry, this is kinda long...

About a month ago, I made it my goal to get my rear end off the saddle not only to stand up and pedal, but also to stop correctly. I can stand up while I'm riding as long as I'm just coasting. But I absolutely cannot get myself to stand up and pedal. It's like my butt is glued to the seat. I could stand up and pedal as a kid, but that was on my banana seat Schwinn. It feels a lot different on a road bike!

Same goes for stopping. My current disaster-area method for stopping is to unclip both feet, basically come to a stop, and then wait for the bike to lean far enough that a foot can touch the ground. I know I should be unclipping only one foot and then standing up on the clipped-in pedal to dismount. But once again, my butt is glued to the seat! This is driving me crazy because my seat is STILL too low and I really, really want to raise it, but I'm scared to do it until I can get off the bike correctly. It's not so low that I can touch the ground, but it's too low nonetheless.

I think all of this stems from my fear of falling. I just don't feel like I have good enough balance. When I stand up while coasting, I don't feel like I'm in control of the bike. And when I'm coming to a stop, I am scared to death to leave a foot clipped (already fell twice trying that). At the same time, I'm scared to death to unclip both feet and then try to stand on one pedal because my foot could slip off.

Anyone have advice for me? I'm getting really frustrated. I've tried practicing on the grass, but once I get back on pavement, the old habits come right back. I've been riding for 4 months now...I can ride fast, do some hills, and handle a fair amount of mileage...so it seems completely ridiculous that I still can't get up off the saddle! Please help me!!!!

[Zen]

Haw about standing when you're going up a hill? That seems like it might be easier as it's kind of intuitive anyway.

It may just be the only thing that's going to cure you is actually falling. It's not that bad, really.

[RolliePollie]

Haw about standing when you're going up a hill? That seems like it might be easier as it's kind of intuitive anyway.

That's what I want to be able to do...when I'm struggling up a hill, I really WANT to stand up...but my butt won't get off the seat! Of course, I think my brain is to blame for this...

Silly brain, why does it have to make things so difficult?

[meridian]

I agree, just fall and get it over with already! It truly is worse on the ego than it is on the body.

But to get your butt off the seat and get a feel for it, have you thought about going to the park or an empty lot with your regular shoes (or one regular shoe and one cycling shoe) on to just play around and see if getting that butt out of the seat is easier? That way, you take clipping in/out out of the equation and maybe your worry off falling will lessen also since you wouldn't be completely attached to your bike.

I say, just make yourself do it once, and if you fall, the worst is over and you'll be able to tackle each attempt easier after that.

[JLZimrmn]

Whenever I come to a stop I just unclip my left foot and wat until I stop to unclip the right foot. Then I throw my right foot over the bike. It really is not good for your bike to unclip and put all of you weight on the pedal to get off of the bike.

As far as standing up. That took me quite a while of practice. I practiced a lot on my MTB before I got my road bike. I rarely standup on my bike but if I have to gain speed I can.

[Starfish]

Sara, something that has increased my confidence and strength for standing up on climbs is going to indoor spinning classes.

Now, in many ways, standing up on a spin bike and on a real bike outdoors bear no resemblance. However, doing some really hard spinning workouts with LOTS of out of the saddle time has increased an aspect of my leg strength that is different than seated hard work has.

I am noticing that although outdoor standing climbing is still something I need to work on, especially for coordination, changing gears while standing, etc, I am much more able to handle the wobbles and errors in gearing because my legs and upper body are much more used to it.

Good luck!

[Geonz]

took the words out of my mouth... get on a trainer where it *doesn't matter*... and practice that motor skill of getting off the seat. You want to do an end run around the ol' brain :-)

[DarcyInOregon]

Another way to look at it is there is not really a "right" way and a "wrong" way for you to pedal your bike. Do what works best for you. Remember that lots of the ladies on TE are racers or long-distance fitness cyclists, and the way they pedal is to enhance their abilities to achieve their goals.

When I bike with Suzie and Ellen, the three of us don't bike in the same way at all. Suzie goes at a fast cadence in a lower gear. I go at a medium cadence in a higher gear. Ellen pedals in the highest gear she can. Suzie stands going up the hills. Ellen power strokes up the hills. I hold back on the hills so I don't burn out my blood sugar and everybody and their grandma passes me, then I catch them on the downhill (hopefully.)

When we come towards a stop, Suzie unclips one foot and completely stops. Ellen peers quickly to the left and right and darts across the road. I slow down, shift down, then mostly teeter on the bike without unclipping, waiting for the traffic to clear to procede ahead without really stopping. If I have to stop, I unclip both feet and force myself to take the seconds to drink and whatnot with both feet planted on the pavement, then I clip my right foot back in and get ready to go again.

You got good advice. Let yourself fall sometime, and you fill find out it isn't a big deal.

Darcy

[Trek420]

My current disaster-area method for stopping is to unclip both feet, basically come to a stop, and then wait for the bike to lean far enough that a foot can touch the ground. I know I should be unclipping only one foot and then standing up on the clipped-in pedal to dismount.

Is anyone else thinking bike fit? I think I stop on either bike unclipping one foot and I can just point the toe down. Usualy I will weight the clipped in foot but I don't have to lean the bike much. There's waiting for the bike to lean far enough that you can go completely flat foot or even bend and flex the supporting knee.

But if you're waiting for the bike to lean far enough that a foot can even touch .... I suggest get thee to a LBS and check the fit.

[mimitabby]

Yeah, Trek, I was.
I have noticed that on some bikes it is much harder to stand than others, and that has to do with fit.
A case in point, when I first got my bianchi, since i was so stretched out there was NO WAY i was going to stand, it was too scary. After it was fitted to me
(handlebars up and in, essentially) suddenly I could stand a little.
Now here's the important part: standing requires you to be VERY strong.
As I get stronger, I can stand more. it's as simple as that.
If you Sara, are remembering being a kid and standing, you weighed 60 pounds and ran all day when you weren't on your bike. Today, you weigh more than that and your muscles are probably a lot softer.

So Standing is something for you to work towards, a goal.. And let us know how that goes.
And in the meantime, maybe get your bike fitted to you a little better?

[Kano]

Same goes for stopping. My current disaster-area method for stopping is to unclip both feet, basically come to a stop, and then wait for the bike to lean far enough that a foot can touch the ground.

Trek quoted this part, and it got me thinking -- DH does something kind of like this -- both feet unclipped, and he puts 'em out in space somewhere as he slows. It looks a little silly, but he's fallen cuz he's still clipped in, and this is his way to avoid that. I guess a clipped in fall looks sillier? Dunno, but I do know it's gotta be more painful!

FIt could be an issue as Trek mentioned, but I can't reach the ground while on the saddle either, and fit's okay then -- I think it's supposed to be that way, from what I've been reading, so that didn't even occur to me the first time I read this bit. What DID occur to me is how I come to a stop and not wait for my bike to tip one direction or another. I'm guessing you mean when you get to an intersection or something?

When I'm slowing, I unclip my left foot, and have my right foot/pedal in the down position. With practice, probably I am actually standing on that down pedal a bit now as I stop and "land," but I don't think of it that way -- it's more like I slip down off the saddle to plant my free foot on the ground. My leg does straighten a bit, There's no sort of hoisting myself UP, like I'd think standing on the pedals would do. You might want to try this -- and practice it a little. I think there's nothing scarier than waiting to tip over, even if it's just partway!

Karen in Boise

[SadieKate]

Bike fit can be part of it and just simple geometry of the bike. Do not judge bike fit over whether you can reach the ground with your toes while sitting on the saddle. Bottom bracket height along can put you farther from the ground - or small feet -- or -- or -- or.

Sara, have you been trying to stand on flat ground (in short supply in your neck o' the woods)? Where are you practicing? In a flat parking lot, can you stand to coast? In the same flat parking lot (or grassy park), try shifting to a much harder gear and try "walking" the bike forward at a slow cadence. Pedaling and standing takes the right blend of cadence and resistance. You may feel more comfortable learning this on flat ground first.

Once you are comfortable on flat land, find a nice gentle hill for the next step. You want to keep it easy so you can stay below your anaerobic level. Steep ones take a big commitment: you have to get all the way forward in one fast and smooth motion and they can shoot your heart rate up incredibly fast.

Yes, you do need to learn to stand for multiple reasons -- even if it is just to stretch on the bike on longer rides. To increase your speed on rolling terrain (like Pardee Party), being able to stand on those small rollers will maintain a lot of speed at minimal effort.

[Kano]

You know, I just had a thought ---

I don't think I ever made a conscious decision about standing on my bike. One day, I just noticed myself up off the seat for a little bit, as I got going at an intersection, rather than just hopping up onto the seat.

I bet the hills will be that way too -- someday, I'll just find myself taking advantage of that extra little burst of power.

Maybe it's going to work that way for you too!

Karen in Boise

[Zen]

I don't think I ever made a conscious decision about standing on my bike. One day, I just noticed myself up off the seat for a little bit, as I got going at an intersection, rather than just hopping up onto the seat.


Karen in Boise

I know that feeling.
I was gong downhill the other day when I realized I WAS REALLY GETTIN' IT!
No brakes, no fear, in fact there was quite a bit of joy and feeling of accomplishment!

I know the "want to do it now" feeling too.

We'll get it...eventually.

[East Hill]

Graceful? We have to be GRACEFUL ?

I guess I will have to get out there and get more practice.



East Hill