Hills -- is it true?

[RoadRaven]

*pipes up again*

For what its worth, my partner and sons often climb on the drops in races.

I am learning to climb on the drops, it lowers your centre of gravity and therefore alters the way you climb...

Just like learning to stand while climbing, climbing on the drops takes determination and practice - but I def can see/feel the advantage

[SouthernBelle]

As I relatively new rider, I read a lot and, after a rough time earlier, taught myself to spin up hills. My issue now is I can't seem to get myself out of the saddle. This is partly a head thing, and partly getting accustomed to my newer bike. There are times when I should hoist myself up and 'finish off' a hill but just can't seem to do it.

I'm so weird.

[DDH]

Susan, I think I am like you. I have gotten so accustumed to sitting while riding and spinning that it seems all wrong to stand up. I have read so many differing opinions on climbing while standing and climbing while sitting that I don't know what is correct so you get to where you do what your use to and comfortable with. I almost never stand while riding. Talking to the LBS guy today, he is telling me to build my endourance up, to do intervals of standing pumping hard and then sitting and letting the heart rate slow, then stand, then sit.

What is a girl to do? I tell ya though, eventually I will have enough knowledge in my head and enough riding time under my belt that, next thing you know I will have my own training way down and know enough just to be dangerous.
Main thing is, I enjoy riding, and want to continue until I eventually get better.

[CR400]

Personally I climb in my drops when standing, sprint in my drops, and power up (starting in a big gear and spinning it up to the speed I want to be at) in them. Helps me to feel that I have more control of the bike especailly when using the big watts it takes to get this fat body up a hill. I use hoods for relaxed riding and the tops for even more relaxed riding.

[Trek420]

I climb seated, hardley ever stand, hands on the hoods, and badly

I think I could stand to relaxe my arms a bit.

there's a photo here

www.breastcancerfund.org/siteapps/tools/PhotoDetail.aspx?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=2068549&p={FA89DBB9-08EA-4972-9E91-9799E7E6D7AF}&st=ASC

same gallery photo # 37 is our own cindysue and her crew.

It's taken by Mark Fong, Marc Fong, Jr. and Carol Melanie Galan who provided photographs for the Breast Cancer Fund. Photographs may not be reproduced, copied, televised, digitized or used in any way without permission of the Breast Cancer Fund and/or the photographer so not gonna import it

[Quillfred]

I climb seated, hardley ever stand, hands on the hoods, and badly

I think I could stand to relaxe my arms a bit.

there's a photo here

www.breastcancerfund.org/siteapps/tools/PhotoDetail.aspx?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=2068549&p={FA89DBB9-08EA-4972-9E91-9799E7E6D7AF}&st=ASC

Hey, nice pic Trek! You get extra points for smiling on a climb.

[Trek420]

Thanks! I had a feeling that would be a good picture because he caught me:

* early in the ride on Tunnel Road before I was cursing the hills.
* on a turn, I'd just got the line right and was enjoying a tiny bit of momentum.
* when my grimace could be mistaken for a smile.

Only thing wrong is if I knew he's around the corner I'd still have my AV arm skins up, I'd just pushed them down 8-(

I'd like to use the photo on my homepage but I'm contacting the photographer first.

[RoadRaven]

I have been following this thread with interest and I think the consensus seems to be to climb seated.

Everything I have read agrees... climb seated, that will make you strong...

From what I understand, standing should be reserved for short power bursts - like getting across an intersection quickly when the lights turn green, or sprinting in a race (essentially the same thing, really ).

Standing on a hill is also a short power burst. If you are training yourself to stand, then stand whenever, wherever you choose to. But in a training/commuting/racing situation, my understanding is that to monster a hill you climb in the gear you can most comfortably get on top of - seated. Near the top, or at a steep pinch, you stand so that you can maintain your speed (even though you have increased your power output).

In a hill situation, standing should not mean legs wildly spinning because the gear is too low. It should mean a continuation of the rythym you had before for a short time frame. (As I said earlier, when I first started standing, my HR would rocket so high the most I could do was a few pedal rotations.)

The goal should be to get up and over hills relatively comfortably, without blowing your heart rate or your legs... and ALWAYS remember to keep going over the hill... to stop at the top gives the lactic acid no chance to disperse and increases the discomfort you will have. So crest the hill and start gpoing down the other side, and keep your legs moving round even if there is no resistence.

After 2 years riding, and only this year being able to stand, and only the last few months being able to stand for a length of time, it is about practice and feeling what is right for you and the type of bike you ride.

Listen to your body - it tells you sooooo much.

[liberty]

Wavedancer: I tried your little trick today when I went out for a ride. It worked great. The few times I did stand up for the hills, I mentally focused on the lower abs and hips. Seemed like my knees were happy campers! And I found I wasn't moving my shoulders so much. Think that might have been why I was torqueing my knees. And the clipless pedals are good, too! Happy day; very happy day.

[Trek420]

Photo taken by Mark Fong, Marc Fong, Jr. and Carol Melanie Galan who provided photographs for the Breast Cancer Fund. Photographs may not be reproduced, copied, televised, digitized or used in any way without permission of the Breast Cancer Fund and/or the photographer.

[Bikingmomof3]

Fabulous Photo! Great smile.

[KnottedYet]

Nice bike, too!

[Geonz]

I'm strong on hills, but rarely get out of my seat - and I'm on a hybrid, and pretty positive there's a correlation there. I HATE the total change in balance; it just doesn't feel right at all.
It pays to shift early, and the other thing that really helps me is making sure to keep my stroke steadily going 'round and 'round the whole big circle.
I got stronger doing intervals without standing up. THere's a little excuse for a hill near me (there are very, very few hills around here) and doing repeats up that sucker does a lot for the endurance and strengtha nd speed.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Donna,
I didn't start standing up on hills until I'd been riding over 2 months most every day. At first, I coould not balance at all when standing...scary! Don't expect to be able to do everything before you get a bit more experience. There's nothing "wrong" with you- you just need more time to build up your skills (just like I do as well).
I practiced on a SMALL hill, and partway up I would put my hands on the hoods and pull myself to stand- I would just stand for one downstroke on each foot, wobble along, then had to sit again. With practice, I could stand for several strokes, and now it's just plain FUN to stand and power my way up a short hill....when I *can*. Long hard hills now...that's a real challenge and I usually spin them in low gear, envision clouds, and keep my breathing deep and even.

P.S. I just love your avatar picture

[CyclingKat]

What is that saying? "That which doesn't kill you makes stronger?" For sure on hills. I ride regularly with a group in Southern California, so there are lots of hills to ride. The best way to get better at climbing is to just keeping looking for opportunities to do it. Some things that have helped me:

On long hills, find a good gear and steady rhythm. Hands on the tops of the handle bars in order to keep your lungs open. Pedal in circles. Focus on breathing and turning over those cranks.

The best advice I was given on those long climbs is to find a comfortable pace, so as not to blow out at the bottom. Once you get to the top third or so of the hill, pick up your place, put it in a slighter harder gear and push for the top ... "up and over."

I used to get frustrated at those cyclists who go zipping by me at the bottom, until I learned that if I keep the same pace at the beginning, I usually am able to steadily gain ground on them and pass them when they're spent!