Hills -- is it true?

[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.

[kelownagirl]

One thing I have REALLY noticed, is how much road biking has helped my mountain bike climbing. I actually enjoy hills on my MTbike now. Lots of times, I don't even have to go down into my granny anymore. Maybe I should ride an old single speed bike up and down hills to make me appreciate the gears on my road bike?

[SouthernBelle]

Wavedancer, I wish I had read your suggestion before my ride this morning. I did a charity ride and I think it was all uphill. I think my quads screamed out loud a couple of times.

This ride was helpful to me for a couple of reasons. I had a mechanical problem so I ended up way at the back. But I caught back up thanks to a couple of early flats and ascents. But I just don't have the leg strength I did once. I lost a lot when I wrecked earlier this year and have never gotten it all back.

So for the winter I need to concentrate on strength and endurance for climbs.

[aicabsolut]

Forgive me for the newbie question, but I guess it fits in here:
Any tips for learning to stand and climb?

I grew up on beach cruisers on the flattest ground ever, so I never learned to stand up and mash on the pedals.

Now I've got new body position and all to worry about too. I can stand and coast, I can hover as I hop over a bridge edge or big tree root bump. I could stand and pedal a tiny bit before I went clipless when I'd start up on the bike in a big gear. But it's too easy to spin on a flat with clipless in a big gear that I haven't been practicing there--feel like I need more resistance from the gears. I figure it'd be easier to learn in a climb when I need to rev up my speed a little bit as my legs start to burn. (Now I live in a place with hills...not mountains but big enough for my newbie self and sprinter's build).

I see people do it all the time. And I get the concept of rocking the bike, but I'm worried about the sideways topple. Maybe I don't give myself enough credit. I mean, my 3 yr old nephew can stand and pedal...though ok, he has training wheels.

I tried practicing on my trainer to get an idea about what gears I'm comfortable with, but the rear tire slips too much. Tried cranking up the resistance knob but I still couldn't get smooth circles. (I can stand and be pretty still on a spin bike, with smooth circles if that helps).

Any tips are welcome

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Forgive me for the newbie question, but I guess it fits in here:
Any tips for learning to stand and climb?

Any tips are welcome

I gave a few tips earlier in this thread.

[Trek420]

aicabsolut "--feel like I need more resistance from the gears. I figure it'd be easier to learn in a climb when I need to rev up my speed a little bit as my legs start to burn."

there's a couple ways to get that higher gear.

One is what some call "the magic gear". On a climb where you "run out of gears", you're in the granniest of granny gears and wish there was a lower one pop it 1-2 gears higher (folks somewhere here we have a thread on shifting under load and sometimes .... you just can't do that! but if you can...) climb standing till you've got a little rest then voila!! shift down 1-2.

It's magic, lower gears!

Or...let the bike come to you. If you need some resistance to climb standing feather the pedals and let it slow down a little till ... voila! You can stand.

Don't know if this is right.

"I get the concept of rocking the bike, but I'm worried about the sideways topple."

The feeling I try for is not rocking the bike but relaxe the hands and you kinda toss it back and forth lightly like tossing a light bean bag from hand to hand. Don't know if that makes sense. It's hard to keep the upper body relaxed.

Hope this helps.

[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!

[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!

[DirtDiva]

I find it helps a lot to just keep reminding myself that I'm not actually going to die, nor will my legs actually fall off, and I probably won't even throw up/pass out/some combination thereof. And I never roadie-ride proper hills with other people.

[cosc]

I'm going to look for the shifting under pressure thread because I think my bike doesn't change gears fast enough-I lose lot of momentum or my chain gets stuck going to a higher gear while climbing. I've learned a lot from this thread. Now to put it into action.