Help! My rear end is glued to the seat!

[RolliePollie]

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

But I have fallen (several times now)

Thanks everyone, for the great advice. I need to force myself to be brave and try. I'm also glad to hear about other people's stopping styles. I guess when you need to stop, the ultimate goal is to stop and get off the bike, and at least I'm doing that. It just seems like everyone I've seen is able to stop and dismount gracefully, and then there's little old me looking like a big dork!

My nemesis hill would be a good place to practice both of these skills because if I can't stand up and pedal, then I can't get up the hill, which basically means I have to stop! Hmmm, tomorrow night then...I have a date with my nemesis hill. Good thing it's right by my house in case I need to bandage myself up afterwards.

I also think I'm letting myself get more worked up and freaked out about this than I should. If I succeed in un-gluing my butt, I'll let y'all know!

And if I fall, I'll let you know that too

[Kano]

Sara,

I have a sticky butt too, but I have found that I CAN stand as I get started from a stop, if I just don't plant it on the saddle too quickly! I get a little extra power, which feels good to me as I take off at a light, for example, where I want to get out of the way of bigger, faster, heavier vehicles, and it's also good practice, eh?

On hills, DH told me one day "hey, those other riders get off their seats when they go up, maybe you could too?" I said, yeah, maybe some day...

So far, as a new roadie, I am happy to stand while coasting, and as I get started from stops. I'm looking forward to being strong enough to pick up my butt when climbing at some point, but for now, I'm happy with just getting up the hill any which way I can, y'know?

I started climbing hills by using the "biggest" gear I could til I couldn't anymore, and gearing down and down and down. I was NOT getting up the hills, but I was sure I had to start with the harder gears, cuz what was I going to do if I ran out? My heart rate got out of control, my breathing got out of control, and my legs would give out. So, the trick I've used to get up the hills so far that may help you with your nemesis: before even starting up the hill, I gear down to the granniest of grannies, keep my heels down, and don't look at the top. I found my "recipe" by accident one day when I was struggling and riding in the granny gears just cuz my muscles were tight, it surprised the bejeezus out of me and worked that day, it's still working for me, and maybe some day I'll be pretty good at it and be able to try a bit harder gear! (I probably need one of those to stand at all, at least that's how the pedaling feels to me)

Karen in Boise

[Zen]

Maybe try it just a little bit at a time.

I don't mean stand all the way up for brief periods but next time you're going up Nemesis Hill get down in the drops, move your weight forward a bit, lift your butt just an inch or two off the seat,and pull up on the grips.

I'm the worst when it comes to handling skills. If I can do it so can you.

[DarcyInOregon]

I am one who can't pedal while standing up. I won't even try. My left foot is lame, totally, from shattering the joint in an accident back in 1985. I know if I put that much pressure on the foot I would rip out tendons and be in the hospital. It never even occurred to me that pedaling while standing up was something that was necessary. Many Category A cyclists don't pedal up hills standing up on the theory they save more energy by not doing so, which makes sense if they cycle with lower blood sugar levels than other cyclists.

And as for swinging the leg over the bike, gosh, I can't do that either. I did when I was younger. I could do all sorts of things when I was younger. But now I have arthritis in my spine and two ruptured disks and I am not going to make any movements to make my back go out. I can't see that anyone pays any attention to how I get on or off my bike.

Unless you are racing in competitions, when you bike you do what is best for you. You can look at other cyclists and learn from them, but it doesn't matter if you pedal standing up or dismount quickly with one foot on the pedal while swinging the other leg over the frame. Everybody is different. How you get up the hill doesn't matter so long as you get up the hill.

And as time goes by, the way you pedal will change and what you do on the bike while in motion will change. The changes will come naturally and won't be forced and it is the result of increased fitness level and increased miles.

The main focus should be on increasing the fitness level and reaching the goals, whatever goals they might be. If pedaling differently helps you achieve your goals, for example you really desire to become a Category A cyclist, then learn how to pedal differently. If not, don't worry about it. The other focus should be to bike without getting physical problems, like low blood sugar, electrolyte depletion, crotch pain, muscle cramps, pain in the back or neck and so on. If you can do a long ride without having physical problems or minimal problems, then you are probably pedaling just fine for your current level.

The more you are out on the bike and see other cyclists, the more you will see that everyone has different riding styles. I will tell you the funniest riding style I've seen. It was in April when Suzie and I did a metric century event. There were a lot of cyclists, around 1000. The metric was over a lot of rural roads I bike almost every day, so I knew coming up in another half mile was a really steep hill. After this steep hill there were still a lot of miles to go. Passing by me before reaching the hill was a young female with a real high cadence, like 120, and the cadence was so high she was bouncing up and down on her saddle like it was a trampoline. I followed, and Suzie was behind me, and maybe our speed was 1/2 mile less than the high cadence lady. We came to the hill and I geared down and went up it. The high cadence lady totally came to a stop, dismounted and walked, and Suzie and I passed her, reached the top and went down the other side. Another mile or so, here comes the high cadence lady again, bouncing up and down on her bike. She finished the metric before us, but did that mean I wanted to emulate her riding style? The answer is NO!

Darcy

[trekin']

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... I know I should be unclipping only one foot and then standing up on the clipped-in pedal to dismount....

Would you ladies clarify why 1) someone would want to stand while coasting and 2) why one would want to dismount while clipped in to one pedal?

Just wondering...like Darcy, my butt is permanently glued to the seat...and when I dismount, having my feet firmly planted on the ground is no guarantee of an athletic-looking dismount...heck, taking one hand off the handle bars to signal a turn is risky enough for me!!

[Torrilin]

You don't *need* to stand. Really. It's possible to get up even very steep hills without standing to pedal. (I can remember doing it, just don't have the muscles now...)

The way I learned to stand and pedal was *first* I got comfy enough on the bike that I could handle turns with my hips. Then I learned to hold a line with my hips. Then I learned to ride with no hands. After I got those balance skills down, I was a lot more likely to stand and pedal. Every bike I've had, I've needed to relearn the balance skills some. Each bike handles a bit differently. The right movements on the Huffy kids bike I had in the 80s are not the same as the right movements on my modern mountain bike . Heck, I'm still not comfy riding with no hands on my current bike.

It sounds like you're uncomfortable with a whole slew of balance skills. So give yourself a break on the standing, and work on something that feels easier. Don't beat yourself up, just work on little things. Balance skills all work together, and the more little ones you have that you do right automatically, the more the big things will come together.

[indysteel]

I second (or third) the suggestion that you try some spinning classes. When we climb out of the saddle in class, we're encourage to keep our butt over the saddle with the weight of our body mostly in our legs. You might trying the same thing when you're on the road. I also agree that you might want to check the fit of your bike. Once you get into the habit of unclipping, it really shouldn't be that hard to stop and/or dismount. Is the tension on your pedals too high? As long as you get off safely, it doesn't have to be the most graceful thing in the world......

Otherwise, just keep riding. The motor skills used for handling a road bike in any number of positions and situations comes with practice. As you keep riding, most of it will just start to feel intuitive. When I started riding last year, I remember feeling so frustrated that something that seemed so easy as a kid took so much effort and concentration as an adult. I remember going on a ride with my then boyfriend. I was staying well behind his wheel and he finally asked if I knew what drafting was. I did but explained that my mind was focused on way too much as it was to ride that closely to his wheel. For his safety and mine, I had bigger fish to fry at that point.

As the months wore on though, I started to feel much more comfortable on my bike and now it almost feels like an extension of my body. So while I understand that you feel like you need certain skills now, I would encourage you to be patient with yourself. Remember, too, that muscle strength and aerobic capacity are part of the equation in all of this. Standing to climb, especially if the hill virtually requires you to get out of the saddle, takes a fair amount of power and it can be harder on your legs and lungs (at least it is for me) than seated climbing. While I've working on my form for standing climbs this year, I've worked even harder on powering over tough climbs from my seat. I only get up if I really, really have to. Again, it all just takes some practice.....

Good luck,

Kate

[anakiwa]

I totally agree on this sounding like a fit issue. I'm guessing the reach to your handlebars may be too far (or they may be too low). If that's the case, you'll feel unbalanced and be nervous about letting go of any part of the bike.

As far as hills go- I never stand up and I'm perfectly happy that way. I often shift around and use different muscles, without actually standing.

Would you ladies clarify why 1) someone would want to stand while coasting and 2) why one would want to dismount while clipped in to one pedal?

1) When going over speedbumps, potholes, and unidentified obstacles. Or to stretch one's back.
2) I hadn't ever really thought about this- I think having one foot clipped in gives you a lot more control- when both feet are unclipped all you can do is stop. If you've got one foot in and there's suddenly something to dodge, you're better connected with the bike and in a position to pedal.

[emily_in_nc]

Just to add to all the great suggestions here...when you do try to stand, make sure you're not in too EASY a gear. If you are, your legs will just spin wildly and out of control. You need to be in a tough enough gear that you get some resistance in the pedals. Most people who do climb standing (part of the way), actually upshift 1-2 gears before standing to avoid this spinning out of control feeling. I learned to stand while coasting by shifting to a "harder" gear. Instant difference!

My favorite time to stand is to get a good burst of speed when leaving a stop sign or stoplight. It seems natural to stand then to get going.

Good luck!

Emily

[RoadRaven]

I have read through this entire thread and tried to do it justice - though I am tired so forgive me if this has been said, but I didn't see it written...

I too had great difficulty learning how to stand and hated the squirelly feeling when I tried, and my standing efforts would be just seconds.

Then I found if I kept the nose of the bike in contact between my thighs as I stood, I felt much more in control...

Now I don't need constant contact, but I still do use the nose of the bike occasionally to orientate my position on the bike in an uphill burst of speed (my uphill busts being moving from a snail to a tortoise pace )

The only way to be able to do it for longer is to keep practising standing and slowly your body learns to expect and cope with it - you are making a greater effort to climb standing, than when you climb seated.

I find a slight uphill gives you more control when practising standing simply because your centre of gravity changes.

Good luck - and just keep having a go

Would you ladies clarify why someone would want to stand while coasting

I often stand while coasting downhill so I can stretch my legs , arms and back
I don't lose speed and can get a much needed stretch without stopping (I don't like to stop during training rides - and of course to stop in a race is self-defeating)

[onimity]

As far as standing while coasting, I do that sometimes for visibility, I regularly ride a big hill with a hard-to-see intersection, standing a bit lets me have a clear view of any cars.

I had the same exact problem when I first got back on a bike. I found that the standing thing came naturally as I got more comfortable with the bike. At first I was really frustrated that I couldn't do it. I could do it in Jr. High, after all, on my parents old 10 speeds that fit me miserably. So I had my LBS look at the fit on my bike again, all good, I was just a turkey. But then one day I just stood and jammed up a little hill without even thinking about it. Once I was comfortable on the bike it was all good.

As far as clipping out at a stop, I usually ride in bike lanes and one thing that I love to do is to ride up next to a curb/ped x-ing sign etc. and use that as a rest for my right foot. That way I can stay in the saddle and keep my left foot ready to go when the light changes. I found that the thing that helped me get good at stopping and unclipping was learning to maintain my balance while riding very slow.

BTW, I usually ride a mountain bike. I just got a road bike and am a total klutz on it. I figure that sooner or later it I will feel as comfortable on it as I do on my MTB.

Good luck!

Anne

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Another mile or so, here comes the high cadence lady again, bouncing up and down on her bike. She finished the metric before us, but did that mean I wanted to emulate her riding style? The answer is NO!
Darcy

I hope she had a good chamois!

When I stop my bike, i do not first stop the bike and then get off my saddle. Nor do I stop the bike and then put my foot down.
What I do is this, and it works well:
First I unloose one foot from my pedal strap- the foot I am going to put on the ground (you others would unclip the one foot), and at the SAME TIME I start braking, I stand on my other pedal that is in the low position and I move forward OFF my saddle and then plant down my free foot. It's one smooth motion all at once, -I'm not stopping before I get off my saddle. I am not putting all my weight on the one pedal either, because i am moving forward and part of my weight is on my hands. The action of my braking helps me move forward off the saddle too. The time spent standing on one pedal without my other foot down is very brief as I am moving forward off the saddle. I have found this method virtually eliminates the possibility of my falling over to the wrong side after stopping. Because "after stopping" means I've already got my foot on the ground and am standing over the top tube. I hope this description is fathomable.

[Starfish]

When I stop my bike, i do not first stop the bike and then get off my saddle. Nor do I stop the bike and then put my foot down. <snip> I hope this description is fathomable.

Lisa, this is an almost perfect description of what I do, too.

[RolliePollie]

Lisa and Starfish - I think what you do is exactly what I want to do!!!

Do you want to fly to California and teach me?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa, this is an almost perfect description of what I do, too.

Yes, and the braking action helps propel me forward off the saddle anyway while my foot is going down to the ground. It's a lovely system!

Did I hear someone is paying our way to CA for a stopping lesson?.....