Help! My rear end is glued to the seat!

[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

[SouthernBelle]

I'll just chip in my experience here. When I first started riding I spent too much time out of the saddle and would get tired. Then I learned about spinning and started spinning my way up hills. Then I became glued to the saddle too.

Over the winter, using my trainer and spinervals I began to reach a balance. Thus I agree with those who suggest spinning classes or riding on a trainer. I would add in that the spinerval, "Uphill Grind" was the one that helped me in this instance.

I think there are several reasons to come up out of the saddle. You may need an additional bit of power to finish a hill or start out at an uphill bit of intersection (esp if you are in the wrong gear for that last). It gives you a different position to rest your seat, back, neck, whatever. If you end up in a dangerous spot on the road, it gives the additional power to pedal out of it quickly no matter what gear you are in. Oh, & it's fun.

Your stops and starts will be easier too.

[VeloVT]

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. Kate

This is something I've encountered in spinning class as well and has never made sense to me (I feel like I'm just not getting something). When I stand on my bike, my butt is definitely well forward of the saddle, and generally my weight is also pretty far forward. If I'm standing and coasting, to go over something rough, my hips are probably over the bottom bracket, and for a standing climb, I think you want your weight ahead of/or at least on top of/coming down on your forward pedal. I've never seen video/pics of myself doing a standing climb, but I certainly FEEL like my mass is forward of the bottom bracket.

It seems to me (and I'd be interested in hearing other points of view) that if your butt is over your saddle when you stand to climb, you're really not taking advantage of the extra power you can get from standing and putting your weight over your pedals. Plus if you're climbing a steep hill, if anything you want to favor weighting the front wheel rather than the rear.

I'm sorry if this is a bit of a drift. But I wonder if this could have something to do with your difficulty too -- I think it's actually harder to stand and pedal if your weight is far back, and it becomes easier (in my opinion at least) and feels more balanced if you do shift forward.

And Sara -- when I first got my roadbike a year ago, it was the first time I'd been on a bike in like 15 years and I was petrified. I got clipless pedals way before I should have (like a week after I got the bike, when I was still stiff and nervous and couldn't let go of the handlebar even to swat a bug). So I can totally empathize with being afraid of falling ... A year later I'm totally comfortable commuting in traffic, can grab my water bottle, drink and replace it at 20mph, and love to blast down hills .

Oh one more thing -- I wonder if having your seat so low is making it harder for you to stand? Esp if you've pushed it way back to accomodate for how low it is? You have to push farther and shift your weight more to get up than you would with it higher, probably...

Good luck!!!

[SadieKate]

Oh one more thing -- I wonder if having your seat so low is making it harder for you to stand? Esp if you've pushed it way back to accomodate for how low it is? You have to push farther and shift your weight more to get up than you would with it higher, probably...

Good luck!!!

Oh??? I just went back and read this. You're absolutely right! Sara, get that bike fitted right. You are holding yourself back with that and could really damage your knees on those hills you climb. Of course you can't get out of the saddle.

[Kano]

Just thought of another stopping thing: make sure when you plant that foot on the ground that it's not too close to the bike! I feel steadier when I've got my foot placed so that there's a bit of a triangle going on between my foot and the wheels. Not a bit one, mostly flat, but a wee bit of a triangle, if you know what I mean!

And those hills -- gear down! Then gear down more! gear down til you can't gear down any more! BEFORE it gets hard to pedal! I love what realizing that has done for my hill climbing!

(I'm also doing anything I can to shift my weight forward, but my butt is still on the saddle)

(hmmm, I'm repeating myself about the hills, but I'm so excited by this "discovery" of mine that probably everyone else on the planet has known forever!)

Karen in Boise

[Trek420]

Oh??? I just went back and read this. You're absolutely right! Sara, get that bike fitted right. You are holding yourself back with that and could really damage your knees on those hills you climb. Of course you can't get out of the saddle.

Can a grrl get a thank you?

I don't "dance in the pedals" often, but you should be able to if you want or need to. If a good shop says your bike fits and what others here have suggested doesn't work including just plain go out and fall down and get it over with look to strengthening your core/upper body.

But I'm very visual, arts background, read it and pictured the fit. It's worth checking out.

[SadieKate]

Can a grrl get a thank you?

Um, for what? I was commenting on liza's very specific comment on the saddle being set too low.

[bikerz]

Just a couple of quick thoughts -

When I first started riding it took a while for me to get the strength and balance to try standing up (I'm a pretty heavy cyclist, so standing up is much more demanding), and when I finally did, I found that the bike felt squishy and unstable - it kind of freaked me out and I hated it. I'd sit right back down again!

But then two things changed - I got new wheels, which were much stiffer, and I had a professionally bike fit session, after which I felt more balanced and centered on the bike.

Also, I took a cycling skills clinic last fall and it was fantastic - I re-learned how to ride no-handed, among many other drills - like Torrelin mentions - all of which really helped me feel more comfortable and balanced on the bike. If you can find a take a cycling skills clinic anytime soon, I strongly recommend it.

So, while standing is still very tiring, I do feel more comfortable out of the saddle.

On the other hand, I hate standing on the trainer - I feel like I'm going to pitch over forward - I think I need to move the bike underneath me to be able to stand and pedal hard. I suspect it means I need to improve my form when standing. Luckily there is always something new to learn, so we never get bored!

[VeloVT]

And the stopping thing. I haven't seen too many people on roadbikes with clipless pedals doing the pretty flying mounts/dismounts, except maybe triathletes but they do it with their feet out of their shoes. Usually when I see this it's on flat pedals...

I think getting comfortable clipping out one foot and coming to a stop is just something you have to be patient about. Eventually you'll develop muscle memory and won't think about it at all. You'll automatically lean in the correct direction every time. When I first got my clipless pedals I'd spend 15 minutes at the beginning of every ride riding around a parking lot clipping in and clipping out and stopping and starting, and I think it helped, but ultimately I think it just takes time and repetition.

Also, I'm much more comfortable balancing at super slow speeds (almost stopped) than I was a year ago, and that makes everything easier too -- might be worth practicing if it's currently not comfortable for you.

About "waiting for the bike to lean" -- when I clip out and get ready to stop, once I'm going slow enough, I think I stick my unclipped foot out and shift my weight towards it -- this automatically MAKES the bike lean in the right direction.

What do you do while you're stopped at a stoplight? Do you have to clip both feet back in? I'm usually balanced on one toe, with the other foot clipped in and at about 10 or 11 o'clock; this makes it easy to get off to a quick start when the light changes.

[indysteel]

This is something I've encountered in spinning class as well and has never made sense to me (I feel like I'm just not getting something). When I stand on my bike, my butt is definitely well forward of the saddle, and generally my weight is also pretty far forward. If I'm standing and coasting, to go over something rough, my hips are probably over the bottom bracket, and for a standing climb, I think you want your weight ahead of/or at least on top of/coming down on your forward pedal. I've never seen video/pics of myself doing a standing climb, but I certainly FEEL like my mass is forward of the bottom bracket.

It seems to me (and I'd be interested in hearing other points of view) that if your butt is over your saddle when you stand to climb, you're really not taking advantage of the extra power you can get from standing and putting your weight over your pedals. Plus if you're climbing a steep hill, if anything you want to favor weighting the front wheel rather than the rear.

I'm sorry if this is a bit of a drift. But I wonder if this could have something to do with your difficulty too -- I think it's actually harder to stand and pedal if your weight is far back, and it becomes easier (in my opinion at least) and feels more balanced if you do shift forward.

Liza, you're absolutely right, and I should clarify. I think I suggested that spinning technique because it helped teach me to keep the center of my gravity in my legs for out of saddle climbing, rather than in my hands/upper body. In my spin classes, we're instructed to keep our butt over the saddle and the weight in our legs, rather than in our hands. That position, from what I understand, better utilizes the muscles you use when you climb outside on a real bike. You're right though that when you're outside, you don't keep your butt over the saddle like that. I just try to make sure that I'm keeping my weight in my legs (and finding the right balance to do that given the particular hill) so that I'm essentially using my own body weight to turn the crank.