Standing to pedal up hills

[Zen]

from http://www.cobr.co.uk/e-cobr_informa...climbing.shtml

"Standing and sitting

The second variable to climbing involves the decision to climb out of the saddle or in it and the positioning of your body for both of these techniques.

A simple rule to start with is that if the hill is long, climb in the saddle. If the hill is short, stand up. Often it becomes a matter of preference as well as what you as an individual feel more efficient at. I once saw Veronque climb a mountain in the Tour de France standing up all the way.

A specific note here is that even if the hill is a long one, standing occasionally is recommended as this stretches your back, increases your momentum and shifts the strain from certain muscle groups allowing them to rest for a short while before continuing the climb in the saddle." ...

[lunacycles]

If you watch vids of Lance Armstrong or true mountain climbers doin their climbin thing, they are almost always in the saddle, pedaling at an impressively high cadence, usually their hands on the tops of the bars, sometimes on the hoods, very rarely in the drops.

While you do get some stretch and power (for the short term) by getting out of the saddle, it is much more physically taxing. Learning to spin (ride at a relatively high cadence) in whatever gear you can manage going uphill will improve your climbing ability the most imo. I love getting out of the saddle, but if the hill is long, I stay seated as much as possible.

[Pedal Wench]

I tend to stand on switchbacks. They're typically a bit steeper than the rest of the road, and by standing, I don't have to shift or mash to get around it. One thing a coach taught me was not to increase my pace when I stand. I used to stand and kinda hammer, but if I just stand and keep my heart rate the same, when I sit back down, I don't have to slow down to recover. Use the stand to stretch, air out the bottom, and get over a slightly steeper section.

[RoadRaven]

Yes. Great idea.

But... it took me about 2 years before I could climb any distance without feeling wasted.

But now I have mastered it, I find I can get into a good tempo and pace up a hill well.

Also, because you should change up a gear or even two when standing, I get up climbs much quicker. So, as Zen's post suggests, short climbs are when I stand. If its longer, I stay in the saddle

If you are new to standing when climbing though, be prepared to feel very puffed as soon as you sit down and for your quads to feel tired - that's because when you stand you are asking your body to do something different and it takes a few attempts (that is several rides) for your heart and legs to know how to respond to your request.

However, as luna points out, climbing seated is a more efficient use of your power and you will last much longer if you can get into a steady rythym and not let those climbing with you phase you if they are quicker.

[ClockworkOrange]

Not that I do much hill riding like most of you guys but I find having a back problem, it always seems to pull, so I prefer not to risk it.

I get up the top eventually.

Clock

[fatbottomedgurl]

Can you guys define a long climb? I'm new do this roadie thing. The longest hills in my immediate area are about 2 miles. The tougher one is 2.3 miles and 465 feet of elevation gain. I did have to drop into my triple for a little bit on that one. The others I can stay in the middle ring.

I know some climbs go on and on and on.

[Zen]

Can you guys define a long climb?

To me, a short hill would be maybe 500 feet What's short to one might be long to another.