Standing to pedal up hills

[PamNY]

Is this a good idea? A bad idea? Something you do if you aren't strong? Doesn't matter either way?

I did it for the first time today and felt real pleased, since I'm just now getting the leg strength and balance skills to do it.

My gleeful little uphill trip was shortened by potholes and snow patches, but it was fun.

Pam

[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.

[malkin]

It's way past Thanksgiving, but I for one am thankful that:

1. No one videotapes me riding up hill (or anywhere else for that matter)
2. Phil and Paul and Bob Whatsisname have no opportunity for commentary on my riding.

[msincredible]

I usually stay seated on my climbs.

[jobob]

It's way past Thanksgiving, but I for one am thankful that:

1. No one videotapes me riding up hill

I cannot say the same ...

http://callmepokey.blogspot.com/2008...n-youtube.html

[maillotpois]

That video is the BEST!!

(Jo - I had this crazy dream that we couldn't do Hamilton and Sierra on our training ride next year for TNT - so very strange. I was quite disappointed because I have the most fun ride planned for the team. I tend to get fairly invested in my dreams and often wake up tired.)

A long climb is anything that takes 45 minutes or more, so about 4 miles plus. And I generally climb seated for long climbs (as opposed to short power climbs), but I will take frequent breaks where I stand for a while just to work different muscles and give others a break.

I stay on the top of the bars or the hoods, generally, but there are plenty of racers who climb in the drops, by the way. Pantani is the first to come to mind. Standing in the drops.

[Pedal Wench]

I noticed yesterday the other time I'll stand is if I'm starting up a hill, hit a slightly steeper section, but don't want to shift under pressure -- I'll stand through that section rather than trying to jam the shift.

[lunacycles]

A long climb is anything that takes 45 minutes or more, so about 4 miles plus.

45 minutes?? Man, I must be getting old or out of shape..or both!

I consider a "long climb" to be more than a mile or so, or about 10 minutes. Also, long or short, I generally stay seated, and only get out of the saddle to stretch, or, as someone mentioned, to power through those gnarly steep switchbacks. I find I simply exert too much energy when I am riding out of the saddle for longer than a minute or two.

When I get out of the saddle, I also tend to immediately shift up a gear (bigger gear) so as not to lose speed--as your cadence instantly goes down when you get out of the saddle. The invention of brifters has made this effortless (I am again revealing my age!).

I think to define "long climb" is very dependent on your fitness level. If you are wondering "whether to," just do it and notice how you feel, how it feels. If it is a new skill, it is well worth practicing. You will learn over time what works best for your bod and your terrain.

[maillotpois]

I think to define "long climb" is very dependent on your fitness level.

I think it's also very dependent on your terrain.

We don't have many "long" climbs here in No CA under my definition (really just the big 3, Tam, Diablo and Hamilton and a handful of others), but we routinely ride other places where you can climb 8 - 10 miles without much of a break. So that's "long". I don't really consider a mile or so climb (think Marshall wall) as "long" - but when you get to about 3 - 4 miles (Stinson to Pantoll, Ink Grade) you're getting longer. The Geysers, Pine Flat, Tam, Sierra, are LONG.

It is COMPLETELY subjective. I really just base it on time. How long does it take? Can I compose an entire closing argument in my head before I get to the top? Ok, it's long.