Quote Originally Posted by Trekhawk
Looking for some advice on standing when going uphill. All the hills I have cycled so far I have stayed in the saddle for but there are a few around here (including a 15 degree gradiant) that I would like to attack soon. These ones are steep and look like they may need some out of the saddle work to achieve the top.
First off, attack the hill at a good pace without mashing the pedals. As the hill gets harder, keep shifting to easier gears and again - don't mash. Depending on your gearing and the steepness of the hill, you might want to shift to one slightly harder gear before you stand. That way, if you need to sit before cresting the hill, you can shift to an easier gear and not beat yourself up too badly.

Sometimes I'll stand when I still have a few gears left. The key is to always have an easier gear to get into if you need to sit.

If your bike is rocking sideways, you're using your upper body excessively. Concentrate on using your glutes and pushing in a straight line. Rocking back & forth wildly uses energy that you need to conserve to get up the hill. You will have some rocking, but you shouldn't be tipping over