Out of the saddle - help

madturkey

Apologies if this sounds like a daft question, but here goes...

I'm very new to cycling, in fact only got on a bike for the first time ever last August (at the age of 33). :oops:

I'm putting in training laps of Richmond Park to get some decent miles under my belt and finding it okay, apart from being pretty much useless at getting out of the saddle. If I try it I either end up spinning so fast (no doubt helped by lots of excess body mass) I collapse in a heap, or just swaying all over the road so sit down before I come a cropper.

I can get out of the saddle fine on a spinning bike so I don't think it's down to fitness.

Any tips on simple techniques to make going out of the saddle easier? It may be just a case of building up experience/confidence but I'm eager to hear other views!

woodford2barbican

Change up a gear as you come out of the saddle - that is meant to be good technique for hill climbing......

madturkey

Unfortunately I've tried that one... All that happens after changing up a gear or two is that I spin a couple of times then stop!

CrookedCucumber

I think people around here have got too few worries in their lives You wobble a bit when you get out of the saddle? Oh, my.

RichardFcp

CrookedCucumber wrote:

I think people around here have got too few worries in their lives You wobble a bit when you get out of the saddle? Oh, my.

Bit uncalled for imho. This is road beginners after all and the OP only started cycling last August.

richa

mad,

Reckon you just need to practice.

If you are 'spinning out' then you need to select a higher gear. If you are grinding to a halt you need to select a lower gear.

Start by practicing on the flat. Can you get out of the saddle ok on the flat? Change up a gear (or two) and get out of the saddle for a minute ir so.

Then try on a moderate hill. Like the drag from Roehampton Gate to Richmond Gate.

When you have mastered that you should be ok on the steeper stuff.

Hope thsat helps. Report back and let us know how you get on.

CrookedCucumber

RichardFcp wrote:

CrookedCucumber wrote:

I think people around here have got too few worries in their lives You wobble a bit when you get out of the saddle? Oh, my.

Bit uncalled for imho. This is road beginners after all and the OP only started cycling last August.

Yes, um... I believe that was my point. Sorry if it didn't read that way.

I'll get me coat.

redddraggon

RichardFcp wrote:

This is road beginners after all and the OP only started cycling last August.

9months is plenty time to work out how to ride a bike.

simon_e

A couple of thoughts:

Lean forward and put some of your weight on the hoods. The bike may sway a bit underneath you, as you are putting more weight through one pedal at a time, but you should be able to find a rhythm to this and keep it under control. Try watching someone who knows what they're doing, see how they position themselves. You could get hold of a copy of Cyclecraft by John Franklin.

Perhaps it would be worth joining a skills course, get some tuition to help you get used to handling the bike e.g. smoothly snaking around cones. When I was young I used to try to ride quickly while staying between 2 closely marked lines on the road or x inches from a kerb or edge; or I'd slalom around something like the dashed white lines in the road. I wouldn't do that now, though! Where I lived the roads were a lot quieter then. But stuff like that helps you feel comfortable on your bike.

madturkey

No problem CrookedC

Thanks for the tips folks. Much appreciated! Practice makes perfect I guess - I think that rhythm will be the key.

Hopefully I'll get it right by Sept as I'm cycling Paris-Geneva and there are some largish hills in the way...

Swannie

I assume you have a road bike with say 700x23's.

I found that when I get out of the saddle on my road bike, it is noticeably twitchier than my hybrid (700x32's). It was a little disconcerting at first, having not been on a road bike in something like 12 years. I found I needed to hold the bike a little stiffer, and relax. Sounds like an oxymoron, but I mean hold the bike, rather than rest my hands on it, and relax my shoulders and hands. Still twitchy, but in a good way!

It's easier out of the saddle on hills.

doyler78

I know what you are talking about swannie. When out my bros drop bar just to get a feel for what one is like as I'm switching to one shortly and having ridden a flat bar the handling is completely different. The first time I stood up I had just turned onto a hill and stood up and the bike just twitched every which way and I immediately sat down. Unlike yourself I have no idea what I done but by the time I had finished my 30+ mile ride around I could confidently rise out of the saddle I guess its just a matter of finding what works and I guess I found it pretty easy to find that. Only thing I did do was get out of the saddle more often until I was comfortable but I couldn't tell anyone what the changes were I made. They just came naturally.

Hope you do get through it sooner rather than later madturkey.