Should you stand to climb or not?

boybiker

Some people say yes, some no, if not why not ?
Cheers

idaviesmoore

It's a personal thing. Try both and see which works for you. I've timed myself on several occasions and tried all differant configurations.

Result:- Depends on

A. Weather
B. How I feel
C. How hard/far I've ridden before that hill
D. Which cassette I'm using
E. If I want a quick burst of speed during the climb

For me, either technique doesn't stand out from the other. They both have their uses, You just need to find which is best for you on a multitude of gradiants etc

Sorry if this of no help whatsover :roll:

Doobz

well if your racing and the group breaks away you will need to situp and jump on the pedals to chase them?

If you have a set cadence that you like to stick to and you find it drops below what you usually spin at then you might need to hop out and jump on them again..

And the last one.. If the gradient is severe like 20 - 30% then you will probably need to get off you ass just to be able to turn the pedals.

If you find your legs hurt a lot when you stand up during climbs then try and do more out of the saddle stuff so you can condition that muscle group

George or Dick

boybiker wrote:

Some people say yes, some no, if not why not ?
Cheers

Every so often we are reminded that spending long hours in the saddle restricts blood flow to our naughty bits. Research has shown that standing on the pedals to climb significantly enhances blood flow to those parts and so stops you from becoming impotent.

idaviesmoore

George or Dick wrote:

boybiker wrote:

Some people say yes, some no, if not why not ?
Cheers

Every so often we are reminded that spending long hours in the saddle restricts blood flow to our naughty bits. Research has shown that standing on the pedals to climb significantly enhances blood flow to those parts and so stops you from becoming impotent.

:shock: Standing it is then :shock:

boybiker

More than enough reason to stand to climb then, cycling does seem to take its toll on the naughty bits

nolf

boybiker, if you're in a race with a few climbs, I find it's a bit better to stay out of the saddle, especially if they're short.

If it's a long drag then when staying seated I find it easier to keep the power output high and to keep pushing, all too easy to wimp out when you're out of the saddle.
In a short climb in a race though, when so many attacks will probably be launched off it, staying out of the saddle lets you react quicker, especially if you choose a gear you can accelerate with quickly. Means you can jump onto the back of the attack a bit quicker, keeping you near the front of races.

For constant efforts, staying in the saddle makes it a bit easier to concentrate on going fast up climbs

neeb

If it's a short steep hill I usually power up it out of the saddle. Slightly longer hills and I'll often start out of the saddle but in a relatively easy gear, then switch to the saddle half way up but really push the cranks round. Longer hills still, and you're best staying in the saddle all of the way. Really long hills and it's often good to alternate between sitting and short standing periods to give the various muscle groups a rest...

But it all depends on how tired you are and what your legs feel like, and everyone is different and probably has a different ideal strategy.

Recently I've been trying going up hills out of the saddle in the drops, Pantani style. It feels really good (after a bit of getting used to), but only when standing. I think it might be because it's easier to stop the bike rocking when you have a really secure grip on the bars.

boybiker

I tried climbing the usual hill this morning, which I have been getting quite good a tin the last couple of weeks and it just wasn't happening when I tried standing ,maybe I was thinking about it too much or not warmed up but either way it didn't go as planned

George or Dick

Well, my point was that honking enhances the blood circulation to your todger, not that it gets you up the hill any faster. Apart from that, you get good at something by practicing it, if you've always climbed sitting down up to now then that will be what you find easier.

boybiker

Nah I do usually stand up to climb, its just I am having a bad day today and should have stayed in bed.
I am all for blood flow to my bits, the more the merrier :roll: :roll:

biondino

Psychologically, if I can climb a hill sitting down I don't panic, and I know even if I get knackered I'll be alright. If I get to the lowest gear and still need more then I'm standing by definition, though it scares me, especially if it's a long hill.

Short hills I'll stand if I can realistically power up and over them before my legs give out. The key on longer ones seems to be rhythm and not overdoing it (NB this isn't in race conditions of course) and for that I'll stay sitting down as long as possible (no shame in using your lowest gear) with as constant a cadence as possible.

shockedsoshocked

George or Dick wrote:

Well, my point was that honking enhances the blood circulation to your todger, not that it gets you up the hill any faster.

This should carry a warning. I did a ride last year where the first 50 miles were pretty much all uphill. I stayed seated for the duration, stood up eventually, and, ahem, there was lots of "enhanced blood circulation" shall we say :oops: Not the best of predicaments to be in when wearing lycra.

Dr_Death

Uses different muscle groups so it can be useful to do a bit of both to allow on muscle group to recover a bit.

For me it depends on the length and/or severity of the hill. Short sharp blasts get attacked standing as you can generate more power. Longer, more constant hills I sit and spin, with the occasional stand to use different muscles.

markos1963

I like to mix it up on long hills, standing in higher gears, sitting in the lower gears.

What about descending? I like to be standing at the top of a climb and powering over in a high gear ready to blast down the other side. As you can tell I like to descend

George or Dick

boybiker wrote:

Nah I do usually stand up to climb, its just I am having a bad day today and should have stayed in bed.
I am all for blood flow to my bits, the more the merrier :roll: :roll:

I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad day, sometimes it pays to let up a bit. The real benefits of exercise occur when you're resting.
As far as staying in bed and enhancing blood flow to your bits are concerned, as you say, the more the merrier.

switchback18

Didn't notice anyone mention this - consider the diiferent extremes of rider size/body type;
(apologies if it's been said already)

Someone who's a heavier build & more muscled has the weight & probably upper body strength to make more of climbing in a standing position, but will likely still find sitting effiecient as well.

A rider who's light & skinny won't be so likely to feel an advantage in standing, as they've not got the same power to make the most of the higher gears. But sitting will be efficient as long as the low gear is low enough to keep a good cadence.

So, when you watch a road race, you might well see 2 riders attacking the same climb, one seated, one standing - often this will corespond to body size.

As most people are more average, the suggestions for timing yourself up a few hills, whilst seated or standing are the best way to go if you want to be sure.

The problems with blood flow etc can be avoided by just getting out of the saddle for a few pedal strokes every so often (before the pain starts, not after!)

I often ride off road with no padding & have never had a problem with pain. Also, it's important to get the angle of your saddle right, and find a seat that is your shape.