Riding in or out the saddle on hills during training?

320DMsport

Hi all,

I spent most the winter doing road miles on my MTB (i am mtb rider) to build up a base fitness and i was training for a 24 hour which i ended up doing in a team.

I also did a 10 hour solo so i was training for endurance rather than flat out pace.

I have a race coming up in 6 weeks and want to concentrate on speed as it's a 40 mile XC.

In all my hill training on the road i've been in the saddle but recently started riding out the saddle for shorter hills at a faster pace and on longer hills been doing abit of both.

When i first started riding out the saddle i was goosed, panting and puffing but i'm getting better at it, i also thought it may make me stronger based on the philosophy on riding a single speed mtb makes you stronger so i have been pushing harder gears out of the saddle.

Then i spoke to a roadie mate with a coach and he said staying seated is better for building strengh?

Which is best? i'm personaly finding riding at a faster pace seated on the flat then getting out the saddle on the hills that are short is making me feel faster.

Or am i better keeping in the saddle and doing some intervals to try and improve speed?

Any views would be apreciated as it's a important event.

Thanks

salsarider79

With hills, stay seated as this is more efficient. When you stand, though you can put more weight on the pedals, you are pushing against your weight, abeit slightly. The way I do it, is to stay seated until the pace drops, then stand. Try to keep the bike level (not swaying) as that is also more efficient. If your racing then conserving energy to use where needed is a good thing. Sprint sections and not changing gears (or going single speed) is also good training too.
Also a tip I found useful on hills, is to give about 60% effort, and certainly no more than 70% of effort, until you are close to the top (how close is up to you). Then attack the rider in front (if there is one or you could pretend) as they will no doubt crest the hill, then sit back for a breather. It also really hurts when someone powers past you and then accelarates away, while your hanging over the front of the bike...
:evil:

320DMsport

Yes cheers, i'll go back to spinning a gear i can keep a good pace seated without over doing it till i get near the crest, on alot of off road climbs i have to stay seated to keep traction.

To get faster during the race 6 weeks out should i start doing intervals?

The last 30 mile xc i did i didn't dare gun it incase i burned out before the end but then i did a 10 hour solo with 350m of ascent each lap which i managed 7 laps = 72 miles, so with doing that i'm confident about doing the distance in the next race at 40 miles.

But during in training should i be stopping the longer slow paced rides and do more faster paced rides even upto the 40 miles distance to see how i last?

Suppose it's experience in knowing how fast to go to be competative and see the finish line.

nolf

Don't know about XC, but in a road race it's all about staying with the group and making sure you aren't dropped! If theres a sudden acceleration at the front then you need to react and that means going hard to catch up, often out of the saddle.

To practice for a race, stop doing long slow efforts. You need to be doing shorter much harder efforts, not necessarily intervals, but trying doing a warm up, then 10 mile TT effort, or say 1 very fast lap of your local circuit. For a road race i'd recommend chaingangs to build speed, or track work for leg speed.
Maybe just try gunning it on a climb and going all out on it 3 or 4 times. So just ride out, 3 or 4 hard efforts, then back home. just make the efforts very hard!

320DMsport

Cheers Nolf!

I was going to goto the forest where the race is today to have a fast blast but the weather is crap so i think i'll road ride from home.

I have a 18 mile loop with a couple of good climbs so may do that at a fast pace and compare my time from the other night.

I think i have a reasonable base for the distances i race but in training am i right in thinking you don't need to train for 40 miles to do a 40 mile race?

Obviously i don't want to be riding 40 miles MTB every session out but was planning doing a fastish 30 mile spin in the forest where the race is the 3 Mondays prior to the week of the race to see what my average speeds are there to compare to last years times?

I know i'm ok for the distance just want to do it faster so i'll try these high output training ride and see how i get on.

I have a roadie mate that is alot faster than me so i'll try and get out on some rides with him to push me harder.

Cheers for advice.

320DMsport

I did a route yesterday which was 20 miles, had a 14 percent hill in it which isn't that long actually, it took 7m36sec at 4.2mph to climb the steep part then get less steep but the hill takes me about 17mins to the top altogether.

So i pushed abit harder today and i averaged 14.2mph over the 20 miles but i'm running 2.35 tyres at the mo and i'll be 2.1 race tyres for my event.

So i'll keep doing harder efforts and hopefully it will equate to 10/11mph off road which i will be very happy with.