Climbing - Hand Placement?

TMR

I've just been out for my first ride on my new road bike. It went well, had no problems clipping in or out, but there's a few handling issues I need to sort out.

1. Where do I put my hands when climbing out of the saddle? It feels strange standing up for a start. I had my hands on the hoods, but it didn't feel natural.

2. I tried to get on the drops when descending a steep hill near my house, but found the act of switching to the drops a bit scary. Is that just a confidence thing?

I didn't pace myself either. Went flat out until I was knackered! I guess I'm going to have to learn how to do that!

I'm definitely not any where near fit enough though. Still, something to work on!

R8JimBob88

Climbing out of the saddle = hands on top of the hoods.

Switching to the drops at first can be a bit scary but you get used to it.

Enjoy 8)

Monty Dog

Put your hands where it's most comfortable - for most on the hoods as it gives good control, keeps the chest open for breathing and the head up for a relaxed position - you can easily swap from seated to out of saddle without moving your hands.

peejay78

generally, hands on hoods all the time for climbing, seated or upright, but it's all to do with what's comfy.

if it's a shallow gradient i might have hands on the tops, quite close together.

fizz

Climbing Seated - Hands on the top of the dops i.e. the flat bit.

Climbing stood - on the drops

As for switching around, its just practise. If you have big hands you might find that you can keep your hands on the hoods and still get good feel and braking power. I hardly ever ride on the drops, but thats just personal preference on my part.

As the others have said, do what feels comfortable, theres no right / wrong answer.

stevec205gti

Also - just saying 'hands on the hoods' is a can of worms in itself. Have a play around, there's loads of ways you can wrap your hands/fingers round them....

RDB66

Have a watch of some dvds of the Pros...they tend to know whats best !!

danowat

Seated - bartops or hoods

Out of saddle - hoods or if gunning it, drops

But whatever is comfortable for you.....

rick_chasey

Whereever you fancy to be honest.


My bars are reasonably low so for climbing i'll often have my hands totally on top ( as opposed to on the hoods), rather like the furthest left liquigas guy.

TMR

It was strange trying to climb yesterday - just didn't feel natural. I'll try and get used to it! One of the issues with the descending that I forgot to mention was that my position felt like I was going over the handlebars. Is that normal as well?

Thanks to you all for the replies!

sungod

The Mad Rapper wrote:

It was strange trying to climb yesterday - just didn't feel natural. I'll try and get used to it! One of the issues with the descending that I forgot to mention was that my position felt like I was going over the handlebars. Is that normal as well?

Thanks to you all for the replies!

on descents, shift your weight back, get low

this is good on descending, covers many aspects...

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_fac ... escend.htm

...as with most things it takes practice/experience, main thing at the start is to be comfortable braking safely from high speeds, and get used to reading the road/hazards and how to handle them

giant_man

I've always found that when climbing seated, sit back further on your saddle and try and relax your hands on the tops of your bars. Works for me anyway.

CiB

Are the hoods / levers in the right place & position? Ideally you want the top surface of the hoods to be parallel to the ground to allow your palms to fall naturally onto them, but I've seen some bikes where the levers are in the wrong place on the curve or the bars are rotated too far forwards. In that position you'll always feel like you're falling forwards or having to grip rather than lean on the hoods.

If it's a new bike you might do well to look at a bike fit, or at least get the supplier or your LBS to help you set it up for your own shape & physique.

GeorgeShaw

sungod wrote:

on descents, shift your weight back, get low

this is good on descending, covers many aspects...

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_fac ... escend.htm

Flammerouge is pretty good.

When descending fast, I get my *rse off the back of the saddle, and get as low as possible. On the drops when "free descending". Coming up to a corner I prefer to switch to the hoods and brake from there, even though there's less leverage, just a personal preference. Modern brakes should be good enough from the hoods anyway (I'm not a slow descender). Too be honest, if you're flat enough, hands on hoods or drops makes little difference to me. Don't grip the bars tightly and don't sit solidly on the saddle. I prefer just a relaxed grip, and to balance with most weight on the pedals.

TMR

CiB wrote:

Are the hoods / levers in the right place & position? Ideally you want the top surface of the hoods to be parallel to the ground to allow your palms to fall naturally onto them, but I've seen some bikes where the levers are in the wrong place on the curve or the bars are rotated too far forwards. In that position you'll always feel like you're falling forwards or having to grip rather than lean on the hoods.

If it's a new bike you might do well to look at a bike fit, or at least get the supplier or your LBS to help you set it up for your own shape & physique.

I had a fit done at Bespoke Cycles in London on Friday. I guess it's just getting used to a road bike after years on an MTB.