Sitting down on inclines?

t4tomo

ShutUpLegs wrote:

Josh Harfoot wrote:

I heard this a while back on a road cycling website and it was supposedly recommended by Lance Armstrong.

I'd take anything recommended by Lance with a pinch of salt (or anything else to hand)

His recommendations on how to avoid a positive dope test would be interesting - allegedy.

Sorry couldn't resist

SR7492

When I was on my MTB, I pretty much used to out of the saddle on the hills and kind of got a liking to it.

However, since I've had my roadie, it's very rare for me to be out of the saddle. 2 conclusions: 1)the roadie is obviously better and efficient on the hills and 2) I've improved my biking/cadence that I don't need to come out of the saddle.

Just my 2 pence worth

Muffintop

Rolf F wrote:

Muffintop wrote:

It is faster to climb out of the saddle but it wipes me out for the rest of the hill......

Have you actually timed it? I have - in my case, climbing out of the saddle certainly feels faster but definitely isn't faster! One reason it feels faster is that as soon as I stand up, I need to drop down a gear which implies an increase in speed; but in this case it just reflects a lower cadence when I'm stood up. There isn't a lot in it overall though but I'm probably more tired at the top if I have been standing.

I maybe doing it all wrong though

I find I cover more ground initially but then loose that ground because I have to sit down and go slow. I tend not to change gear though as nine times out of ten I'm already in the granny gear and my cadence is usually higher.

Mx

Ringo 68

On the harder hills i ride the steepest part is always near the top. Usually I just spin up them but since picking up my new bike (which seems much easier on the hills) I have been getting out of the saddle on the steeper bits and staying there untill I have reached the top. Then I collapse back into the saddle :roll:

Seems to work ok for me.