Hill climbing - weighty issues

Peddle Up!
Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
edited October 2012 in Road beginners
I've noticed that in spin classes I find it easier to "hill start" (high resistance, pedal at the top of stroke, standing up) than my lighter classmates. Does being heavier confer a similar advantage when climbing out of the saddle?

Yes, I'm clutching at straws. :D
Purveyor of "up" :)

Comments

  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    NO.
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    NO.

    I thought not. :cry: I guess the difference being spin is static, whereas in climbing you need to move the weight up the hill. Worth a shot. :)
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Why not take your spin bike out onto the Painswick Beacon hill and let us know how you get on??
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    Why not take your spin bike out onto the Painswick Beacon hill and let us know how you get on??


    If only... :D
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • springtide9
    springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    You will produce more power out of the saddle than a lighter rider (at a slow cadence), but you need more power to get up the hill, so being heavier is a disadvantage overall.

    Interestingly, an unproven observation from looking at power figures and climbing, with a very slow cadence compared to the same power at a higher cadence, you appear to climb noticeably faster at the higher cadence.

    As I say it is unproven and just an observation of mine(that might be completely wrong), but I wonder if holding a speed is more efficient (as in a higher cadence) - compared with acceleration/deceleration effort when you are just weight transferring from pedal to petal (very slow cadence)
    Simon

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