Anybody else climb like this?

CleeRider

I've heard lots of people explaining the best way to climb - sit far back on the saddle, hands on the tops of the bars, straight back, dropped/relaxed shoulders to aid breathing etc

I've put this into practice in the past.
But recently I find myself doing this with much better results...

Riding flat terrain on the hoods, stay on hoods when a hill starts until my speed drops.
Get out of the saddle when it gets steeper (still on the hoods).
When I can't stay out of the saddle any longer, go to the DROPS and peddle such that it feels like I'm actually only pulling up on the backstroke and not putting much effort into the down-stroke.

Wondering if others do this or if perhaps there's some weird problem with my bike fit that makes this work?

thegibdog

Like this?

CleeRider

I guess so. It just seems that I can get more speed up this way and therefore end the torture more quickly

Safcstuie

I always climb like that on the shorter/faster stuff. After a mile or two you soon sit down recover and then attack again.

Its not best suited to group riding however I've found, Its apparently not sociable to disappear up the climb like a Columbian, only to be rejoined when your knackered two miles later..

CleeRider

Actually no because he is out of the saddle. I return to the saddle and go to the drops.

Strith

I cimb out of the saddle on short fast stuff or steep >15% gradients. I like hammering up box hill out of the saddle, usually riding fixed, the tarmac is so smooth.

sloppyschleckonds

I'd try and vary how you climb. High/ Low cadence, big/ small gear, seated/ drops/ hoods.

TakeTurns

Makes sense if it's a short climb.

Won't work on a long climb though, you'll just burn out like a matchstick and drop like a hot potato.

diy

I tend to use the aero extensions/drops get low and forward and keep the focus on the cadence and maintaining speed. Its ok for a 10 minute climb of up to 15% anything above that I get out of the seat and on to the hoods since my lowest combo is a 34/25 I don't have much choice on the steeper stuff. As long as you don't go mad you can ride out of the seat for 10 mins.

Coming from MTB I prefer to keep my weight forward since on 25%+ climbs on the slippy stuff you have to learn to cope with the rear wheel spinning a lot and sitting back will just make the front rise.

MartinB2444

It's a nice idea to vary the leg muscles being used. I sometimes move forward on the saddle and use my hamstrings more to give my quads a bit of a breather. Only do it for short spells though and stay on the hoods. I find that using the drops restricts my breathing too much.

FlacVest

The hoods and out of the saddle. Getting low in the drops puts more weight on the front, and also reduces the weight that gravity can help push down, which is why when you're out of the saddle, it's a bit easier if you're leaning back a bit, over the BB.

I'll try climbing in the drops during my next ride, but I've always found it harder to do. Now when the ground is flat, I'm in the hooks and out of the saddle, as you do.

diy

FlacVest wrote:

Getting low in the drops puts more weight on the front, and also reduces the weight that gravity can help push down

You'll have to explain the physics behind that thought :?

DavidJB

I just climb standing most of the time. Just climb however you like.

MountainMonster

Here in the Cambridge area there are no real long sluggers to contend with, so getting out of the saddle is fine. I would never imagine that back in Austria in any way, shape or form.

Bustacapp

CleeRider wrote:

Actually no because he is out of the saddle. I return to the saddle and go to the drops.

Last time I tried that I was pissing razors for 4 days. Such was the pressure on the underside of my old chap.

giant_man

As other have said, it depends on the climb, but you will use more energy out the saddle. Every time.

Best to ride seated and as the OP has said, relaxed position and very relaxed with your hands on the top of bars imo.

alihisgreat

MartinB2444 wrote:

It's a nice idea to vary the leg muscles being used. I sometimes move forward on the saddle and use my hamstrings more to give my quads a bit of a breather. Only do it for short spells though and stay on the hoods. I find that using the drops restricts my breathing too much.

Isn't it the other way round?

- forward = quads
- backward = hammies and glutes

?

sloppyschleckonds

diy wrote:

As long as you don't go mad you can ride out of the seat for 10 mins.

Hi Lance!

davep1

diy wrote:

Coming from MTB I prefer to keep my weight forward since on 25%+ climbs on the slippy stuff you have to learn to cope with the rear wheel spinning a lot and sitting back will just make the front rise.

Off road, I find I have to sit to maintain traction. As it gets steeper I may then have to hunker down over the bars to keep the front down, but it tends to be the back end spinning up before the front wheel lifts.

Anyway, my climbing technique is a bit old school (and a bit shit!) I tend to jump out of the seat way too early.

diy

yep me too, unless its a short sprint, its very hard to maintain the pedal in circles thing when you are out of the saddle. Uneven power just makes the back spin. Less of a in issue on tarmac, though I am sure its possible to spin the rear too, but not in the way you do when you are pushing up a rooty, flinty, 1:3

MartinB2444

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

MartinB2444 wrote:

It's a nice idea to vary the leg muscles being used. I sometimes move forward on the saddle and use my hamstrings more to give my quads a bit of a breather. Only do it for short spells though and stay on the hoods. I find that using the drops restricts my breathing too much.

Isn't it the other way round?

- forward = quads
- backward = hammies and glutes

?

Not for me, I find it easier to pull up on the pedal when well forward

styxd

MartinB2444 wrote:

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

MartinB2444 wrote:

It's a nice idea to vary the leg muscles being used. I sometimes move forward on the saddle and use my hamstrings more to give my quads a bit of a breather. Only do it for short spells though and stay on the hoods. I find that using the drops restricts my breathing too much.

Isn't it the other way round?

- forward = quads
- backward = hammies and glutes

?

Not for me, I find it easier to pull up on the pedal when well forward

Pulling up on the pedal?

NITR8s

I prefer the feeling of climbing out the saddle on the drops, however find that I am actually quicker on the drops and seated.

Since buying an old 80s bike as a winter trainer that has brakes that only work from the drops, I seem to never ride on the hoods anymore.

goonz

I tend to cycle up hills like this:

http://www.nabc.nl/Portals/0/docs/burundi%202010%20(1).JPG

southdownswolf

CleeRider wrote:

When I can't stay out of the saddle any longer, go to the DROPS and peddle

I must admit, I am generally too knackered to sell anything when I am going up a hill. I do try to pedal as smoothly as possible though

nferrar

Over about 10% gradient I'll start getting out of the saddle (for how long depends on the hill length) but hands stay on the hoods. I only climb standing up but using the drops if there's a decent headwind (along with a steep gradient).

imposter2.0

FlacVest wrote:

Getting low in the drops puts more weight on the front, and also reduces the weight that gravity can help push down, which is why when you're out of the saddle, it's a bit easier if you're leaning back a bit, over the BB.

You've discovered anti-gravity! Have you phoned NASA ?

MartinB2444

Imposter wrote:

FlacVest wrote:

Getting low in the drops puts more weight on the front, and also reduces the weight that gravity can help push down, which is why when you're out of the saddle, it's a bit easier if you're leaning back a bit, over the BB.

You've discovered anti-gravity! Have you phoned NASA ?

You know what he means

imposter2.0

Actually, I don't...

MartinB2444

Imposter wrote:

Actually, I don't...

Well then you're not quite as smart as I thought. If you have more weight going through your arms pressing on the handlebars there will be less weight pressing on the pedals. Of course, the overall mass of your body remains the same so no eureka moment with the anti gravity thing, no ones pulling themselves up by their boot straps.

Completely ignores the dynamics of pulling against the handlebars to increase the force you can exert against the pedals though.