Standing pedalling technique?

bungle73
bungle73 Posts: 758
edited November 2018 in Road beginners
Now, I am by no means new to cycling - I've been doing it for years. But what I am new at is pedalling while standing up, which I've only recently started doing. What I'd like to know is this: is there any discernible benefit to the swinging of the bike from side to side part? ATM I'm only standing and pedalling while the bike keeps upright beneath me. The swinging the bike from side to side part I'm finding hard to co-ordinate.

Also, I'm not sure if I'm doing it in the correct gear. I'm not sure if my feet are spinning too fast to be able to easily swing the bike at the same time. However it does seem the correct gear for the way I am doing it atm. Changing up a further gear makes turning the pedals too hard.
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Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Why would you want to swing the bike about?
    I don't do smileys.

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  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    cooldad wrote:
    Why would you want to swing the bike about?

    Because that is what they tell you to do?
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,416
    Bungle73 wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    Why would you want to swing the bike about?

    Because that is what they tell you to do?

    Who tells you? The voices in your head? If so just ignore them. They are hopelessly unreliable and prone to making things up :wink:


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Bungle73 wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    Why would you want to swing the bike about?

    Because that is what they tell you to do?

    Who tells you? The voices in your head? If so just ignore them. They are hopelessly unreliable and prone to making things up :wink:

    GCN, amongst others. And if you look at any of their presenters, or videos of anyone else, that is what they are doing
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,298
    Do whatever works for you, if you don't feel right swinging the bike side to side don't do it. I rarely bother standing up, I generally prefer to sit and spin. Occasionally I have to stand and if I do I don't think I swing the bike very much, a little perhaps but I just ride the way that feels right to me. If I tried to do something because I thought I ought to or to try and look more 'pro' I'd probably just look more of an arrse than I do already.
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  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Crikey, I fear you're over-thinking this. Just pick the gear that feels best, and do what comes naturally in terms of pedalling.

    I find the bike moves about more if I'm really giving it the beans trying to sprint up / over a hill, but I think that's because I'm pulling on the bars at the same time to gain that extra bit of heave.

    If I'm steadily climbing a long hill, and I've got out of the saddle for a steeper bit or just to break things up, there's far less side to side action.

    But these are just observations about what seems to happen when I ride my bike. I've never thought "Ooh, I'm climbing a hill while out of the saddle; I need to be in 36 x 14 and throwing the bike violently from side to side because that's what Cycling Weekly / Bike Radar / my mate / the voices in my head said I should do"
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    When standing up you can put out more power, but its less "efficient"; I can only stand on the pedals for short periods of time. Typically when standing, cadence is a bit lower so you might be one or two gears higher than for the same speed seated.

    On a tough climb, I might stand up now and again to help break things up and use different muscles. I do find it a bit of an art to stand while climbing but not put out too much power and destroy the legs.
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  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,746
    It's Bungle... :roll:
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • craigus89
    craigus89 Posts: 887
    This is weird, it should be a natural movement but maybe try bending the elbow on the side of your body that your knee comes up on if that makes sense?
  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,844
    This:
    Veronese68 wrote:
    Do whatever works for you, if you don't feel right swinging the bike side to side don't do it. ........

    and this
    drlodge wrote:
    On a tough climb, I might stand up now and again to help break things up and use different muscles. I do find it a bit of an art to stand while climbing but not put out too much power and destroy the legs.
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    My son,nearly 11,looks like a certain Mr Contador on climbs ie he "dances" on the pedals.I'm not sure if he does this as he's seen Alberto do it or if it's just natural to him but it looks effortless.He can also do it for quite long periods.If I try it I look ridiculous and can only do it for a few metres.My son is about 30kgs I'm 86kg so his PTW must be better than mine.
    Moral is don't try to copy anyone or do what "they" say.If it feels comfortable and works for you then it's right.
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  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    PBlakeney wrote:
    It's Bungle... :roll:

    Enough said..
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Troll of the month time again.....

    You've forgotten to dumb down your prose style this time ;)
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Buy a BMX and practise to your hearts content.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    I can stand on the pedals all the way up the vertiginous and dizzying slopes of Balham Hill, fl!cking the bike from side to side effortlessly like Bertie. You should aim for this level of competence. The side to side motion means your climbing coefficient is increased by 12.36%.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I really don't remember any issues with riding out of the saddle. When I started cycling there were no YouTube tutorials.

    Yes I move the bike from side to side. It seems easier to do that than move my weight from side to side.

    I blame Merlin.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I like to think I climb like Bertie heading for a mountain-top steak restaurant, but I suspect the reality is somewhat different :D
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,325
    We used to call this side to side action 'honking'.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • cld531c
    cld531c Posts: 517
    I move the bike from side to side. Most people I see don't so I tried to ride like others and decided, sod it, just do what comes naturally to you. There is no right or wrong way and, as said above, you look a fool if you do something that isn't comfortable as it shows. You do you.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Pinno wrote:
    We used to call this side to side action 'honking'.

    'We' still do...
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,746
    Pinno wrote:
    We used to call this side to side action 'honking'.
    So it would be a correct statement to say that Bungle73 is honking.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    you float up magivally like "merlin" or dance on the pedals like "wiggle"
    can I be the first to say "I blame wiggle"
  • BelgianBeerGeek
    BelgianBeerGeek Posts: 5,226
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    We used to call this side to side action 'honking'.
    So it would be a correct statement to say that Bungle73 is honking.
    “Honking” or “en danseuse”. Take your pick. Skinny French guys the latter, burly Brits the former. As long as you get over the lump, who cares?
    Ecrasez l’infame
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,325
    If he whistles Dixie whilst pedalling up hill out of his saddle, then Bungle would be Honky Tonking.






    I'll get my coat.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,746
    BelgianBeerGeek wrote:
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    We used to call this side to side action 'honking'.
    So it would be a correct statement to say that Bungle73 is honking.
    “Honking” or “en danseuse”. Take your pick. Skinny French guys the latter, burly Brits the former. As long as you get over the lump, who cares?
    "Honking" also has other uses. :lol:
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,325
    You can hardly call Froome a 'birly Brit'. He makes Pinot look positively fat.

    #irony
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    Pinno wrote:
    If he whistles Dixie whilst pedalling up hill out of his saddle, then Bungle would be Honky Tonking.






    I'll get my coat.

    And if he ran out of fuel whilst doing it, he'd be Honky Tonky Bonking.

    I'll get your coat.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,298
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    We used to call this side to side action 'honking'.
    So it would be a correct statement to say that Bungle73 is honking.
    I thought the problem was that he wasn't.

    The problem with regards to this thread, I know there are other issues.
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  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    We used to call this side to side action 'honking'.
    So it would be a correct statement to say that Bungle73 is honking.
    I thought the problem was that he wasn't.

    The problem with regards to this thread, I know there are other issues.
    Standing issues or deep-seated issues?
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,325
    LakesLuddite wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    If he whistles Dixie whilst pedalling up hill out of his saddle, then Bungle would be Honky Tonking.






    I'll get my coat.

    And if he ran out of fuel whilst doing it, he'd be Honky Tonky Bonking.

    I'll get your coat.

    If he fell off whilst bonking, he would had done a stonking Honky Tonk Bonk.

    You can have my coat.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!

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