noglider 

Silly question, I know, but I've been climbing stairs two at a time for longer than I can remember. I probably started in early adulthood. I'm pretty strict with myself. I almost never take them one [edited] at a time.

There was a period in my life when I live in the suburbs and didn't ride often at all, perhaps only a few times a year. I didn't do any exercise to speak of. But I worked in a six-story building and had to travel between floors often. I usually took the stairs instead of the elevator, and I always took the stairs two at a time. I suspect this is why I did fairly well on the bike, even on those rare occasions. I found I could jump on and go 50 miles without killing myself.

Now I live in the city again. The vertical distance between the subway platform and the street is perhaps 30 feet, so that means I'm climbing three flights of stairs. As always, I go two at a time.

SJX426 

Two at a time since I lived in Japan when I was in my early teens. I do singles when I am wearing bike shoes, either MTB or road with cleats.

rhm

Makes sense to me.

seedsbelize 

Agree
But to answer the OP, I'm a one at a time guy--I no longer have the knees for two at a time.

due ruote 

Well, not like this guy.
https://vimeo.com/6629363

USAZorro

I've always done two at a time going up.

Squeeze

I work on the eighth floor of an office building. I never use the elevator. I walk up and down at least twice per day. Somedays it's more than that. Some days when I get the mid-afternoon blahs, I walk down and back up and return feeling refreshed. This makes me a certified weirdo in the eyes of some (but certainly not all) co-workers. I don't mention my stair habit to anyone, but sometimes people I know see me walking past the elevators to get to the stairs and ask me about it.

I assume it helps my cycling. It seems like it uses the same muscles as pedaling a bike. I do it simply because I figure it's healthier than riding the elevator and perhaps a climing the stairs regularly will add a tiny bit of extra time to my life. Who knows.

Prior to getting a job on the eighth floor, I worked on the second floor in a building where there was a staircase against a wall in a large open lobby that was two stories high. By this I mean you could see people get in the elevator on the first floor and get out on the second. Now I know some folks have health problems and I don't mean to be insensitive, but I couldn't believe the number of folks who would regularly ride the elevator up just one floor, when there was a staircase right there that was, if nothing else, faster than pressing the button and waiting. I think the people I saw most often waiting for the one-story elevator rides were smokers on their way in or out of the building for a smoke break.

badger_biker 

I climb 4 flights at least every morning at work and take one at a time. I've had issues with Plantar fasciitis for a couple years and dipping the heel on each step to stretch the Achilles tendon does a lot of good. Something I don't get on the bike.

icepick_trotsky 

Two at a time, unless I'm carrying a bicycle or a small child.

ncrnelson

If I'm around other people I'll probably do one, but otherwise two. I typically run up and down my steps at home, childish habit. Of course now most of my stair ascending and descending is done holding the hand of a two year old, so that curbs my speed.

fietsbob

As The Widow of the Winchester arms Fortune got older, she kept having the stairs rebuilt by her staff of carpenters, to lower the rise each time
in the San Jose Mansion. .

Winchester Mystery House - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia..




FWIW, there are streets in this town where the sidewalk is stair stepped, or the street ends and the next block is entirely a stairway.

Approaching my 68th year I dont rush up those hills, via stair way or pushing my bike up the street. which includes several rest and recovery stops.

CroMo Mike 

In the last office building I worked in, the doors to exit the stairwells, except on the first floor, were locked to the stairway side. In other words, you could go all the way down and leave, but you couldn't enter the stairwell, climb and exit on an upper floor. Or travel between upper floors. It was 23 stories tall, so if you got in on an upper floor, enjoy your trip down. Or call a friend.

greg3rd48 

Two at a time at a fast pace if there is no congestion on the stairs just as an extra source of cardio exercise. If I am carrying a bike, objects or a small child I take one at a time for safety's sake.

ThermionicScott 

Always two at a time for me -- sometimes descending.

IrishBrewer

Two at a time up to my third floor office usually at a brisk pace. Even at a moderate pace one can easily arrive at the third floor before someone just getting on the elevator at the same time you start climbing.

Also I try to avoid using the handrails to aid my ascent.

noglider 

Why you gotta be noticing all my mistakes!

noglider 

I sometimes do this, but usually when there aren't other people around, in case I wobble. Another thing I do to challenge myself, but only sometimes, is to put only the balls of my feet on the steps and keep my heels sticking way out.

I have knee pain going down and descend fairly slowly. I can climb faster than I can descend.

fender1

I refuse to use stairs of any kind.

Fahrenheit531 

Two at a time ascending. One at a time descending.
(Filed under "Things I never thought I'd be posting about.")

nlerner

I command my people to carry me up the stairs.

DorkDisk

Going up; two at a time since I have long legs. I usually run up them also. With a bike, I like to grab the downtube near the bottom bracket with the seat on my shoulders

Going down, one at a time. With a bike I like to "walk" the bike down holding the bars if its not too crowded. If there are many people, I try to avoid that as I feel that it is too "hostile" for other pedestrians. Dont forget to pump the hydros before riding again

jetboy 

you two at a timers should try doing each step. I find it to actually be more tiring and .. probably a better work out. you have to move your feet and legs much faster and you spend more time at it. Id be interested to hear back after you do the same climb and don't skip a single step....

noglider 

By the way, I have very short legs for a person of average height. My pants inseam is 30". Maybe I make up for it with my size 12 shoes.

Beach Comber

When I can, I like to draft behind another person, and conserve energy. Sadly, with the younger generation of stair climbers, I find myself being dropped by the 10th step.

SJX426 

Why do you think I continue to do two at a time? Singles are too much work! I to make up for it by going up faster to keep my cadence up. Oh and I do two at time down too. Usually at a fast pace by turning slightly sideways and calling out "On your left!"

Still trying to figure out how to do a QR for a bell on my belt.