Climbing, out of the saddle vs sitting and gear ratio
So, I'm relatively new to real road cycling, and as a tubby engine I find climbing a little tough. I generally do all my climbing from the saddle, but everything I read suggests standing up to use different muscles, etc. However, whenever I stand, I find that using the same ratio is way way too easy.
Do you guys just shift under load right before standing? Or does this mean I should be standing earlier (while still in a higher ratio)?
So maybe this progression:
Flat -> Downshift just as the grade increases -> Out of the saddle when it feels tough -> Sit back down and downshift -> Out of the saddle when it feels tough -> Sit back down and downshift -> (Repeat until having fun again).