Standing while climbing requires technique and training too...
09-18-14, 09:53 AM
#52
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I'm an old man and asthmatic besides with limited lung power. This is the very reason I work on pedaling and climbing technique. I have no power to spare. This then is my favorite video on climbing and try to model myself on the climber here. Cycling Survival 1 - How to cycle in the mountains - Climbing Technique - YouTube There is no wasted motion as can be seen by how smooth and unhurried he appears. It is also true in many sports where pros seem to be unhurried.
09-18-14, 10:16 AM
#53
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Glad to finally see this thread. I love to stand. I started biking because I couldn't run anymore (back compression causing problems). I miss running badly and am finally enjoying that similar feeling by climbing out of the saddle. All my workout rides are on a single speed so I frequently "walk" the pedals up some of the steep stuff (and "run" some of the lesser steeps). And when I ride the SS with friends I love having to stand when they shift down on inclines or they gear to a faster pace. It feels so good to run again. Love it.
09-18-14, 10:37 AM
#54
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Climb in Zone 4. This means breathing should be regular, moderate, not gasping, able to speak a sentence. Start slower, let the mountain come to you, lean into it and gradually increase your effort without exceeding what you know you can sustain. Bikes with a triple crank are good for getting into shape! Sit on the seat and spin. I'd suggest not doing much if any standing until you've gotten reasonably fit, are down to a good weight and have given your knees a chance to strengthen quite a lot (physiology guys tell me joints do strengthen, but not as quickly as muscle).
You'll know when you can turn up the effort. The key is recovery. When you start to notice that you are recovering while you are still pedaling with some power immediately after a summit, then you can start turning it up.
PS: thanks tsl.
09-18-14, 11:46 AM
#55
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Earlier this year I decided to really learn how to climb standing.
Over the winter I'd seen a YouTube video of one of the pros giving an interview--yes, an interview--while climbing out of the saddle. He just seemed to lope along easily. The darned interview lasted nearly five minutes and at the end, he loped off up the mountain. I turned off the sound and just watched that clip over and over again.
I committed that to memory and come spring, tried to reproduce it. I found that my problem was that sometimes I'd been trying to spin while standing, and other times I'd been trying to sprint out of the saddle up the hill. As soon as I upshifted a couple of gears, I found that "lope along easily" pace and it really has worked well for me.
The cadence seems to be right around 60 rpm, BTW--maybe even less. All I seem to be doing is shifting my weight from one pedal to the other and letting gravity do most of the work. I've learned how to climb really steep grades like this (14-15%), and at anything over about 5%, I'm not only faster climbing this way, but it seems easier. There aren't many really long grades where I live, but every one falls to the easy lope method. Who knew?
I wish I'd kept the link to that video…
Over the winter I'd seen a YouTube video of one of the pros giving an interview--yes, an interview--while climbing out of the saddle. He just seemed to lope along easily. The darned interview lasted nearly five minutes and at the end, he loped off up the mountain. I turned off the sound and just watched that clip over and over again.
I committed that to memory and come spring, tried to reproduce it. I found that my problem was that sometimes I'd been trying to spin while standing, and other times I'd been trying to sprint out of the saddle up the hill. As soon as I upshifted a couple of gears, I found that "lope along easily" pace and it really has worked well for me.
The cadence seems to be right around 60 rpm, BTW--maybe even less. All I seem to be doing is shifting my weight from one pedal to the other and letting gravity do most of the work. I've learned how to climb really steep grades like this (14-15%), and at anything over about 5%, I'm not only faster climbing this way, but it seems easier. There aren't many really long grades where I live, but every one falls to the easy lope method. Who knew?
I wish I'd kept the link to that video…
09-18-14, 12:47 PM
#56
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I'm glad you resurrected this thread. I've spent hours reading the archives but missed this altogether.
My biggest issue is being energy-flat at the top of the hill. So I'm expending too much on the hill then pay for it when I'm trying to recover after the crest. Which tells me that my approach is wrong, for the level of fitness that I'm at.
My biggest issue is being energy-flat at the top of the hill. So I'm expending too much on the hill then pay for it when I'm trying to recover after the crest. Which tells me that my approach is wrong, for the level of fitness that I'm at.
[+1 re resurrecting this thread.]
Following comments do not reflect a real search for speed as that is not currently my main focus:
I ride with a 'flat' handle-bar which came equipped with bar-ends. I find that I naturally gravitate to use the bar-ends when climbing whether OTS (new expression for me), or sitting. They seem to place my hands/wrist/arms in a position where I am both more comfortable & generate more power. If you have not got bar-ends on your bike I suggest you explore the topic.
Right or wrong I tend to use my arms more when going uphill - somewhat akin to trying to 'lift' the front wheel seems to generate power.
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