Cycling While Standing On The Pedals ?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: In the Portland, Maine area
Posts: 34
Bikes: Trek FX7.2 Hybrid, Bianchi c2c road bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Cycling While Standing On The Pedals ?
I know... basic... dumb question. I've been getting into the sport over the past two months AND as much as I remember standing on my pedals (as a kid) in my younger days (one-speed back then) I haven't the confidence to try it at this time... Of course, uphill is when you need the energy.... does absolutely everyone do this, or are there others of you that hold back as I do ? I will most likely get around to it... sometimes even the granny gears barely get me through some of these Maine hills.
#2
Galveston County Texas
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: In The Wind
Posts: 33,221
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1350 Post(s)
Liked 1,243 Times
in
621 Posts
Ride in your High gear on a flat road.
It will increase your balance.
It will increase your balance.
__________________
Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Posts: 2,470
Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker, Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo, Dahon Mu P 24 , Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Rodriguez Tandem, Wheeler MTB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 32 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Shift up a couple of gears. Then hold your handle bars with your hands fairly wide apart, then stand up. IMO you'll find it not difficult.
#5
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,843
Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1173 Post(s)
Liked 927 Times
in
612 Posts
Good idea. Learn it on flat roads, and gentle inclines where you can sit back down as needed.
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
#6
Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Diego
Posts: 46
Bikes: Windsor Clockwork, Nashbar Steel Cyclocross
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I know... basic... dumb question. I've been getting into the sport over the past two months AND as much as I remember standing on my pedals (as a kid) in my younger days (one-speed back then) I haven't the confidence to try it at this time... Of course, uphill is when you need the energy.... does absolutely everyone do this, or are there others of you that hold back as I do ? I will most likely get around to it... sometimes even the granny gears barely get me through some of these Maine hills.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Tampa, Florida
Posts: 5,585
Bikes: 2017 Colnago C-RS, 2012 Colnago Ace, 2010 Giant Cypress hybrid
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 408 Post(s)
Liked 122 Times
in
85 Posts
We don't have a lot of hilly areas in Florida but we certainly have a lot of monster bridges. Trying to get to the crest of some of these bridges without standing just doesn't work most of the time.
Pedaling while standing works different leg muscles. In many cases, it can wear you out faster. The use of a trainer will do the following: it will help build up the different muscle groups needed when standing, it will help you get a much smoother pedal rotation while standing, you won't have to worry about making it back to the house or car in the event your legs go out on you while practicing and you can practice perfecting your standing at any time in any weather condition. The only thing it won't help you with is the balance which has to be done on the road. Yes! Trainers are boring but they definitely serve a purpose.
__________________
HCFR Cycling Team
Ride Safe ... Ride Hard ... Ride Daily
2017 Colnago C-RS
2012 Colnago Ace
2010 Giant Cypress
HCFR Cycling Team
Ride Safe ... Ride Hard ... Ride Daily
2017 Colnago C-RS
2012 Colnago Ace
2010 Giant Cypress
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Groningen
Posts: 1,308
Bikes: Gazelle rod brakes, Batavus compact, Peugeot hybrid
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5997 Post(s)
Liked 956 Times
in
730 Posts
I guess this means you balance more with your buttocks than with your arms, which is a good thing. But of cours you'll have to learn to stand on your pedals too. Maybe you could practice the 'surplace', the track stand that they do in the sprint in track racing to get more confident in balancing a bike with your arms?
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
Shift up, stand up and coast a few seconds to get the feel and some confidence. Ease into it, take a few pedal strokes. Do this when you're fresh, not after a hard effort.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,618
Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1068 Post(s)
Liked 785 Times
in
504 Posts
Grab hoods and highest gear then stand and pedal, pedal, pedal. Into a wind on flat ground is the best and is great training for climbing when living in FLATLAND SW FL.
My 53/23 was used for the first of 3 climbs yesterday then 39/23 for the next two after put on 2,000' then 3,500' of climbing.
#11
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,362
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,217 Times
in
2,364 Posts
I know... basic... dumb question. I've been getting into the sport over the past two months AND as much as I remember standing on my pedals (as a kid) in my younger days (one-speed back then) I haven't the confidence to try it at this time... Of course, uphill is when you need the energy.... does absolutely everyone do this, or are there others of you that hold back as I do ? I will most likely get around to it... sometimes even the granny gears barely get me through some of these Maine hills.
When I see people who struggling to pedal, the first thing I notice is that they don't understand the underlying rhythm needed. To get a feel for what you should do start slow. Not in speed but in pedaling. Get going at a comfortable speed and put the pedals parallel to the ground and push up off the saddle. You want you legs to be straight which puts you about as high as you can get. Keep a light grip on the handlebars as well. Coast for a little way to get used to the feeling.
Now push down with one leg and stop at the bottom of the stroke. Maintain the light grip on the bars as well. Coast for a little way to get used to that feeling as well. You should also observe what happens to the bike as you push down on that pedal. The bike will naturally tilt away for the pedal that you pushed down on.
Now push down with the other foot. You should immediately notice that the bike straightens up and then tilts away from the pedal you are pushing down on now.
Take another stroke with the other foot and keep up that rhythm of pushing down with one foot and letting the bike move away from that leg. Pretty soon, that rocking from one side to the other will become natural. As you advance, try pulling on the bars with your hand to increase the downward force on the pedal a small amount. You'll figure out which one to pull on.
Many people will tell you to shift up when you stand but I'm not one of them. I find that shifting up leaves me in the wrong gear when I eventually have to sit back down. Shifting up on a climb naturally slows you down as does climbing out of the saddle. When you sit back down in a higher gear, you've lost momentum and you are in the wrong gear to gain it back. You've also expended a lot of energy climbing and increased heart rate. You often need to sit to recover and trying to mash a taller gear slows that recovery. Frankly, when I get out of the saddle to climb, I just increase my cadence rather than increase the gear I'm using. This is a short burst effort for the most part and not really something you do for a sustained amount of time.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#12
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: In the Portland, Maine area
Posts: 34
Bikes: Trek FX7.2 Hybrid, Bianchi c2c road bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Well, standing is definitely in my future... I tried it this morning for a couple of pedal strokes... not so good.... but at least I didn't fall over. Thanks guys.
#13
Senior Member
Many people will tell you to shift up when you stand but I'm not one of them. I find that shifting up leaves me in the wrong gear when I eventually have to sit back down. Shifting up on a climb naturally slows you down as does climbing out of the saddle. When you sit back down in a higher gear, you've lost momentum and you are in the wrong gear to gain it back. You've also expended a lot of energy climbing and increased heart rate. You often need to sit to recover and trying to mash a taller gear slows that recovery. Frankly, when I get out of the saddle to climb, I just increase my cadence rather than increase the gear I'm using. This is a short burst effort for the most part and not really something you do for a sustained amount of time.
On the typical rolling hills that I ride, I have plenty of excuses to stand, whether to avoid shifting down to my granny ring on a particularly steep pitch or to keep momentum at the start of a climb or use some different muscles on a longer climb or even accelerate mid-climb. For the last two reasons in particular, I will shift up a gear or two to compensate for the change in cadence. If I need to sit back down, I just shift back to where I was as I'm sitting down.
#14
Senior Member
If he can get it, I am confident that you can, too
#15
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times
in
1,800 Posts
Depending on your bike you may find standing to pedal difficult because the bike isn't balanced for anything but seated pedaling. Some comfort bikes and hybrids seem to thwart sensible balance when out of the saddle. The upright bars may be too far back, or flat bars too far forward, of the front wheel hub.
I find the best natural balance is when the arms, handlebar/grips and fork are in more or less a straight line into the hub, like you're trying to push everything directly into the center of the wheel.
As my conditioning improved last year I gradually adjusted the slight riser bars on my comfort hybrid to accommodate occasionally climbing out of the saddle to climb hills or launch quickly across intersections. Eventually I flipped the riser bars upside down and adjusted the angle so my arms are more inline with the stem, tube and fork. Helped a lot.
Road bikes with drop bars seem more naturally suited to climbing out of the saddle, so you may not need any significant adjustments there.
I find the best natural balance is when the arms, handlebar/grips and fork are in more or less a straight line into the hub, like you're trying to push everything directly into the center of the wheel.
As my conditioning improved last year I gradually adjusted the slight riser bars on my comfort hybrid to accommodate occasionally climbing out of the saddle to climb hills or launch quickly across intersections. Eventually I flipped the riser bars upside down and adjusted the angle so my arms are more inline with the stem, tube and fork. Helped a lot.
Road bikes with drop bars seem more naturally suited to climbing out of the saddle, so you may not need any significant adjustments there.
#16
buy my bikes
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,800
Bikes: my very own customized GUNNAR CrossHairs
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 519 Post(s)
Liked 428 Times
in
249 Posts
what about building strength and confidence on a stair climber, like at a gym? i hate going to the gym, so i save it for dark days when there's ice on the ground.
but a stairclimber, as long as you're not putting all your weight on your arms, will strengthen you legs & core. and if you can work your way to not holding on to the rail at all, your confidence.
just a thought. the stair climber has helped me recover from some injuries in the past, and i think it makes me stronger climbing on the bike.
cheers.
but a stairclimber, as long as you're not putting all your weight on your arms, will strengthen you legs & core. and if you can work your way to not holding on to the rail at all, your confidence.
just a thought. the stair climber has helped me recover from some injuries in the past, and i think it makes me stronger climbing on the bike.
cheers.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Missouri
Posts: 192
Bikes: Takara Deluxe Touring 12 speed, Trek Tracklight 730
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've gone up some really steep, and long, hills (rolling hills region NW Missouri) just using my low gears, never needed to stand on the pedals. I don't even think I could if I wanted to, between my bad knees and my sciatica, but I remember doing it in my younger days not really understanding how to use gears on my 10 speed.
#18
Billd76
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: South west Florida
Posts: 105
Bikes: 07 Trek 1000 and 014 Giant Escape
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I do if an unexpected hill pops up and I haven't geared down, or I find out I haven't geared down enough while on the hill. Trick for me is to find the right balance in letting the legs do the work. Which for means leaning back a little and resisting the urge to lean to far forward. doing some "hoover" riding just over the saddle on the flats will help you get used to it. To low of gear will cause pedal slap, so find a gear that gives you some resistance before standing. I also shift my weight to the down stroke leg.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Hudson Valley, New York
Posts: 481
Bikes: 2014 Giant Roam
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 84 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
"Proper form" at least in mountain biking is to stay seated. This gives you better traction on the back tire. I like to aggressively attack smallish hills so generally stand up anyway. Feels better to me to push with some strength and be done quickly rather than spin up the hill slowly.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
You have to stand on the pedals to get started from a stop. Next time practice taking a few pedal strokes as you get going before you sit down. Increase a few pedal strokes incrementally. Eventually, you'll be able to ride comfortably and confidently sitting or standing.
#21
Senior Member
"Proper form" at least in mountain biking is to stay seated. This gives you better traction on the back tire. I like to aggressively attack smallish hills so generally stand up anyway. Feels better to me to push with some strength and be done quickly rather than spin up the hill slowly.
#22
LET'S ROLL
Use a higher/harder gear than what you would normally use for the
same place/location. I might stand for short burst on inclines; or
on the flats just to give my rear a break.
Four minute mark in my clip:
__________________
One day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=20X43026ukY&list=UUHyRS8bRu6zPoymgKaIoDLA&index=1
One day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=20X43026ukY&list=UUHyRS8bRu6zPoymgKaIoDLA&index=1
#23
Senior Member
Unless it is a really short hill, standing shouldn't be necessary. Personally after more than 30 seconds standing during a climb my legs start to burn out. Plus if you start to run out of momentum it can be tricky to shift back down while standing without horrible drive train noises and possibly a broken chain.
In a typical ride I rarely stand at all. When I do stand it is usually just to stretch a bit.
In a typical ride I rarely stand at all. When I do stand it is usually just to stretch a bit.
#24
Billd76
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: South west Florida
Posts: 105
Bikes: 07 Trek 1000 and 014 Giant Escape
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Unless it is a really short hill, standing shouldn't be necessary. Personally after more than 30 seconds standing during a climb my legs start to burn out. Plus if you start to run out of momentum it can be tricky to shift back down while standing without horrible drive train noises and possibly a broken chain.
In a typical ride I rarely stand at all. When I do stand it is usually just to stretch a bit.
In a typical ride I rarely stand at all. When I do stand it is usually just to stretch a bit.
Agreed. Definitely no shifting while standing. Standing and pedaling is a whole new workout. I learned a lot about form taking a spin class last winter.
#25
Senior Member
Ha! I'll shift the front while standing (on rare occasion). I shift the rear while standing probably every hilly ride I do, even at (nearly) full power some times. With enough practice, you can feel the shift happening and ease up just enough to let it happen smoothly, way more important up front than on the rear, though.