Teaching proper cycle technique
 

I have recently gotten my wife into cycling. She is really doing well, and knows how to ride. I have been working with her to learn cadencing and gear choice. I have showed her sites like Sheldon Browns and Ken Kifers. Currently we are averaging 13 mile rides for around 40-50 miles a week.

The thing she is have a problem with is standing on hill climbs. She is still building strength, and we are riding easy routes, but occasional hills grind her to a halt. A little push out of the saddle would do it for her, but she can't figure out how to stand and pedal. I have tried explaining it, and showing her, but I am not sure how to go about teaching her.

Anybody ever had this issue? Any recommendations? Thanks!

Lower gears is a good way to go......"she's still building strength" is probably the key phrase....

Remember some people (including me) are born spinners and would rather sit and let the gears help us up a hill..this might be true for her to......

She'll get stronger as well without the high gear mashing,and might be quite happy spinning next to you,while you jump out of the saddle

That being said,to stand,shift to a higher gear,stand on the downstroke and balance the downstrokes with your arms....it's going to feel different because the arms are in play

If she is interested she'll get it,but there are other ways

Make sure she's shifting into a slightly harder gear as she stands - if she's staying in the same gear as when she's sitting, there won't be enough resistance to stand.

Climbing from a sitting position is proven to be more efficient. Even Lance sat more while climbing as he learned the importance of not mashing.

Anyway, hills take time to learn and some people cannot climb as well as others. Enjoy the time riding together.

Thanks for the replies! I do very much enjoy riding with her, and I am in no way wanting to rush her. I think your right, it will be better for her as she builds more strength.

Thanks again.

I haven't stood on the pedals to climb a hill since I was 12 years old. In fact, I thought you weren't "supposed" to stand--for anything--while riding a bike.

I am not being sarcastic, that is just what I thought.

There are times when standing is necessary such as going over large bumps, going over jumps, trackstanding, and climbing very steep hills like almost straight up.The list is too long to include all instances.

In short, what works for one rider may not work for another rider.

If she's already in the lowest gear when hitting these hills, maybe you can swap out her cassette for a set with wider range?

I agree Danno, but the 7.3 comes standard with a 11-32 cassette and a 28/38/48 chainring.

Just show her a bunch of TDF clips of Lance armstrong doing a mountain stage standing up.

Some folks like to sit, some prefer to stand...either way will get you to the top.

In general, larger riders do best when seated, while smaller riders tend to do better standing.

I used to be a "sit and spin" guy, but since losing some weight I find I can now climb very efficiently out of the saddle. I even practice standing technique on a local 2 mile 6% climb...I can do the whole thing in about 10-11 minutes without sitting down or feeling thrashed.

Standing is also a good way to :

Reduce pressure on your bottom.

Get over a steep section (e.g., switchbacks)

Change the muscles you're using for a few minutes during a long climb.

Look really cool. :D

If she is trying to learn how to stand, rather than the why to stand, then just try a stationary bike. Let her spin on a stationary bike first and then have her stand and spin. Maybe she just isn't sure of the biomechanics and is hesitant to do this.

All great ideas thanks!

As stated, the 7.3 has about as wide of a gear range as we could get (one of the things that sold us) so I don't think we need to widen them more.

Maybe she is just better suited to spinning. Also, this is her first couple of months at road riding, so I am sure she still is getting used to it all.

I don't stand. I have visions of the chain breaking......

Sometimes I stand, sometimes I don't. When I do, its as much to get more blood flowing "down there" as to be faster. It is also good as a change of pace position.

My not be practical for everyone, but I've learned more about good technique in t-shirt, shorts and sneakers on my Townie3 towing 100+ lbs. of canoe and fishing tackle than I ever would have learned on my road bike in full kit.