9 helps for climbing
 

http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb...mountain-bike/

What does the crew think about staying seated when climbing? I kinda think getting outta the saddle is helpful for more than shorts bursts. What say you?

I'm a sit and spinner for the most part. Every so often on the long climbs I'll change gears and stand up for a bit to get some blood flow to my butt and to switch to some other muscles for a bit but then it is back to sitting.

I also sit and spin unless I get to a spot where I have lost my momentum and need to get out of the saddle to power through the rest of the climb. A buddy I ride with is old-school, and stands up for every climb BMX style. We trade the lead every other ride and we both try to practice each others riding style to get stronger. I must admit, it sure does help!

I'm still a newb relative to most of the folks here so take my advice for what it's worth, but my friends always want me to lead on hilly trails because they say I climb better than them. I definitely feel more in control of every aspect of a climb when I'm on the saddle.

I usually only stand up for bursts to get over an obstacle or when my leg power just isn't enough to reach the top (like when I forget to downshift enough before the hill). I rely heavily on numbers 4 and 5 of that article to keep me on the saddle.

For technical on trail climbing I'm out of the saddle most of the time, but I'm also on a hard tail, so my legs need to play the role of the rear shock to keep my tire hooked up. For smoother stuff I will sit and spin (If I'm geared) especially if it's very steep and wheelie potential is high. I find getting on the nose of my saddle and putting my chin on my stem to lower my center of gravity works well to prevent wheelies and also keep the rear wheel weighted enough that I don't spin out. When I'm running my singlespeed set up, I stand to climb almost everything. The most important thing about climbing while standing, on technical, loose terrain is remembering to lean back and pull on the bars to keep the rear tire hooked up.