IrishBloke

Should I go on a 10 mile or 40 mile cycle ride, I do the entire trip seated on my arrse on my saddle. I dont have any inclination to stand up out of the saddle and infact, when I tried it that way , it felt awkward and I expended a LOT of energy that I wouldnt have had I remained in saddle.

Its just down to personal preference, I can go all day in the saddle but realise that others like the standing up approach.

Does anybody else here not like the standing position either ?

James

umd

My wife hates standing

LanceFanBoy

i usually only leave the saddle for sprints, peleton position movement, and the tip top of climbs when the racers ahead of me attack at the top. other than that I'm always seated, I take the Levi approach to climbing not the Contador approach (seems like he's out of the saddle much more). This style serves me well.

datlas 

You are not alone. I very rarely stand....for me, it is much more efficient to slide back in the seat a smidge and hold the tops and pull with the arms. Do what works best for you, but keep an open mind.

recursive

Standing is good for short bursts of power. If you don't need short bursts of power, you might still want to stand just to give the boys a chance to breathe now and again.

pseudobrit

Standing is only for acceleration, stretching, and the beginning or end of anything 15%+.

Doctor Who

I stand all the time – it's a bad habit, but hasn't really bit me in the ass yet.

04jtb

standing is for getting rid of saddle pains in bad shorts

I only ever do it because my lowest gear is 42-24 and I often carry a heavy pannier

Treefox

I don't do it as often as others on my rides, it seems.

But sometimes the hill gets a bit much. Or you need to sprint out of turns.

gfrance

I love to stand. Just feels natural to me.

timmhaan

i stand a lot, especially climbing. i just keep rotating between standing and sitting until i reach the top.

i wonder if smaller framed people are more inclined to hop out of the saddle?

terrymorse 

Standing is awkward precisely because you don't do it. It's a skill to be practiced, like any other cycling skill.

umd

I have read that there is a certain hight/weight ratio at which riders are more likely to prefer to climb standing rather than seated.

cyclezealot

If not for clipless, I'd not stand. Just feels insecure. Going clipless, it reduces fatigue from being in one position all day. You do ride all day once in awhile. Such long time in the saddle you will need a change of position and standing accomplishes that. Also, standing helps for the ocassional burst of energy needed when you take on a steep grade.

JayC

I stand up to get the blood flowing down there but I only climb out of the saddle maybe 10-15% of the time. Im comfortable climbing in or out but I prefer in.

Dubbayoo

I sit 90% of the time.

merlinextraligh

I hope you've fathered all the children you care to. If for no other reason you should stand up to improve blood flow and relieve pressure on your nerves.


As for cycling performance if you not competing, and sitting works for you, fine.

However, if you want to climb better, hang with groups, close down gaps, and win sprints, learning to stand at appropriate times will be helpful.

You can produce more power standing than sitting. It's ultimately not as efficient as sitting, so that's why we don't ride out of the saddle all the time. But if you need a burst of power to close a gap, or win a sprint, you really need to be able to stand.

Climbing, standing helps in powering over small rollers, and as a change of pace to recruit different muscles on a long climb.

You'll be a better, faster, more well rounded cyclist if you get comfortable riding out of the saddle.

eippo1

I stand a lot more once I started riding a fixed gear up steep hills. Otherwise, my kneecaps would shoot off in front of me.

jinws

there are a few hills around here I can't do sitting. Usually only climbing something steep or trying to beat a yellow or something.

6thElement

Generally I'll just stand for the odd burst up a hill or to stretch.

JohnKScott

When I first started riding last April I tried standing and it didn't work very well. It took a huge toll on my legs and cardio. As my fitness level has improved I find getting out of the saddle very useful to help in some climbs and giving my bottom a break once in a while .

johnny99

Pedalling efficiently while standing requires some practice (and fitness).

X-LinkedRider

Gotta leave the saddle for brutal uphills.

merlinextraligh

Where you gearing up when you stood? If you were in the right gear seated, the general rule of thumb is go down 2 cogs (i.e. 2 cogs fewer teeth.)

SSP

Yes...the thinner/lighter you are, the more it makes sense to stand. Big guys sit and spin, but most "mountain goats" (think, Pantani) are out of the saddle quite a bit.

I routinely practice long standing climbs on a local hill...it's not any harder for me to do a 2 mile 6% climb out of the saddle the whole way as in the saddle.

That said, most long climbs are done seated...except for when you need to accelerate, or power up a steeper section, or go for King of the Mountain points.