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Climbing in the drops out of the saddle

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Climbing in the drops out of the saddle

Old 04-27-11 | 06:58 PM
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Climbing in the drops out of the saddle

Ok ive seen a few pros climb mountains in the drops and out of the saddle. I have always thought this looks terribly painful. I tried a few hills on it today and now im really fealing some tightness in my hamstrings. However, when I was riding I felt pretty compfortable when riding like that. Does anyone else ever climb like this? I think I could possibly get used to it.
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Old 04-27-11 | 07:02 PM
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Old 04-27-11 | 07:08 PM
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I do to sprint up short steep hills.
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Old 04-27-11 | 07:12 PM
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I do it sometimes and feel comfortable with it. However, the hills here are never very long, so I don't know what it's like to climb that way for an extended time.
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Old 04-27-11 | 07:38 PM
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Only Marco Pantani was allowed to do that. The rest of use ride the hoods.
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Old 04-27-11 | 07:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Arkansan07
Does anyone else ever climb like this?
Depends.
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Old 04-27-11 | 07:55 PM
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It might depend on how aggressively your bike is set up. My bars are only slightly below my saddle, and I do climb that way on short hills. It feels wrong to use the hoods.
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Old 04-27-11 | 08:00 PM
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Actually, if you have to ask ride the hoods or the tops until you figure it out.
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Old 04-27-11 | 08:04 PM
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I do it on rollers (aka overpasses), but I couldn't see doing it on any long climbs.
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Old 04-27-11 | 08:05 PM
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depends on wind, bike speed,grade, and handlebar height.
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Old 04-27-11 | 08:07 PM
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It works great for short, steep hills.
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Old 04-27-11 | 08:22 PM
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Generally not, with some exceptions:

  1. Short climbs that aren’t long enough to bring my speed down low enough where aerodynamics isn’t a significant factor
  2. Climbing into a strong wind wind.
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Old 04-27-11 | 08:38 PM
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Originally Posted by chado445510
I do to sprint up short steep hills.
Me too.
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Old 04-27-11 | 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Debusama
Generally not, with some exceptions:

  1. Short climbs that aren’t long enough to bring my speed down low enough where aerodynamics isn’t a significant factor
  2. Climbing into a strong wind wind.
^^^ this
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Old 04-27-11 | 09:34 PM
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You cab mash the pedals with more force because you can pull up on the bars.
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Old 04-28-11 | 05:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Debusama
Generally not, with some exceptions:

  1. Short climbs that aren’t long enough to bring my speed down low enough where aerodynamics isn’t a significant factor
  2. Climbing into a strong wind wind.
+1. And sometimes just because I feel like it.
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Old 04-28-11 | 06:24 AM
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yep it's pretty easy. in fact I have to remind myself to get up higher well over the hoods which is actually more comfortable. I think staying in the drops is ok especially in competitive settings but when I'm alone and want to be comfortable and just concentrate on the climb, then I get as high on the bars as possible
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Old 04-28-11 | 06:25 AM
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I've done it before; anything to break it up and engage different muscles is probably good. Not my favorite position, though.
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Old 04-28-11 | 06:51 PM
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I finally found the ultimate video on how to climb like a pro.
Pay attention.

https://youtu.be/E6QvK1NXINY
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Old 04-28-11 | 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by BarryJo
I finally found the ultimate video on how to climb like a pro.
Pay attention.

https://youtu.be/E6QvK1NXINY
"Although standing is less efficient, it's just as important to climbing success, because you generate a lot more power when you're out of the saddle. And it just looks cooler, too."

Haha.
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Old 04-28-11 | 07:23 PM
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Feels good man
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Old 04-28-11 | 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by theREEDeffect
"Although standing is less efficient, it's just as important to climbing success, because you generate a lot more power when you're out of the saddle. And it just looks cooler, too."
How can you argue logic like that.

I had forgotten what a beast Pantani was on the climbs, attacked them all.
Best climbing video ever!
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Old 04-28-11 | 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Homebrew01
Only Marco Pantani was allowed to do that. The rest of use ride the hoods.
I read somewhere that Pantani's frames were custom made with longer headtubes to suit his climbing on the drops style.
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Old 04-28-11 | 08:46 PM
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I do it because I found I can generate power similar to what I do in a TT which it turns out is more than my up on the hoods. GL
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Old 04-28-11 | 09:37 PM
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It's generally not recommended, so I don't. There are always exceptions, and when you're a pro, people tend not to question your technique.

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