Clem von Jones

An aggressive low and stretched out setup makes standing easier but I'm not strong enough to stand for very long on really steep hills.

bike56

My standing improved greatly after training with squats,no weight,just high reps

Biscayne05

What you're doing is muscle endurance training. It does help.

HokuLoa

Hey, your post was flat wrong in a number of ways. They simply called you out on it with good reasoning and without being petty or personal. No reason for you to get insecure and nasty by making it personal...

coasting 

i find i need to go up 2 gears and sometimes 3 to stand and even then i cant do it for long.

Gallo

I think that this post is like many on this forum. We have different opinions and methods that work for us. No one way is right for all of us as we are all individuals.

I stand up and mash sometimes for to keep speed while attacking the first part of a hill for momentum and speed. Keeping a tall gear and standing tall for as long as I can.before I sit back in the saddle and downshift and spin.

I use it to get up and over rollers

I use it to sprint keeping low and throwing my bike side to side in acceleration.

I use it because my butt is sore and I need a break off my saddle for a short reprieve.

I use it far into a climb because I am tired and want to change muscle groups.

And each time I employed I am sure it is wrong by someone else's standards but it works for me.

I think the OP is on the right track and will eventually find where it works for him

808cyclist

I've read that it's supposed to be about 30% harder to stand but for me I find it's more like 300%. Perhaps I need to train more because "stand to take a break and use other muscles" doesn't apply for me, standing just wipes me out faster. Or is my technique all wrong?

david58

Standing adds variety on longer climbs, for me at least. Over the last year, I have forced myself to stand on climbs, and as a result have greatly increased my ability to do so. I find that having gotten stronger there, I can give myself a break out of the saddle, actually resting the "sit and pedal" muscles. And I'm heavy - probably 30-40 pounds overweight - I can definitely see where weight loss will help with the standing (and a lot of other stuff).

ericm979

Probably. It was a long time ago but I remember an 'ah-ha' moment when I realized that I'd figured it out.
Keep at it.

Golfster

You could try standing and then walking the bike up the hill.

david58

No shame in walking when it is time to walk, on long rides (hilly centuries for instance) when you will need your legs for more. But the goal needs to be to finally kick that sucker and blast over it.

merlinextraligh

1) standing on rolling terrain can help you to pop over the top of rollers and carry your momentum.

2) standing can give you the acceleration to attack.

3) standing can keep you riding on a climb that is so steep you can't turn over your lowest gear in the saddle.

4) standing intermittently on long climbs gives you a break, both by recruiting different muscles, and by just a mental change of pace.

If you want to be a more complete cyclist, you should learn how to climb standing.

merlinextraligh

Heresy.

You need to be near death, or literaly falling over before voluntarily walking.

travelerman

I have found it more difficult standing with my 2011 Giant Defy than on my old (and much heavier) Schwinn Traveler... Guessing it has to do with the different geometry and center-of-gravity.

I recently found myself on a brutal hill on the Giant - about 30 miles into a 50 - pushing the lowest gear, barely able to make revolutions, and wanting desperately to stand, but completely unable to do so... It was my first time on that hill, and if I ever find myself there again, I will definitely be up on the pedals before it gets that steep (or hopefully stronger if I can't stand... I couldn't imagine even being able to stop and unclip).

JTGraphics

Everyone has a style of standing that woks for them, I also think that many people that stand get into a mode were they fill like they are sprinting that will zap you fast stand and don't start sprinting just because your standing keep a smooth pedal stroke, I also find some just people just can't stand I know a person like that just like some can not ride with no hands.

UCIMBZ

UUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh! Somebody's feelings are hurt. Should we call an ambulance?

Commodus

Yea, this. Standing is a necessary skill for every cyclist, of course. Everyone will generate their own preferences, but you need to be able to do it.

vinfix

This. +1. Sometimes standing up and mashing up a hill, horsing the bars, is what ya gotta do if you run out of gears, or, like me sometimes, you've only GOT one gear. I can't imagine NOT being able to stand up, but I'll spin as much as I can, first.

One of Chris Carmichael's books explains the energy system differences- essentially, when you're spinning up a hill you're using your cardiovascular system more. At low cadence, and standing up, it's more glycolitic and leg muscle. That, and you're using more energy supporting your body out of the saddle.

DropDeadFred

I seriously youtubed a video awhile back to learn how to efficiently climb, both seated and OTS. small changes in the way you point your feet, your position sitting and standing make a difference and can be alternated to rest and work different muscles. I think its important to be able to do both. I suck at sitting in the saddle and pushing up the hill but I know i need to work at it. I love to stand and have become good at it and can actually get my HR lower up a hill standing than I can sitting...

pallen

It also helps give your knees a break if you're prone to knee issues.

fairymuff

No you don't.

bike56

Lower your HR while standing up hill,cool,I'm going to try that/I love standing on climbs,but have a lot of work to do.there have been some great post on this thread

krazygl00

I second this, and add that if you stand more frequently you will be surprised at how quickly you get stronger and more able at it. Part of it is also searching for the right gearing combo...some people like to stand on a climb at rather high cadence and have the bike bouncing back and forth very quickly...others prefer to crank it out. Personally if I'm in the saddle climbing my cadence will be 90-110, but if I stand I'll go up a gear or two and stand at 75-90. Also, keep your eyes focused down the road; it will minimize unnecessary movement. You want to keep your head as still as possible.

Brian Ratliff

If you are having trouble climbing while standing: lower your bars or climb in the drops. Your arms should be supporting a significant fraction of your body weight.

If you are having trouble climbing while seated: get lower gears.

In general, while standing, you recruit more muscle groups to bring to bear to the problem; you can get more torque to the rear wheel at the expense of efficiency.

In general, climbing seated at normal cadence 80-100rpm is most efficient.

thump55

Your comfortable cadence range will be much, much smaller while standing...that means shifting much more often to maintain the correct amount of resistance.

I have about a five stroke total comfortable cadence range while standing. If I get out of that range, I'm screwed in short order, but in that range, I can stay standing for quite a while.