Climbing. Read this numpty guide

[magnatom]

My background is in judo. Good judo players fight with a very relaxed upper body. This can be done whilst maintaining control of your opponent. Strength is about appropriate application of power, i.e, applying it in a relaxed manner. On a bike this would mean using your strength in the correct way whilst remaining flexible enough to react to the motion of your bike. This would allow the most efficient transfer of power, at least that's how I see it.

 

[gaz]

I hold the center of my bars, and lean over like a TT position. with this slight lean i use slightly different muscles and the ache isn't as bad. it also gives me an easy relaxed position.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I always thought that if you were turning a wheel up a hill then the upper body is neutral. If you then add on a flourish to the pedal by pulling back and up then you push on the bar and if the flourish is forwards and down then you take a pull on the bars.

It's all elementary force according to Isaac Walton.

As a kid in the early 70's on singlespeed gas-pipe bikes we'd scale Devons finest lumps using the technique described, but that does not make it the way to ride a modern lighter-weight multi-geared bike effectively.
See anybody riding Ventoux in that manner?

 

[colly]

Well I don't know what all the fuss is about.

Most hills you can do seated just lightly holding onto the bars.
If it kicks up a bit then because you are pushing harder on the pedals you might need to steady yourself by holding onto the bars more firmly.
When it rears up into a real steep bit then if needs must getting up out of the saddle and honking might be the only way to get over the hill.
If it is real bugger then weaving side to side across the road gasping, grunting, farting and shaking and finally at the top spewing your breakfast is the usual scenario.

Schimple.

 

[Joe24]

I climbed a long hill today, on fixed ofcourse, as one does in Switzerland for abit of fun!
Only bits that gets any tension on or force put through them(probably not the right words) is the arms when im sat down.
Pulling back, usually alternating which arm depending on which pedal im pushing.
Standing up my arms are pretty relaxed.
When im stood up hands are on the hoods, sat down hands on the flats.
Its all pretty simple.
No need to put any more force in many other places, its just wasted.

 

[montage]

When putting in a huge effort, responding to an attack/attacking or just responding to some fast tw*t on a club run, I stand up out of the saddle to get the accellaration in, with a pretty relaxed upper body, supporting as little weight with my arms as possible. I then sit down, hands on the tops and spin while pulling on the bars.

If I am just toodling up a hill then I could almost go no handed...


but that is just what works for me

 

[Noodley]

from a quick scan, He's spot on.
relaxed upper body is perfect.
Watch the pros.

Correct.

 

[asterix]

Anything on Bikeradar is bound to be rubbish. Even when it's right.

 

[Panter]

Eeeh?

Leaving aside the obvious fact that if your upper body is completely relaxed you'd fall off, you try spinning up any sort of hill (hill, not slope) just resting your fingertips on the bars, or no handed.

The last one of these I read (and I can't be arsed to find it now) expressly identified the technique of pulling back on the bars, tensing the core to transfer the leverage to the leg push. Which is what pretty much everyone does.

Why does everyone get all excited about core strength? It's not for flats and descents that's for sure.

Here - Dave LLoyd:

"The best way to climb these hills is to grab hold of the centre of the bars and pull with your arms, whilst sitting “back” on the saddle and concentrating on your pedalling...think “power” !! This is where work in the gym on the upper body really comes into it’s own and is a very important part of my athletes work. You can’t climb efficiently with poor upper body strength… Get down to that gym !."

It makes no sense to talk about a relaxed upper body if you are pulling on the bars and pushing from the back of the saddle using all that gym-developed strength.

Frpom Cobr: The action is quite athletic - your arms should ache as much as your legs after a hard climb.

Again, doesn't fit with having a relaxed upper body - how can you be relaxed and get to and athletic ache at the same time?

I think the "hill" is the important bit there. I use a very light grip on the bars when ascending, but when it gets really steep (and I'm not standing) I do pull hard on the bars.
I did an MTB course a while ago and the tutor taught the technique then, although it was more to do with increasing traction to the rear wheel on really fearsome gradients than peddaling efficency.

 

[byegad]

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/fitness/article/technique-hill-climbing-made-easy-22491

Exactly how many people have a "relaxed upper body" in either position, as opposed to pulling back on the bars and tensing the truck to get push into the legs while seated?

Well me, but I ride recumbent!

 

[Bigtwin]

Well me, but I ride recumbent!

So do I. But my upper body isn't relaxed - I'd spill my pint.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I ride recumbent!

Me too - I haven't got a recumbent bike mind!

 

[Plax]

I'm starting to get really good on hills (no choice really!). I can't say for definite my exact hill climbing technique but it doesn't involve getting my bum off the saddle. My new thing is to try and keep a cadence of around 90rpm and spin up the hills at around 7-8 mph or more without dropping into the granny ring. I normally pootle up at about 6mph not paying any attention to technique. I only stand up and go for it if I'm late. I'm pretty certain I don't pull up on the handlebars, I'm quite relaxed on my little pootles.