Hills - Bum off or on seat?

[ColinJ]

Like these (when wet and/or mossy - plenty of grip when dry like that) ...

Ok, might not be too many of them down there, unless you head over to Dorset to tootle up Gold Hill (Hovis advert) ...

 

[rugby bloke]

I normally stay in the seat and spin - or grind when I run out of gears. However if the adrenaline is running thick or if its a a short sharp hill I'll get up onto the pedals. I learnt a very early lesson that trying to stand up whilst engaged in a low gear does not go well !!

 

[400bhp]

Standing uses more energy overall because you have to support your weight as well, but it's better for sudden bursts of power because you can use some of your mass to put more force on the pedals (but you are supporting all of your mass, so overall it's less efficient

I can see the logic but I’m not sure that’s correct?

 

[DaveReading]

Several times I've sitting on wheels up climbs, the rider in front stands up and the sudden reduction in speed means that I've nearly gone into the back of them.

Are we saying that standing up is not only less efficient, but also slower than staying in the saddle ?

 

[Globalti]

Standing is the most efficient way of climbing steep hills. I scratched a long-held itch and climbed The Struggle out of Ambleside last month. By the time I'd climbed the first section out of the town I was wondering if I would even manage the crux, which is the final zig zags to the Kirkstone Inn. My mitts had become sweaty and were squirming on the hoods preventing me from getting a good firm grip so at the short downhill by the quarry entrance I stopped and removed them. The transformation was miraculous; I was able to hold the hoods firmly and straighten my back because I was no longer struggling to grip the hoods. With a straighter back I could stretch my legs and climb as if on a stair machine and somehow the final steep hairpins, at around 20 degrees, seemed much more bearable and I made the top easily. Big lesson learned.

 

[steveindenmark]

This guy and his wife got it right on Monte Grappa last year

 

[Drago]

I sit and grind. POWAH! When I was young I'd stand on the pedals and dance like Fred Astair, but now I'm old I prefer to do everything sitting down.

 

[MontyVeda]

Sitting down for me too. I'm not ashamed to stop half way up and have a breather, but I absolutely refuse to walk the bike up. I will happily turn around and go straight back down though if I've bitten off more than I can chew.

 

[Threevok]

Sitting down

Although there are some hills using the single speed lately (geared at 35/14) that I find myself standing up towards the end.

 

[nickyboy]

I can see the logic but I’m not sure that’s correct?

It's not correct. The reason why standing is less efficient than seated is due to the rocking of the pelvis when standing. Your pelvis has to be moved up and down and that requires some of your available energy

For me, up to a couple of minutes climbs I may do standing, longer will be seated. Only exception is steep wet climbs that I will always do seated regardless of length.

 

[ColinJ]

Sitting down

Although there are some hills using the single speed lately (geared at 35/14) that I find myself standing up towards the end.

Ah yes ... I have 52/19 on my singlespeed bike, about a 10% higher gear than yours. I have to stand up for any significant length of climb at more than about 6% on that bike or I can't get the cranks through the dead zone at the top of each pedal stroke.

Normally, I sit and spin though I do find it easier to stand and sprint up very short steep ramps.

 

[Skibird]

Well I'm definintely sitting down on hills more than I was, but the urge to stand is still there as it just seems to take sooooh long getting to the top, having said that, I am always in such a hurry to get the hills over with, it's the only time my asthma seems to kick in (very heavy breathing), but I seem to recover very quickly. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, or i'm expecting improvements too quickly, but even when I seem to be getting quicker up steep hills (what I consider steep), it NEVER feels any easier physically. I ride a MTB, although I do have road tyres that I've not used yet. Just fyi I'm nearly (next month) 52, slim (never weigh myself), 5,3 and cycle every otherday and walk (fast) my dog for more than 2hrs every day.

 

[MikeG]

It's not correct. The reason why standing is less efficient than seated is due to the rocking of the pelvis when standing. Your pelvis has to be moved up and down and that requires some of your available energy.........

There's more to it than that. Standing up you are supporting and moving your entire bodyweight, whereas sitting down the only moving parts are your legs, and about 2/3rds of your weight is supported passively by the bike. There's an aerodynamic advantage too, albeit more and more minor the slower you go.

 

[snorri]

With the passage of time I notice my method is changing and ever more frequently it's a case of bum off seat and feet on the ground for hills

 

[Stef 1]

Beginning of the year I struggled with hills. Previous years and at the start of this year I always stayed sat and grinded my way up.

Then I started picking easier gears, increasing my cadence. Speed improved a little and I wasn’t always bouncing off my max heart rate.

I now actually enjoy hills (or the challenge at least) as long as they’re not too long and actively pick routes that aren’t too flat. As a result my fitness is better than it has been in years and I’m finding climbing easier than I ever have done.

I know in theory sitting is better, but some days I do em sat down, other days I stand up or a mix of both. Trying different things to hopefully get a little better at both.

However occasionally muscles make my knees feel really tight and uncomfortable if I stand but haven’t quite figured that out yet (perhaps wrong gear or cadence).

Recently, for the first time ever, I sometimes naturally find myself down on the drops going up hill.... that’s a new one for me.