# Hill Climbing Technique…



## andylaw79 (23 Jul 2010)

…Specifically out of the saddle. 

I ride a ss mtb on my daily commute and I can feel it doing the world of good for my overall fitness. I've got a couple of hills on the return journey both are fairly steady for about 1/3 to 1/2 mile and then short and sharp at the top, I can do both in the saddle but loose quite a bit of momentum towards the top where they kick up. If I get out of the saddle I just can't seem to be able to put the power down. 

Anything I should be doing in terms of body position I should be doing that will help?


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## walker (23 Jul 2010)

there no right answer to this question other than finding your own style, Just look at the mountain battles at teh moment between schleck and Contador to see what I mean, contador has a much higher cadence that Andy


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## montage (23 Jul 2010)

The honest answer is that everybody has a different style. Sounds like you are just lacking power - practise doing sprints/efforts out of the saddle to help build those specific muscles


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## SimonC (23 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> The honest answer is that everybody has a different style. Sounds like you are just lacking power - practise doing sprints/efforts out of the saddle to help build those specific muscles



Lack of power. MTFU and train harder.


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## amnesia (23 Jul 2010)

SimonC said:


> Lack of power. *MTFU and train harder.*




If that means what I think it means then PMSL.


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## MacB (23 Jul 2010)

Stamina out of the saddle improves quite quickly if you practice it, thankfully for me. Initially I could get out of the saddle and lay down the power for, oh, all of about 10 meters. Bit of practice and I could do it for 100's of meters if need be but I rarely need to go more than 200 meters. The biggest change was when I was messing about with single speed, it's no choice then, you either get out of the saddle or you walk up the hill. When I went back to changing gear I also found that I could turn a much bigger gear sitting in the saddle as well.


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## Rob3rt (23 Jul 2010)

I just sprint at the hill and then gurn till I reach the summit!

Call it technique or call it being stubborn, it is what it is! Ugly, messy, painful, sometimes slow but overall its rewarding. I still have scrawny legs though !

(Riding fixed)


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## HLaB (23 Jul 2010)

The best technique I think is to push one foot hard down on the pedal and when thats all the way down push the other pedal (wait a minute I think they call that pedalling  )
Seriously I think practice is the only sure method and don't be afraid to mix the standing up/ sitting down as appropriate.


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## marzjennings (23 Jul 2010)

I'm guessing you're using flat pedals and when you stand and pedal your feet are wrapping around the pedals like limp bananas sucking up all that extra effort.


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## Norry1 (23 Jul 2010)

Dunno if everyone is the same, but when I get out of the saddle, I need to change into a harder gear, otherwise it just doesn't feel right.


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## Hacienda71 (23 Jul 2010)

Norry1 said:


> Dunno if everyone is the same, but when I get out of the saddle, I need to change into a harder gear, otherwise it just doesn't feel right.



I do too, even if I am on a steep hill, unless I have totaly blown up and it is a 1in4 or similar I do not feel right getting out of the saddle without changing up a couple of gears.


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## zacklaws (23 Jul 2010)

Hacienda71 said:


> I do too, even if I am on a steep hill, unless I have totaly blown up and it is a 1in4 or similar I do not feel right getting out of the saddle without changing up a couple of gears.



That's exactly what your supposed to do, otherwise you just end up spinning without making much progress and then when you sit drop back down two gears, even on the flat, I go up a gear or two when I stand and that gives you a big boost in speed


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## MARKE020272 (23 Jul 2010)

I also find the same thing. Just doesn't feel right. I find it easier to use clipless as it helps to pull up on the pedals, and then alternate between push down and pull up. 

Mind you, there aren't that many hills in London where you need to grind it up a huge hill that mean I get to the lowest gear and still need to get off the saddle.


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## lukesdad (24 Jul 2010)

If you are using risers on you mtb,switch to flats and fit a longer stem, for riding hills out of the saddle.


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## GrasB (25 Jul 2010)

This is kind of off-topic but also applies to some extent


zacklaws said:


> That's exactly what your supposed to do, otherwise you just end up spinning without making much progress and then when you sit drop back down two gears, even on the flat, I go up a gear or two when I stand and that gives you a big boost in speed




Changing up when you get out of the saddle is not "exactly what you should do", the situation you're in dictates what is the appropriate response. Certainly one of these responses is changing up a gear or two but equally it may also need you to drop a gear or even a chainring!

Changing up a gear or two is fine & dandy if you're okay to comfortable in the saddle but are wanting to accelerate & if you're transiting onto a steeper section of the climb. However if you're transitioning to a much steeper climb you'll want to keep in the gear or even drop a gear as you stand up. Worse than this if you're standing up because you're about to stall changing up a gear or two will only make the stall happen & so you drop a gear or a chanring if you have any to spare & accelerate changing up when you get to a slow sprint cadence & possibly when you sit down. Learning how to drive through from a climbing out of the saddle cadence to a sprinting cadence is difficult one at first, as most riders find there's a cadence & technique gap between the two, but once mastered very effective at the top of a hill with a steep kick at the top especially if you can step up to the top chainring.


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## Norry1 (25 Jul 2010)

GrasB said:


> This is kind of off-topic but also applies to some extent
> 
> 
> Changing up when you get out of the saddle is not "exactly what you should do", the situation you're in dictates what is the appropriate response. Certainly one of these responses is changing up a gear or two but equally it may also need you to drop a gear or even a chainring!
> ...



Fair points - I was referring to "for a constant gradient" I needed to be in a harder gear - I think it is because I have more power available standing up, but obviously I can't keep that intensity up for as long.


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## gb155 (25 Jul 2010)

Norry1 said:


> Dunno if everyone is the same, but when I get out of the saddle, I need to change into a harder gear, otherwise it just doesn't feel right.



Thats something that finally hit me about 2 weeks ago, used to always change down before I gave it a go


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## jimboalee (25 Jul 2010)

I once said somewhere "it takes fifteen years to become a half decent cyclist".

This is about the length of time it takes to ride up every conceivable gradient at every conceivable level of exhaustion.


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## jimboalee (26 Jul 2010)

jimboalee said:


> I once said somewhere "it takes fifteen years to become a half decent cyclist".
> 
> This is about the length of time it takes to ride up every conceivable gradient at every perceivable level of exhaustion.


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## Ian H (26 Jul 2010)

One thing beginners often do when honking (pedalling out of the saddle) is keep the body too far back so that they're constantly pulling on the bars. Your body weight should be over the bars.


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## jimboalee (26 Jul 2010)

Ian H said:


> One thing beginners often do when honking (pedalling out of the saddle) is keep the body too far back so that they're constantly pulling on the bars. Your body weight should be over the bars.



Try to keep your centre of gravity somewhere between the BB and the point where you are exerting the most pressure on the downstroke. This way, you are 'falling' onto the pedal before it reaches its most forward position in the crank circle.
It doesn't hurt to give a tug with the rear foot on the upstroke.


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## Dunbar (1 Aug 2010)

Sprinting? I am still trying to work out what MTFL and PMSU mean!


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## amnesia (8 Aug 2010)

Dunbar said:


> Sprinting? I am still trying to work out what MTFU and PMSL mean!



Man The F### Up (I assume)

P### MySelf Laughing


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## iAmiAdam (8 Aug 2010)

As I've been sprint training for like a month now, and never really done any hill training, I hate them.

I like to pull on the bars as much as possible and keep as far forward on the bike as I can while still on the saddle.


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## Dunbar (8 Aug 2010)

amnesia said:


> Man The F### Up (I assume)
> 
> P### MySelf Laughing



NWTHDIST?


John


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## Banjo (8 Aug 2010)

On the hybrid i often grind up hills out of the saddle but on the roadbike I rarely do and it doesnt seem to help much other than giving my ar$e a rest.

When I sit back on the saddle oddly it feels as if my legs have just had a rest .


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## lukesdad (9 Aug 2010)

Ian H said:


> One thing beginners often do when honking (pedalling out of the saddle) is keep the body too far back so that they're constantly pulling on the bars. Your body weight should be over the bars.


The reason most climbers use a longer stem. I use a 130mm for riding round here, and 100mm for flatter rides.


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## RedBike (9 Aug 2010)

When riding a single speed MTB you need to almost do the opposite of what you'd normally do on a road bike. 

On a road bike you need to keep seated, keep your upper body relaxed and pedal smoothly. 

On the SS when things get steep you need to stand and rock the bike from side to side as you pedal. It also helps if you forget about pedalling perfect circles and pull up on the pedals (using clipless pedals) to increase your torque. 

When you stand to pedal try and keep things smooth and steady or you'll quickly run out of energy before you've reached the top of the climb.


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