Changing gear while standing ?

[zootnanook]

When you get into the middle of a hill that starts to steepen is it ok to change gears while standing, or should you sit for the gear change and return to the standing postion after ?

 

[monkeylc]

Standings fine,just don't put to much force into it.

 

[Boon 51]

I've never had any problems on hills.. plus if its a longer hill you might have to change gear a couple of times as it gets steeper.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

.......but bear in mind that if your bicycle isn't well maintained (or if you are just very unlucky) this will be the very moment when the chain snaps or similar and you will end up parking your testicles on your cross bar....

 

[Steve H]

I find cadence (pedalling speed) makes a big difference. If I'm too slow and grinding away, it can be too much strain to change up - crunch! If I'm spinning a bit faster, changing up is normally fine, but I do tend to ease off the power when changing.

 

[billy1561]

It's good practice imo to change gear under little load and in good time whenever possible to avoid the need of a panic change.

 

[Dan B]

This. Ease off slightly and listen to the noise from the cassette: clunking is fine, 'ping' noises less fine. You'll soon learn how much you need to ease off by if you just listen to the bike

 

[totallyfixed]

Old school here, I was taught that you should never hear a gear change, if you must change on a hill standing then do it just before 12 & 6 o clock and unweight at the same time, with practice it is possible to complete in well under a second.
You can't always read a hill, thinking of the ones where you go round a bend and the road ramps up without warning.
A bit ironic this coming from someone who rides mostly on fixed .

 

[Davidc]

Old school here, I was taught that you should never hear a gear change, ......

So was I but I rarely achieve it even after 50 years practice.

 

[totallyfixed]

So was I but I rarely achieve it even after 50 years practice.

I think you will find it's not you, it's your gears.......













Must be Campag