Out of saddle hill climbing is.....

[Fab Foodie]

Watch Frome vs Contador on today's stage of the Vuelta to see the pros and cons of different climbing methods ...

 

[bpsmith]

Watch yesterday and you get a very different opinion.

Both impressive in their own style over the past few stages.

Contador will surely take it overall!?!

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Sorry to bump an oldish thread but at 48, the minute the hill goes upright I`m usually in the smallest gear I have. I try my best to stay seated and stand up only because I dont want to walk up - sometimes I`m verrrrrrrrrrrry slow lol

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Sorry to bump an oldish thread but at 48, the minute the hill goes upright I`m usually in the smallest gear I have. I try my best to stay seated and stand up only because I dont want to walk up - sometimes I`m verrrrrrrrrrrry slow lol

It dont matter how slow, it will get quicker, I used to be the same, I used be down in a very low gear on things today I dont drop off the middle front ring for.

 

[cyberknight]

Sorry to bump an oldish thread but at 48, the minute the hill goes upright I`m usually in the smallest gear I have. I try my best to stay seated and stand up only because I dont want to walk up - sometimes I`m verrrrrrrrrrrry slow lol

Use what works for you , i have to come to that opinion anyway as i prefer to stand ala Chris Horner etc and im 47 and i tend to big ring most hills .

 

[Mrs M]

Sorry to bump an oldish thread but at 48, the minute the hill goes upright I`m usually in the smallest gear I have. I try my best to stay seated and stand up only because I dont want to walk up - sometimes I`m verrrrrrrrrrrry slow lol

I'll come just keep
I used to get off and walk, now I get up the same hills seated, not always though as I also like to stand up and stretch, whatever suits.

 

[Mrs M]

Sorry, meant it'll come. iPad types stuff for me!

 

[Doyleyburger]

Since Iv got a bike that properly fits me now, I very rarely get out the saddle, where as I did all the time on my old Defy which was miles to big for me.

Unless I'm going for a segment of course

 

[compo]

Slightly off topic as not about hill climbing but the other day when my seat post snapped I rode a mile or more standing up to get to a LBS to get a replacement. The muscles in my calves were on fire after a few minutes!

 

[contadino]

I usually manage to get 50-60% of the way up in the saddle, then change up and finish standing. I'm a fat bloke. It all needs exercise and I get bored at slower than walking speed.

That said, it's only rolling countryside around here. No long tough hills.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Slightly off topic as not about hill climbing but the other day when my seat post snapped I rode a mile or more standing up to get to a LBS to get a replacement. The muscles in my calves were on fire after a few minutes!

I think I would prefer my calves to be on fire than the alternative!

 

[Boon 51]

Out of saddle hill climbing is.....
........how Chris Horner won the Vuelta ?

So did Contador....

 

[Boon 51]

Use what works for you , i have to come to that opinion anyway as i prefer to stand ala Chris Horner etc and im 47 and i tend to big ring most hills .

Like wise... I prefer to stand and I'm 63 young...

 

[Drago]

Alas, I'm not trying to win a race and more often than not I'm wrapped up for the cold and carrying rucksack, phone, keys, werthers originals, crossbow, Faberge egg etc, so honking doesn't work for me. I just keep arse planted in saddle and grind away. I wonder if its an age thing cos when I was young I'd honk with glee.

Just do what works for you and your circumstances.

 

[mcshroom]

Do whatever suits. What I find on long rides is that standing can be good on later hills, simply because the different muscles used are not as tired as the ones used while sitting. I climb very differntly on my tourer (22-30 bottom gear) to my singlespeed (44x18) as the tourer could be ridden seated up the side of a cliff, whereas over about 8% I need to stand up and use the mechanical advantage to get up the hill. I can climb longer hills on the tourer, but climb quicker on the singlespeed.

To be honest I'd probably go for picking a cadence you like and gearing accordingly so you can ride up a hill seated. Looking at Teethgrinder's approach to the Year record you could take it a step further and stick to a fixed heart rate up and down a hill and choose gears according to that. Otherwise just get up that hill whichever way you find the most comfortable