I’m curious, because at times when I’m out riding with mainly road bike based buddies and we’re trying to hurt each other most times when I get out of the saddle it almost feels like I can barely support my own body weight let alone acceleration. I know I don’t do a lot of this type of riding but I’m a half decent long course rider (4:48-5:08 ride times) and none of the guys I ride with are necessarily superstars.
Perhaps the strongest guy, who is 10 years older but also about 7-8kg’s lighter (70 vs 78) mentioned the other week that he has a few little ‘tricks’ to standing up but he jokingly said he wasn’t telling me (and he didnt’!).
Are there keys to making this method more efficient?
ive found there’s a big difference between straightening your legs at the bottom of your stroke (like stepping up steps) and keeping them bent at the bottom of your stroke. The latter allows more quad power, but you definitely have the train the muscles. But you’ll notice a big difference in climbing speed, because it will also help you pedal in circles more instead of just a push down, push down, push down, etc.
Practice doing some really hard out of the saddle efforts (ie sprints) on flat roads. Does your rear wheel hop up? Does your front wheel hop? If either is lifting, then you are likely unbalanced and accelerating inefficiently. If your front wheel hops, then you are too far back, and you are too far forward if the rear hops. That might help you to establish a better position.
Oh yeah, its also good to learn to do out of the saddle efforts from the drops.
I KNEW that one would be coming! I tried posting this about a week ago but it stuffed up and didn’t go through. At the time I added in something to beat the smart responses but forgot this time. Curse you!
Actually that’s funny, because the other week when I was trying something different I actually straightened my legs at the bottom and found that it momentarily took some of the load off my quads and stopped the ‘burn’. I thought this was one of the ‘11 Colonel’s Secret Herbs and Spices’ but now you’re telling me it’s ‘MSG’! Damn, back to the drawing board. I’m certainly not a masher when seated.
One time I was told I needed to roll my hips a bit more. Seemed to imply that would help me use my body weight better rather than being fairly static.
I do ride hills a bit, but mainly stay seated. Maybe I just need to ride them out of the saddle in off season.
Oh I was talking about off season, so running etc can’t be used as an excuse.
Some good (and anticipated wiseguy!) feedback. Cheers people.
you get better at that by pedaling harder a lot. the training for a sub 5 IM split is probably detrimental to the “put out 600 watts for a minute” split.
Actually that’s funny, because the other week when I was trying something different I actually straightened my legs at the bottom and found that it momentarily took some of the load off my quads and stopped the ‘burn’. I thought this was one of the ‘11 Colonel’s Secret Herbs and Spices’ but now you’re telling me it’s ‘MSG’! Damn, back to the drawing board. I’m certainly not a masher when seated.
One time I was told I needed to roll my hips a bit more. Seemed to imply that would help me use my body weight better rather than being fairly static.
I do ride hills a bit, but mainly stay seated. Maybe I just need to ride them out of the saddle in off season.
Oh I was talking about off season, so running etc can’t be used as an excuse.
Some good (and anticipated wiseguy!) feedback. Cheers people.
Watch carefully next time he stands. See if his down legs pulls up quickly - watch where his hands are and his hips over the seat.
For those of us who don’t have roadies around to watch can you just tell me? Where should hips and hands be? I always have my hands on the brake hood part (not ON them but right behind, you know where I mean, I think). Hips ?
LOL - that would definitely go against the “roadie code” …
Honestly, a bit hard to explain anyway. And even then, no two “climbers” climb alike. But, watching several good ones and adopting some of the subtleties can go a long way.
Of course, you have to ride up lots of hills and stay reasonably close to eventually “learn” these things …
