Newbie training question

Been lurking here a few days....great group with very helpful answers. I
started cycling for health (53yo) about 10 weeks ago. Joined a club and
have been on 2 saturday rides (25 mi.), and I usually get an hour or so 3-4
weekdays. I really do enjoy it. What I cant figure out is the technique
for climbing while in standing position. I stand when I have to restart
from a traffic light, but getting uphill standing feels awkward and not as
stable as I think it should be. Can anyone refer me to a tutorial that will
discuss climbing styles. This on a road bike, on asphalt, not MTB.
Jack

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004 02:31:23 GMT, "Roman Terps" wrote:

Been lurking here a few days....great group with very helpful answers. I
started cycling for health (53yo) about 10 weeks ago. Joined a club and
have been on 2 saturday rides (25 mi.), and I usually get an hour or so 3-4
weekdays. I really do enjoy it. What I cant figure out is the technique
for climbing while in standing position. I stand when I have to restart
from a traffic light, but getting uphill standing feels awkward and not as
stable as I think it should be. Can anyone refer me to a tutorial that will
discuss climbing styles. This on a road bike, on asphalt, not MTB.

Unless you feel better standing than sitting, don't do it. Trust your body to
know where you belong. I don't know what general level of familiarity you have
with the bike, but these are pretty squirrelly creatures until you've got a few
thousand miles under them.

HTH.

Ron

Roman Terps wrote:

Been lurking here a few days....great group with very helpful answers. I
started cycling for health (53yo) about 10 weeks ago. Joined a club and
have been on 2 saturday rides (25 mi.), and I usually get an hour or so 3-4
weekdays. I really do enjoy it. What I cant figure out is the technique
for climbing while in standing position. I stand when I have to restart
from a traffic light, but getting uphill standing feels awkward and not as
stable as I think it should be. Can anyone refer me to a tutorial that will
discuss climbing styles. This on a road bike, on asphalt, not MTB.
Jack


What sort of bike? Track bikes and racing bikes feel stable out of the
saddle compared to touring bikes, which are "floppy" by comparison due
to the slack head angle. It just takes a bit of getting used to.

Zog. Not a track bike or a racing bike. It is sort of a cheap cross
between MTB and a road bike. No suspension but it has knobby tires that
have a solid pattern in the center (I was told that the solid centerline on
the tire pattern indicated a combo off road, on road tread) It was an
inexpensive bike that I got at a pawn shop. I think it is maybe a Raleigh
(Oh, shut up, I already told you I was a newbie). Maybe it doesnt really
matter cause I met a very generous fellow in the club who has a Kestrel on
order and he will sell me his Specialized Sirrus Elite at a great price. I
s'pose that one will ride better sitting or standing. I just thought
something was amiss when I felt safer climbing in a sitting position and
everyone else was standing on his/her pedals.

Both of you have been very helpful. Thanks much.

Jack
"Zog The Undeniable" wrote in message
news:414875b5.0@entanet...
Roman Terps wrote:

Been lurking here a few days....great group with very helpful answers.
I
started cycling for health (53yo) about 10 weeks ago. Joined a club and
have been on 2 saturday rides (25 mi.), and I usually get an hour or so
3-4
weekdays. I really do enjoy it. What I cant figure out is the
technique
for climbing while in standing position. I stand when I have to restart
from a traffic light, but getting uphill standing feels awkward and not
as
stable as I think it should be. Can anyone refer me to a tutorial that
will
discuss climbing styles. This on a road bike, on asphalt, not MTB.
Jack


What sort of bike? Track bikes and racing bikes feel stable out of the
saddle compared to touring bikes, which are "floppy" by comparison due
to the slack head angle. It just takes a bit of getting used to.

Roman Terps wrote:
Been lurking here a few days....great group with very helpful answers. I
started cycling for health (53yo) about 10 weeks ago. Joined a club and
have been on 2 saturday rides (25 mi.), and I usually get an hour or so 3-4
weekdays. I really do enjoy it. What I cant figure out is the technique
for climbing while in standing position. I stand when I have to restart
from a traffic light, but getting uphill standing feels awkward and not as
stable as I think it should be. Can anyone refer me to a tutorial that will
discuss climbing styles. This on a road bike, on asphalt, not MTB.

It is unstable, especially at very low speeds.

Take a look at a few sites google gave me (which are not
all that consistent on pedaling style...)

http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadin.../standing.html
http://www.bicyclesource.com/you/roa...climbing.shtml
http://www.cobr.co.uk/e-cobr_informa...l_climbing.htm

--Blair
"One for the no-****-sherlock file:
'Avoiding hills will not improve
your ability to climb them.'"

Blair, good links, thanks.
When you say unstable at low speeds, I dont get it. I feel very stable when
I pedal standing up from zero velocity like from a traffic light. What
gives me the willies is climbing seated, then needing to stand to maintain
forward (though slow) velocity. Maybe the difference is that from zero
velocity I know I am always accerating and thus becoming more stable, where
in a climb I am not necessarily accelerating, and so I can feel the
instability because I am not accelerating out of that condition. Ya think?
Jack
[Snip].

It is unstable, especially at very low speeds.

Take a look at a few sites google gave me (which are not
all that consistent on pedaling style...)

http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadin.../standing.html
http://www.bicyclesource.com/you/roa...climbing.shtml

http://www.cobr.co.uk/e-cobr_informa...l_climbing.htm

--Blair
"One for the no-****-sherlock file:
'Avoiding hills will not improve
your ability to climb them.'"

"Roman Terps" wrote in message ...
Been lurking here a few days....great group with very helpful answers. I
started cycling for health (53yo) about 10 weeks ago. Joined a club and
have been on 2 saturday rides (25 mi.), and I usually get an hour or so 3-4
weekdays. I really do enjoy it. What I cant figure out is the technique
for climbing while in standing position. I stand when I have to restart
from a traffic light, but getting uphill standing feels awkward and not as
stable as I think it should be. Can anyone refer me to a tutorial that will
discuss climbing styles. This on a road bike, on asphalt, not MTB.
Jack

First of all, are you comfortable standing while riding on the flats?
If you've never tried, go to a parking lot or smooth grassy field
(golf courses are great ... kidding!) and try riding around without
sitting. Just experience moving your weight around on the bike. This
is easiest with a little speed since you are more stable. Then try
going up small rises.

It's not as stable as sitting, and it feels a little different, but
you'll get the hang of it. I doubt it is the quality of your bike. I
can stand and ride uphill on a BMX bike designed for a 6 yo.

Tim

"Roman Terps" wrote in message ...
Blair, good links, thanks.
When you say unstable at low speeds, I dont get it. I feel very stable when
I pedal standing up from zero velocity like from a traffic light. What
gives me the willies is climbing seated, then needing to stand to maintain
forward (though slow) velocity.

You didn't say anything about your conditioning level, but, since you
are on pavement and relatively new to cycling, this sounds to me like
your strength and power output may be factors. If you are being
brought to a near standstill while seated, you need a lower, easier
gear until you develop the strength to force a higher gear as you
stand up. If you are in a sufficiently low gear to start with, when
you stand to pedal you will probably accelerate some and may need to
shift into a higher gear if you don't feel comfortable with the higher
rpm you are going to get. Conversely, if you are almost at a stop
while seated and you can't increase your cadence when you stand,
you're going to have a hard time not falling over.

But, again, if you are almost stopped because of the grade, you are
going to need to put out some power to get out of the saddle, and you
may not have the power available. The whole point of standing is to be
able to apply more power, if less efficiently. You need to find a gear
for each climb where you are still able to accelerate when you stand.
After that you can work on the finer points of technique.

JP

Roman Terps wrote:
Blair, good links, thanks.
When you say unstable at low speeds, I dont get it. I feel very stable when
I pedal standing up from zero velocity like from a traffic light.

Try it on an 8% grade.

What
gives me the willies is climbing seated, then needing to stand to maintain
forward (though slow) velocity.

Yes, seated will be even less stable at low speed on a hill.

Maybe the difference is that from zero
velocity I know I am always accerating and thus becoming more stable, where
in a climb I am not necessarily accelerating, and so I can feel the
instability because I am not accelerating out of that condition. Ya think?

I think the instability comes from the extra torques you put
on the frame from the extra force it takes to maintain any
given speed on a hill.

There's more side-to-side motion. If you haven't trained
yourself by riding on hills (most kids who ride a lot for
fun and transportation learn it naturally) it's a whole
new skill compared with riding on the flats.

One of the reasons I almost never ride my mountain bike
is because I didn't grow up with those things and it feels
very strange and unstable to be riding on rapidly varying
grades over very bumpy surfaces on a bike with a totally
unfamiliar geometry.

Just ride more. You'll get used to it.

--Blair
"Said the saddle to my ass..."

JP, I think you make good points. I need to deliver more power sooner. By
the time I have to stand it is about too late and I have gotten "behind the
power curve" I find that I have been shifting for my comfortable cadence.
I notice that my cadence is frequently a bit slower than most others in my
group. I guess I need to think about upping the cadence in the hills and be
more prepared to downshift to apply standing power. Thanks for your input,
it has given me plenty to work with on my next club ride this weekend.
Jack
"JP" wrote in message
m...
"Roman Terps" wrote in message
...
Blair, good links, thanks.
When you say unstable at low speeds, I dont get it. I feel very stable
when
I pedal standing up from zero velocity like from a traffic light. What
gives me the willies is climbing seated, then needing to stand to
maintain
forward (though slow) velocity.

You didn't say anything about your conditioning level, but, since you
are on pavement and relatively new to cycling, this sounds to me like
your strength and power output may be factors. If you are being
brought to a near standstill while seated, you need a lower, easier
gear until you develop the strength to force a higher gear as you
stand up. If you are in a sufficiently low gear to start with, when
you stand to pedal you will probably accelerate some and may need to
shift into a higher gear if you don't feel comfortable with the higher
rpm you are going to get. Conversely, if you are almost at a stop
while seated and you can't increase your cadence when you stand,
you're going to have a hard time not falling over.

But, again, if you are almost stopped because of the grade, you are
going to need to put out some power to get out of the saddle, and you
may not have the power available. The whole point of standing is to be
able to apply more power, if less efficiently. You need to find a gear
for each climb where you are still able to accelerate when you stand.
After that you can work on the finer points of technique.

JP