climbing

I read on a 'bent forum the other day that one thing that made
climbing easier was 'closed hip angle'.

I find that there seems to be 3 ways of tackling hills on the 'bent.

The first is the "lie back and spin", where I try and keep the cadence
up and not really feel like I'm muscling anything.

The next is "push hard" which is sorta the 'bent equivalent of
standing on the pedals where I really mash those gears and can feel
myself pushing hard against the seat.

The third is a method someone on the same forum described a while back.
Where I grab the bars and pull myself forward, bracing the upper body as
I pedal. This seems to make it easier to put more legmuscle into the
spinning than lying back does. Om the other hand, I get puffed more
quickly - not sure if that's from doing more work, or compressing the
diaphragm some.

Seems that #3 is this "closed hip angle" but damnfino what the
mechanism is, what the body mechanics are. Anyone got any ideas?

Zebee

"Zebee Johnstone" wrote in message
.. .
I read on a 'bent forum the other day that one thing that made
climbing easier was 'closed hip angle'.

I find that there seems to be 3 ways of tackling hills on the 'bent.

The first is the "lie back and spin", where I try and keep the cadence
up and not really feel like I'm muscling anything.

The next is "push hard" which is sorta the 'bent equivalent of
standing on the pedals where I really mash those gears and can feel
myself pushing hard against the seat.

The third is a method someone on the same forum described a while back.
Where I grab the bars and pull myself forward, bracing the upper body as
I pedal. This seems to make it easier to put more legmuscle into the
spinning than lying back does. Om the other hand, I get puffed more
quickly - not sure if that's from doing more work, or compressing the
diaphragm some.

Seems that #3 is this "closed hip angle" but damnfino what the
mechanism is, what the body mechanics are. Anyone got any ideas?

Zebee

Could it be that at a more open hip angle the glutes are at the end of their
effective travel before the bottom of the pedal stroke?

"Zebee Johnstone" wrote in message
.. .
I read on a 'bent forum the other day that one thing that made
climbing easier was 'closed hip angle'.

I find that there seems to be 3 ways of tackling hills on the 'bent.

Are you talkiing trike or bike? My trike experience is that after say 100km
of the "lie back and spin" technique you feel OK, but after 100km of the
"push hard" technique my knees are pretty damn sore. Thus, I "lie back and
spin". I've since got much better at spinning up hills on my upright 2
wheeler now, and find that this technique gets me up hills faster, easier,
and quicker than mashing it.

As for the biomechanics, sorry, no idea.

Cheers
David M

In aus.bicycle on Sun, 2 Jul 2006 14:04:46 +0800
davidm wrote:
Are you talkiing trike or bike? My trike experience is that after say 100km
of the "lie back and spin" technique you feel OK, but after 100km of the
"push hard" technique my knees are pretty damn sore. Thus, I "lie back and
spin". I've since got much better at spinning up hills on my upright 2
wheeler now, and find that this technique gets me up hills faster, easier,
and quicker than mashing it.

I'm talking bike.

I don't mash often, I sometimes use it as a sprinting mechanism to get
quickly up short steep hills.

The pull on the bars one seems to work as well and is less hard on the
legs but harder on the breathing.

Zebee

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
In aus.bicycle on Sun, 2 Jul 2006 14:04:46 +0800
davidm wrote:
Are you talkiing trike or bike? My trike experience is that after say 100km
of the "lie back and spin" technique you feel OK, but after 100km of the
"push hard" technique my knees are pretty damn sore. Thus, I "lie back and
spin". I've since got much better at spinning up hills on my upright 2
wheeler now, and find that this technique gets me up hills faster, easier,
and quicker than mashing it.

I'm talking bike.

I don't mash often, I sometimes use it as a sprinting mechanism to get
quickly up short steep hills.

The pull on the bars one seems to work as well and is less hard on the
legs but harder on the breathing.

Zebee

I've often wondered how 'bent riders (or is it recliners?) get a bit of
extra ooomph in a climb. Wouldn't it make more sense for a recumbent
style that allowed the rider/recliner to lay on their front with the
head up front for uphill climbs?? It would make for ****e-loads of fun
on the decline!! Woohoo!

--
Bean

Remove "yourfinger" before replying

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:26:15 +1000
Bean Long wrote:

I've often wondered how 'bent riders (or is it recliners?) get a bit of
extra ooomph in a climb. Wouldn't it make more sense for a recumbent

Usually by pushing like hell against the seat, but this pull on the
bars thing works for me.

I suspect it would be easier for those with praying hamster bars as I
have to move my hands close to the stem to have the pull work
properly.

style that allowed the rider/recliner to lay on their front with the
head up front for uphill climbs?? It would make for ****e-loads of fun
on the decline!! Woohoo!

Yeah, but working out when to activate the mechanism that flips you
over could be a problem.....

Oh! you mean always head first? I think you'd need a camera and
screen to see where you are going.

(I dunno which way up you are makes any difference for climbing. Note
I am so far successfully resisting comments about blokes always
wanting to be on top)

Zebee

"Zebee Johnstone" wrote:
I read on a 'bent forum the other day that one thing that made
climbing easier was 'closed hip angle'.

snip

The third is a method someone on the same forum described a while back.
Where I grab the bars and pull myself forward, bracing the upper body as
I pedal. This seems to make it easier to put more legmuscle into the
spinning than lying back does.

Yes, that would be very much like the position of a roadie climbing who
reaches forward on the hoods or front of the drops to climb, or a MTBer
reaching forward on the barends. Bending forward more is supposed to bring
the gluteous muscles into play to help you climb better, enabling you to
pedal more of a circle by pulling back on the bottom of the pedal stroke.

Om the other hand, I get puffed more
quickly - not sure if that's from doing more work, or compressing the
diaphragm some.

Seems that #3 is this "closed hip angle" but damnfino what the
mechanism is, what the body mechanics are. Anyone got any ideas?

This article by Emma Colson is a good one for an overall look at pedalling:
http://www.topbike.com.au/pdfs/colso...ly_aug2002.pdf

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 3 Jul 2006 22:59:56 +1000
Peter Signorini wrote:

This article by Emma Colson is a good one for an overall look at pedalling:
http://www.topbike.com.au/pdfs/colso...ly_aug2002.pdf

INteresting.

Someone told me about the "scrape it off your shoe" idea, and it
certainly works.

As I have trouble co-ordinating enough to walk and chew gum at the
same time it never occurred to me to think about pulling up as well as
pushing down, my brain would have overloaded.

On the other hand, I think I need to slide the seat forward a tiny
fraction so I can tell more easily if I'm rocking the hips.

Zebee