[Dirt rider]

many times it is mentioned in magiznes that one should stay seated while climbing. why is that? Do you get the same power and efficentcy (sp) seated as you do standing?

is there situations where it is better to stand such as sprinting?

 

[Heidi]

The best method is alternating so that you give different muscles a rest. I do a majority of my climbing seated but I will stand periodically to give my butt a break and to use different muscles. When my leg speed drops, I can stand, pedal faster and continue on.

 

[indieboy]

depends from person to person, some ppl can climb some reallllllly steep **** standing. but you general conserve a lot of energy staying seated why you climb. you want to move aroudn like heidi said, shifting your weight back n fourth on your saddle depending on the situation to keep some what equal traction between both front and rear tires. for steeper climbs you will want to go to the nose of the saddle to keep the front wheel down. i seat on the nose or hover above it depending how what i need to do to get up the climb. i try to stay seat most of the time if it's a long climb but most of the climbs out here are short bursts so i can get out of the saddle and just jam on the pedals...

 

[NRSracer]

if the terrain is loose(enough to let the tire slip) it gelps a little to stay seated.

 

[JMAC]

I stay seated almost all the time because you really don't go faster standing.
I will however on very technicle climbs with big boulder and drop offs you have to go up stand for little sperts of power to hop my way up through stuff most people run up.

 

[WoodyUpstate]

There are 3 reasons to get out of the saddle:

1) You have no more gears and still need more power.

2) Your sit-and-spin muscles are tiring and you need to bring new muscle groups into play.

3) To sprint.

Standing, in general, uses more energy than in saddle riding.

However, traction is frequently a problem. On the steepest trails standing is impossible as the rear wheel will spin loose. Also, you can spin more smoothly while seated, again helping efficiency and traction.

 

[LostBoyScout]

This is why seated is better than standing.

1. When standing, you are using some of your energy to hold your body weight up. With you legs bent from pedalling, it's the muscle doing this.

2. You can't pedal as smoothly, since your weight is coming down on the pedals instead of using your joints to pedal circles.

3. It is less easy to control where your weight is.

 

[EBasil]

When I have "no more", am ready to fall over, or need to get up and over a crown or steep spot, I get up out of the saddle and with the ability to move weight forward and lever the bar ends, crank over it (or crash & burn, but never complain much).

Also, if one of my half-wheeling bastard friends lets off for a second, I leap out of the saddle, jump around them and them sit back down.