teebox

Ok, back into riding seriously earlier this summer. Had a hybrid bike, upgraded to really nice comfort bike and also purchased Felt road bike. Issue and question: I seem to have a hard time standing up and pedaling on the Felt. Did this all the time as a kid and never gave it a second thought, at 56 yrs old, and yes probably has a lot to do with it, just can't seem to get up in the pedals like I used to.

Clipped in Shimano pedals so not worried much about slippage and do not feel a need to do it all the time but at times I can see where this skill or ability would be helpful.

So questions: how many 50+ stand up to pedal? when do you do it, going uphill, etc? is it necessary to relearn this skill at 56? Interested in hearing peoples opinions and thoughts.

Thank you.

indyfabz

You have me confused by the use of the term "skill." Is there something about the mechanics of standing that you are having a problem with or is it you don't have the physical strength or whatever to do it?


And FWIW, I am 52 and have no problem standing and pedaling. I usually reserve it for tough hills, but I also stand and pedal for butt breaks. I will even occasionally stand and pedal while riding a fully loaded bike during tours. Just finished a 9-day, 545 mile tour across PA on Sunday where I stood and pedaled on occasion.

tyrion

I'm in late 50s and have worn out knees, and I have super low gearing so I never really have to stand up, but I do sometimes. On steep hills I like to start off in a medium-low gear and begin the hill standing up, then drop to low gear and continue seated. When "attacking" hills I try to have a gearing plan and get in the right gear to start the hill (middle chainring), then the gear drop is accomplished just with the front derailleur dropping into the granny gear. Your gearing plan would depend on your bikes gearing setup.

On long flat rides, often I'll put it high gear and stand up for a bit just to stretch out and use different muscles.

JanMM

You should be able to work towards being able to stand while cycling on single bikes.
I used to sometimes get up out of the saddle (road and hybrid) but in recent years, since switching to recumbent bikes, have not been able to stand up while riding.
In the decade during which my stoker and I rode an upright KHS tandem, we never developed the ability to stand, and now, on our 'bent tandem, no way, Jose.

WNCGoater

You don't mention specifically what the issue is with standing. Knee pain, balance issue, no strength?

I stand occasionally, especially if I want to sprint over a hill without dropping gears. Also when climbing, if it is a long climb, I'll drop a few gears and stand up, just to bring other muscle groups into play. I sometimes stand on flat rides as tyrion mentioned above, to stretch and use different muscles. But that's it. I could ride for miles on my mtn bike out of the saddle. No way with my road bike.

Standing on my mountain bike is easier than my road bike . On my road bike, it is easier to stand with my hands on the hoods rather than in the drops. I guess I'm more upright on the mtn bike and more upright on the hoods than the drops on the road bike. Also, after two knee surgeries for torn meniscus, it is easier for me to stand up when powering the pedals, but not to just spin or maintain speed while standing. If I try that my knees almost collapse if that makes sense.
Maybe you're just not comfortable enough yet on the road bike.

steelbikeguy

I'm in my late 50's and often stand to climb (depending on circumstances, etc). I've been riding consistently for decades, though. Perhaps the OP's issue is core muscle strength? It takes a bit of strength in the torso and arms to keep the body under control while standing.


Steve in Peoria

OldTryGuy

teebox.......So questions:

how many 50+ stand up to pedal?

I'm 67 and just did plenty of standing during Sunday's 100+ mile Six Gap Century with 11,000' of climbing----- CycleNorthGeorgia.com Home of the Six Gap Century -----especially on the 7 mile Hogpen climb.

Also included standing during my 307 miles in 22 hours at this past February's Bike Sebring 12/24 Hour for stretching and alternate muscle usage.

when do you do it, going uphill, etc?

I live in SW FL where 100 mile rides only have 100' of climbing so I intentionally stand throughout my rides in the 53/12 for up to 3 miles at a time and even better when it is done into a head wind. These workouts help immensely when eventually ride up hill.

is it necessary to relearn this skill at 56?

IMO, just do it and learn what is best and most comfortable for yourself. Grabbing the hoods or tops or drops all depends on flexibility and strength.

Keep in mind that at 52yo besides being older and less flexible, you are most likely BIGGER and HEAVIER making riding more challenging.

berner

If you wish to learn to play the violin, practice. If you wish to play the violin well, practice a lot. To stand to pedal a bike, stand to pedal then do it some more. This is a no fail technique.

caloso

All the time. I will do hill intervals where I'll alternate standing and sitting each time up. I also try to do form sprints at the end of each training ride, no matter what. These also involve getting out of the saddle, but you're in the drops and keeping your torso low over the top tube.

How do you get better at it? Same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

Doohickie

I had trouble standing up as well until I got my single speed bike. I only had two options: Standing or sitting, and for climbing hills sitting doesn't work too well.

One thing that may help is to concentrate on keeping the bike on the straightest path possible- keep a firm upper body. Spaghetti arms will get you in trouble.

big john

I'm 63 and over 200 pounds and I stand when climbing sometimes and when starting from a stoplight.
It gets easier the more you do it, but some bikes are easier than others to stand on.


Some people have an easier time of it, as well. I rode about 10 miles with a local pro and I was pushing to keep the speed up (so as to not look too slow) and he stood up the whole time,chatting, checking traffic, etc.
I climbed a 9 mile canyon with a friend and he stood up all the way up. I can't do that.

DiabloScott

I stand up either for a little extra power on the steep parts, or just to give my butt a break on my 90 minute climbs.

The guy in front of me:

wphamilton

I commute with a fixed gear, pretty heavy, so I need to stand up on all of the larger hills. It's mainly a matter of practice and strengthening, and then you get the hang of it.

Altair 4

I stand to make some climbs, to rest my butt, or to get a jump on acceleration from stop lights. Oh, and also to catch up with my kid when we ride together.

Iride01 

Like others, I find that I only stand up when I run out of a lower gear on very steep hills. It's the last thing I do before completely coming to a stop and walk to where the grade is less. Last time I did that was on a 10 percent grade with my old seven speed. I'm hoping the gears on my new bike will get me up it. Have not had time to ride over there to try it yet.

While I used to stand up a lot as a kid, I also was a "lugger" or "masher" and pedaled in way to high a gear at slow cadences. Now that I can spin at a constant 85 to 95 rpm for hours, I find little need to get out of the saddle other than to tug on my shorts. Standing is more tiring for me.

CliffordK

I find standing while riding comfortable. I'll stand both on hills, as well as periodically while riding.

I've been changing the cadence over the last few years, so perhaps standing less, but I still like to do it.

RockiesDad

I'm 60yrs and can stand anytime I want, ie. accelerating at stoplights, stretching my back, going up hills etc. Being in the right gear helps too...

_ForceD_

I agree with teebox. I'm 56 too, been riding for nearly 40 years, never really had a problem with standing on the pedals to climb. But suddenly this year it just seems more difficult/uncomfortable/fatiguing. I feel it in my ankles, knees, and hips.

Dan

qcpmsame 

It took a bit before I was as comfortable standing to pedal as when I was still riding a great deal. Balance issues were making me uncomfortable if I stood and really cranked away, say to get that extra bit of push near the top of a hill. With time (mileage built up) and getting things sorted with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, its not even a thought about being problematic to stand up and crank away. As said above, practice and actual riding time will bring the skills back, just don’t expect everything to be as easy as when you were younger, it ain’t.

Bill

Cyclist0108

I found it was the hardest thing to do after breaking my ankle; it took about 3 years of recovery before I could really stand up and hammer up a hill. At one point, they threatened to toss me out of physical therapy for trying to do it on the stationary bikes, as apparently I was emitting too many cries of agony, and it was unnerving to the other inmates. But now I can do it without issue.

If you can't, it is no big deal. I can't do it on a fully loaded bike very easily. But if you climb a lot of hills, you might have to compensate with some lower gearing. I did. (46/30T in the front, and an 11-34 or 11-36 in the back).

The other thing I found is that unless you are going up an 18% grade, it sometimes pays to shift up to a higher gear when standing.

canklecat

Finding the right balance is a challenge and varies with each bike.

My comfort hybrid is tough for standing to pedal. The original riser bar and stem are so high it's difficult to put weight forward onto the bars, and it's more like doing pull ups. When I replaced the original riser bar with a flat bar the balance was much better.

My flat bar hybrid is the easier to stand and pedal from. Well balanced overall.

The road bike I got in June was difficult, mostly because I hadn't ridden a drop bar bike in more than 30 years and it took awhile to regain that balance. With some practice I got the hang of it again and stand to pedal fairly regularly, at least for a few seconds at a time. Thirty seconds is about the longest I can stand to pedal before my legs are burning. I just need to keep working at it.

Helps to get up to speed quickly. Sometimes it helps on hills, although in a head wind the larger frontal area thwarts any speed gains, so mostly it's a relief from sitting too long.

teebox

Thank you all for the replies... to clarify, I can stand while riding, no problem, do it off and on during longer rides... standing and pedaling seems to be much more the issue... now understand I am 5'7" 245lbs so stocky build....LOL... will work on it...

BigAura

Get yourself a fixed-gear bike and you'll learn in no time.

wphamilton

I might have sounded dismissive or flippant in my answer, but I know what it feels like to have the balance off or not accessing the skill somehow. I ride through the winters but not very hard, not out of the saddle (until I got a fixed gear). Come Spring and I want to stand and sprint up a small hill that I like, and I was shocked by what happened. Weaving - hard veering - out of balance and it felt like something was wrong with the cranks. It happened two years in a row, it actually is a problem and there is a skill to it even though we take it for granted. Fortunately it only lasted once or twice - it's a matter of balance and coordination and we really do get the hang of it quickly.

My suggestion is to ease into it, at first just a few pedal strokes and not hard ones. And then build up from there.

Flip Flop Rider

stand all the time when riding uphill. If it's flat, switch to a massive gear and stand then too

gives your behind a break, and engages your upper body more (at least it seems that way to me)

no way I could sit for 2-3 hours and pedal, wouldn't want to

just practice it, and it will become second nature