Cot Du Trent

When I ride in my group, or even on my own, I find I stand to pedal only when it seems absolutely necessary. For instance, on a group ride coming out of a corner (at least that's how it is for mine. It seems like once you start to leave the corner it's a bum-rush for everyone to accelerate enough to stay with the group) I'll stand. However, if the group starts to surge on a straightaway of sorts, I won't stand, just sit and push harder. I notice lots of others standing though, so it makes me wonder. I'm sure a lot of you will say its personal preference, which is fine, I just want to hear it from the Bike Forums gods.

terrymorse 

I say stand every few minutes, if only just for a few seconds at a time. It's a good break to stretch out the back, use your leg muscles differently, and to let the blood flow back into the saddle contact area.

When climbing, it's even more important to stand periodically. There's more weight on the saddle, and the legs, glutes, and back are working harder. Standing gives everything a break.

But if you can keep up with group surges without standing, more power to you.

munkyv22

I stand in the following conditions.

1. Steep climb.
2. Sprint.
3. I feel like standing for a bit.

msheron

Different schools of thought from what I have read and gathered. Troy Jacobsen states to remain seated as long as you can then stand. I stand for short periods of time on steep climbs and sometimes on flats to stretch out the back.

I think it really depends on what your most comfortable with and your cycling ability.

FIVE ONE SIX

except your legs...

i stand every 15 minutes or so, right after i drink, to get the blood flowing. i also stand when i'm almost at the peak of a climb and when i sprint. just remember, you use about 15% more energy when you're out of the saddle...

msheron

+1

e78990

Standing will cause knee injuries if done too much too often...
I stay on the saddle as much as possible and will stand ONLY on very steep climbs.

munkyv22

And the peer reviewed journal verifying your claim?

SBSpartan

Good call.

LA seemed to stand TONS when climbing and he just ran a marathon so I am guessing his knees are ok.

FIVE ONE SIX

this is kind of true, but as far as i know it only happens when you push too hard against too much resistance, and it would pertain to a spining more than road cycling...

if the instructor tells you to turn up the resistance, then get out of the saddle and run it out, they don't know what they're talking about. i've seen it happen in a spin class before. then again, the instructor was wearing sneakers and drinking coffee before that class, so i was pretty much under the impression that she didn't know what she was talking about from the start...

timmhaan

i like to stand and stretch my lower back about every 15-20 minutes.

yeamac 

Is #3 a polite way of saying "my nether region starts going numb?" If not, that would be #4 for me.

johnny99

Standing a lot can cause injury if you have weak legs. If you have strong muscles and tendons to protect your knees, you risk of injury is probably no worse than riding at the same speed while sitting.

The main advantages of standing:
1. can increase your speed (if you are fit)
2. gets your butt off the saddle to improve blood flow between your legs
3. lets you rest some muscles and use different ones

I think everyone will benefit from standing at least a little on long climbs (at least 1 minute every 20 minutes on a climb of 40 minutes or longer).

boyze

I stand when

- a babe enters the room
- I need another brew from the chiller and the lid won't get it
- the steak is done on the grill
- my mom needs a hand
- my wife has the look
- and when I need to do a quick acceleration to grab a wheel or take the sprint

gfrance

I'm one who actually prefers standing while climbing, regardless of steepness. I sit only to rest a bit. But, I have found, when riding in fast group rides, I can hang with the fastest only if I stay seated and crank hard and fast.
So, while I feel more comfortable standing, I lose speed in relation to others.

indygreg

I only stand when yelled at or when someone grabs my jersey.



In all seriousness, as a n00b I do not stand enough. I am working on being more comfy doing so.

munkyv22

I use a Toupe Saddle, so no more Sleepy Peepee for me. It's any reason to feel like standing. Sometimes I just get sick of sitting or want to give the ass a rest.

jburnsdo

that's a really good question, as I find that I'm almost exactly the same spot as the PM. I stand more in group rides just because I see everybody else standing, but a lot of the time the only time I stand is
A) Sprinting
B) I'm about to hit the wall on a climb.

I think T. Morse's advice is the way to go, though.

slowandsteady

That is ridiculous.

waterrockets 

Yeah, it sounds like you need to stand more. It's a much more powerful position.

Tip for the corners: downshift two cogs when you approach the corner (only one if you're near the front). Everyone is going to slow way down, and that means overgeared when they get out. You'll be able to accelerate much more easily from a lower gear. Leave it in the lower gear until you get up to 120rpm or more, sit back down, and shift. It's much less work this way.

Even better for the corners, be in the top 10 going into the corner -- much less of a slowdown.

bac

Bingo!

In training I try to sit more just to work my legs - although I feel more comfortable standing. However, you have to hav a mix, and everyone is different.

domestique

Pez had a really good article on the diff. between standing and sitting.

Sit or Stand: Tradeoffs in Efficiency?

summed up: "This means that, while standing is a bigger stress on our aerobic and cardiovascular system, it does not necessarily mean a decrease in efficiency itself. So standing is not going to disproportionately cost more energy to perform, when you factor in the greater power you are generating. Applying this information to the road, you are NOT “wasting” energy by standing."

OP, I personally rarely stand.... when I do it is only on steep climbs or when I'm bridging a gap/sprint.

aham23

stand? sit? whatever? i just find the phase "Sleepy Peepee" to be freakin hillarioius!! i must use it. later.

sogood

The risk there is that if you judge poorly, you reach the point where your legs get burned up and become stiff so badly that you can no longer stand. It's so much easier to alternate seat and standing before rigor mortis sets in.

mike9903

I have read somewhere that you should stand for a total of 20 minutes every hour that you are on the bike, I am not sure how true this is though.