scottfsmith

I used to stand a lot, but once I got a power meter I realized I could put out just as many watts sitting down, with less effort. I knew that in theory before, but the power meter was putting the facts in my face.

Now I still stand a lot, but rarely for more than half a minute or so at a time. For acceleration boosts, butt breaks, hill cresting, ultra-steep hills, etc. A hill has to be above ~15% for me to need to stand, if I get back on the seat I can mash really well sitting down at a slow RPM.

It takes a lot of practice to get efficient at stand-up pedaling; if you get the right rhythm going it is much more efficient. Watch a guy like Julian Alaphilippe to see supreme stand-up pedaling form... truly dancing on the pedals.

deacon mark

I think my runner's dystonia effects my ability to stand and pedal for great lengths. I cannot run because my brain no longer can find a running form or rhythm. All the muscles and joints are fine it just the brain losses the ability to fire them correctly. It is not a huge deal for a 60 year old cyclist I am consider pretty strong rider I can go and go. I just cannot stand for lengths of time at least and keep pedaling forward. My legs sort of lock up and I have to sit back down and then re-adjust. Sometimes I do really well but I cannot imagine pedaling for a mile constantly standing up. Sitting I am find and can crank things out but probably because aerobically I am in very good shape.

If I have to climb a really step hill and have to stand I get worried that standing my legs will suddenly stop working right and lock up then I would fall over. Again related to the fact I can push forward and balance running with my legs. I can walk fine but I do look a little stiff walking even. Sometimes I feel like I am cheating because I do all these crazy things to keep things in balance. If you have dystonia or know what it is it makes sense. I feel blessed that I can cycle fine and it takes the place of running but some spill over in effects.

MinnMan

I know a guy (my age, but more of a beast than I ever was) who snapped a seat post midway through a gravel/single track event of about 100 miles. He rode the second half of the event standing.

I HAVE to stand periodically. If I don't, things hurt. On the trainer, I try to stand for 1-2 minutes out of every 10.

But I couldn't do 50 miles standing without break. No way.

blacknbluebikes 

two words: Alberto Contador

VegasJen

This is what I do. Except for the steepest hills, I go to the highest gear on my bike. But I'm not really pedalling that hard. It's more like a slow jog, just letting my body weight do the work.

yannisg

I have certain uphill sections that I use to ride standing. As I get older I cannot complete those sections anymore, but still try to do as much as I can. I used to ride standing up some short steep sections intensively until last summer, but I have cut those out. My cardiologist keeps telling I should avoid riding in the reds every time I go for an ultrasound test. I listen, but usually don't follow his advice. Maybe, its a mistake on my part.
I monitor my standing time per ride, and for a 3 hr ride my total standing time is about 20 min

Bob Ross

You're doing it wrong.


I'm only half-joking; the trick [sic] to maximizing efficiency when pedaling standing is to use the pedals to support your body weight, not your muscles...and to use gravity to allow your body weight to turn the pedals. Those guys in the pro peleton who are "dancing on the pedals" are actually falling on the pedals, letting their body weight push each downstroke rather than their muscles. As John said

ofajen

I have more thoughts on this stuff that I will try to share at some point.

For the moment, I’d suggest the following article by Keith Bontrager to start getting your thoughts around cycling positions, how we move our center of gravity and how we manage to provide the necessary opposing forces to stay balanced while using a variety of seated and standing positions. Bear with him, this article also covers topics relating to bike fit, fore-aft saddle position and frame geometry.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/kops.html

Otto

OldTryGuy

1ST -- There was a rider this year in the 167 mile 1 day Cross Fl. Ride---- https://spacecoastfreewheelers.com/xfl/ ----on a no saddle bike.

2nd -- 1 mile into 12mph standing while in 53/12 today. Both knees are overdue for replacement *bone on bone* plus left AND right shoulders have not recovered from minor rotator tears, Left was on July 4th and right was 2 months earlier.

3rd -- I put up with the pain even though it is depressing knowing that a few years ago I was on top of my bicycling abilities but thanks to Prostate Cancer, surgical castration and ongoing treatment everyday I wake up feeling like crap but I will continue to push through until I am unable to mount my bikes.

4th -- age is 71years 5 months and 5 days

Biker395 

I alternate sitting an standing. Standing is a good way to rest the lungs and the back, and if done properly, is not all that stressful.

The key is to find a gear that allows you to go a constant speed by simply placing your weight on the pedals, like a stair stepper. Once you get he hang of it, standing up is a great option.

ofajen

Well understood. I’m referring to the additional load of internal work required to maintain balance in a standing position. Analogous to the fact that it takes a bit more exertion to stand than to sit (when not biking).

I don’t have a link to measurements at hand, but I have read discussions that suggest a typical overhead of no more than 5-7% for standing vs seated riding.

Otto

Calsun

It is very different riding on trails with a mountain bike and riding on roads with a bike. Standing takes more energy overall but is necessary when I lack the leg strength or the gears to stay in the saddle. It is the ability to sit and grind up a steep grade that drives my preference for drop bars on road bikes.

Gears have gotten far lower with bikes manufactured in the past 20 years and so less of a problem to have a low enough gear and more a problem of technique.

Skullo 

I have a friend back in the Midwest who rides a bike with no saddle for over twenty years now. I met him on my first century back in 04.
He now has a custom carbon bike.
It has a 60 tooth big ring unless he has gone bigger.
He rides RAGBRAI every year.
Here he is with a frame pump on top and panniers full of tools , tubes and parts to help people with flats n mechanicals.

I have ridden with him and if he decides to hammer ,you might just get dropped.

Carbonfiberboy 

Well not really. Watch a pro climbing OOS. The butt hardly goes up and down at all, so it is the leg extension that's doing the work::


OTOH your point about the weight distribution is well taken. Weight on the hands robs power because you're taking some of your aerobic potential and using it for upper back, shoulder, and arm muscles which should be almost completely resting. You want to move your weight back over the BB, the backs of your thighs just touching the saddle horn, If anything, you want to be pulling up slightly on the bars so as to put a little more pressure on the pedals, plus rocking the bike slightly.

Another thing which folks find difficult is simply turning the pedals over. When in the saddle, you have the friction there to push and pull against so as to move the pedals through top and bottom dead center. Standing, you have to work the two legs against each other at top and bottom to keep pressure on the pedals. This is going to involve actively lifting the leg on the back stroke so you can then push the pedal over the top. Most runners can pedal very easily and efficiently OOS because they are used to lifting their back ley as part of their stride. Many riders rely on the downstroke to push the back leg up. Not helpful.

ofajen

Interesting. I actively think about similar running motions when I’m OOS on a really steep section on my SS MTB. In particular pulling the foot through the bottom of the pedal stroke and back as it starts to come up. It really seems to help. In fact it actually feels about like I’m running up the hill only faster.

Otto

TomM

Sometimes I have a need to pass gas while cycling and can’t do it sitting down.

big john

[QUOTE=Skullo;22342523]I have a friend back in the Midwest who rides a bike with no saddle for over twenty years now. I met him on my first century back in 04.
He now has a custom carbon bike.
It has a 60 tooth big ring unless he has gone bigger.
He rides RAGBRAI every year.
Here he is with a frame pump on top and panniers full of tools , tubes and parts to help people with flats n mechanicals.

I have ridden with him and if he decides to hammer ,you might just get dropped.
/QUOTE]
I have ridden with a guy who rides an ElliptiGO. He can out climb me on a steep climb (no big deal). They also make standing bikes.
ElliptiGO® 11R | ElliptiGO

zandoval 

Yep... It seems to be in direct proportion to standing up from low seated chairs and old back injuries. I have to force myself to pedal standing, but in the old days a seat was optional... Ha

That said, yes, you do expend more energy standing on those pedals. But what pleasure to mash down on those pedals and kick those wheels forward whether up hill or on your final approach. Yep... Standing on those pedals was a pleasure as ya moved forward and squashed those chasing you like BUGS!!!

Now days... Well... At least I have a comfortable seat... Meow...

Also: I saw a guy in a Recumbent mashing his pedals. The only thing touching his chair/seat was his very upper back and he was moving!

spelger

just be careful you don't get more than you bargain for.

ofajen

In addition to the elliptical and circular motion standing bikes, the third variety I’ve heard of is the teardrop motion of the Cyclete. https://cyclete.com/

A friend of mine who is very tall (about 6’11” or so) used to run, then was walking and now I see him on our trails on what appears to be an elliptical.I think it’s an ElliptiGo but can’t recall for sure. As you might imagine, he’s not very aerodynamic on a standing bike.

I get the impression that most people prefer the elliptical or teardrop motion over circular if they are going for a pure standing bike. Pretty sure I would, too. I use our elliptical machine at home for bad weather training.

Otto

big john

I would think standing straight up is an aerodynamic disadvantage and it seems descending a twisty mountain road in that position would be dicey. I have seen this guy do it, though. He also told me his ElliptiGO is over 40 pounds, but he is very lean and fit.

Warren128

BITD many of us learned how to ride standing in order to ride the hills here in SF when our lowest gear was 42x24 (!).

Now, I'm 63, and most of my bikes are geared low enough to allow me to sit when riding up many of the same hills. But every so often, I need to climb something steeper, like > 15% or steeper (or when I'm riding on one of my higher geared bikes), and I resort to my old skill of standing up on these hills because I simply don't have a low enough gear. It's normal to use a lower cadence when standing, you have to find where your own balance is with regard to cadence, gearing, and position which will allow you to ride standing for a longer period of time.

steelbikeguy

yep, I was wondering if anyone was going to mention Dean.

He's been active in the Quad Cities Bike Club for quite a while. I see him and his bike on the Tour of the Mississippi River Valley now and then. He's fairly famous for his bike and his technique. A couple of years ago, someone actually stole his bike when he was out running errands or something. I think the thief brought the bike into a bike shop, when the bike was quickly recognized and returned to Dean.

Steve in Peoria

Skullo 

Yes I am from the Quad Cities and still belong to the bike club . I used to do the TOMRV when I lived there.The second day was killer after the first wore me down , but still a good time.

Speedway2

.....I was told a long time ago to never "trust a phart" and that they are not supposed to be "lumpy"