When To Sit And When To Stand

Found this great article from Mountain Bike Action Magazine.

As soon as Gary Fisher rigged a multi-gear drivetrain on his Schwinn Excelsior and scaled Mount Tam, the debate began over whether it’s better to climb seated or standing. As a rule of thumb, climbing in the saddle is easier, while standing delivers more power at the cost of more effort. With today’s hooked-up componentry, though, the rule of thumb is no longer valid. Watch the pro peloton tackle a climb during a World Cup race and you’ll rarely see a racer out of the saddle. The modern climber is far better off pedaling up hills glued to the saddle. This raises the question: When is it proper to hammer out of the saddle and when should you resist the temptation?

WHEN TO SIT OR STAND?
There are still situations where standing is best. Refined climbers can smoothly alternate between standing and sitting without wasting a heart beat. Those who make the most of their climbing effort scale hills the quickest and last the longest. This is the MBA wrecking crew’s guide to assuming the position.

Sit: Approach the hill in the middle ring and select a gear that maintains a moderate, 70 to 80 rpm cadence. Hydrate at the bottom and before the aerobic effort becomes too extreme and breathing too heavy to sip fluid.

Shift early while seated: If you are running out of gears in the middle ring, shift early to the granny while still spinning a moderate cadence and apply light pedal pressure.

Assume the cosmic crunch: Move up on the nose of the saddle and crouch down over the handlebar with your head forward and the elbows low. Keep the rear wheel churning and move the upper body forward to keep the front wheel down.

Stand: On long, consistent grades, it is sometimes helpful to stand to relieve pressure off the back and to relax the legs by shifting the load to another muscle group. Select the next taller cog before standing.

Remain seated: Continue eying straight up the hill for the firmest packed and smoothest route. Steer around soft terrain and overly difficult sections. Relax and use gears to sustain the healthy pedal tempo.

Definitely stand: If you find yourself entering into a roller or moderate grade in the big ring at speed, rise out of the saddle, sprint and use speed to bring you up the rise. Back off the pedal pressure or sit before making chainring shifts.