Do you stand when you should be sitting?

Footie

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 16, 2007
549
10
Cornwall. PL27
The only time I stand on the pedals is when taking off from a standing start - when I'm in too high a gear (forgot to change down). I never stand up while cycling up hill - no point, as it wastes energy.

Here's what Sheldon Brown had to say about standing up while cycling;
Standing on a Bicycle

Here's what Ken Kifer had to say about cycling up hills;
How to Climb a Hill on a Bicycle

So what about the forum members, are you energy wasters or conservers?
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
There are arguments for both techniques, but on most electric assist bikes it shouldn't be necessary to stand for a hill except possibly one so extreme that it's low climb speed means no gear is low enough. This could also apply on the odd single speed e-bike.

The only e-bike I've ever stood for is the original eZee Torq on steep hills, since this bike as standard was notoriously overgeared, both for rider and motor.
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watkin5

Pedelecer
Feb 4, 2009
39
2
Bucks
So what about the forum members, are you energy wasters or conservers?
I don't stand for the hill on my way home from work. I do occasionally stand to get through a road junction quickly.
(My bike clicks when I stand on the pedals, which make me think it isn't liking it.)
 

Barnowl

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 18, 2008
954
1
I don't stand on the pedal going up hill at all.
I often stand on the pedal on rough ground or pavement etc. It's to get my bum off the seat.
 

stranger

Pedelecer
Feb 7, 2009
103
0
New Forest. Hants.
WHAT? You mean--STAND UP and PEDAL--all at the same time? :eek:

No.

If I can't do it from a sitting position then I'm afraid I revert to 'get off and push.' Although SO far, I haven't had to do this since taking up with the e-bike.

We may not be flash and we may be a trifle 'out of date'--but we can get where we want to go without any unseemly 'bottom waggling'.

Slow and steady is our watchword.
 

carpetbagger

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 20, 2007
744
18
blackburn
i have never stood up on an ebike,but i remember once a long time ago i did on a racing style bike and the chain came off.......it hurt....:eek:
 

Tonyo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Followed a serious cyclist today, he was clad in lycra and standing on his pedals from time to time. It was a novel but enjoyablefeeling keeping pace with him whilst sedately pedalling in a seated position wearing my work clothes and £8 Lidl cycling jacket.

I did not have the heart to overtake him!!

Tony
 

wibble

Pedelecer
Aug 9, 2008
178
0
I sometimes stand. I try to let my weight and gravity do all the work, rather than using raw muscle power.

I also feel silly sitting down, switching to a low gear and pedaling like a deranged hamster and only moving at walking speed. I'd rather get off and push before doing that.

Thankfully there's only a few hills in my area that need me to stand.
 

Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
I saw a guy trying to ride off the ferry this morning standing on his pedals, there was a horrible grinding noise and he went down a bit too quick. I saw his other foot hit the ground and fortunately he didn't fall any further than his crossbar. :eek: I think his chain just slipped a few teeth but I didn't hang around to find out.
I sometimes stand. I try to let my weight and gravity do all the work, rather than using raw muscle power.
That doesn't make much sense to me, if you aren't using raw muscle power to stand up then how do you manage it?
 

wibble

Pedelecer
Aug 9, 2008
178
0
I
That doesn't make much sense to me, if you aren't using raw muscle power to stand up then how do you manage it?
Well when standing up on the pedals you're still using your muscles, but a lot of the force is coming from your body weight. It's kinda like crushing a can under your foot, you just lean your weight over and the can beneath squishes. But if you were to sit back in a chair and try to crush the can under your foot then it would obviously be more difficult because you're relying solely on your leg muscle.

But you know this! :)
 

Patrick

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 9, 2009
303
1
Well when standing up on the pedals you're still using your muscles, but a lot of the force is coming from your body weight. It's kinda like crushing a can under your foot, you just lean your weight over and the can beneath squishes. But if you were to sit back in a chair and try to crush the can under your foot then it would obviously be more difficult because you're relying solely on your leg muscle.

But you know this! :)
When you stand to pedal you're using your muscles to lift your entire body weight, it's like your trying to climb a ladder but each time you go up a rung the ladder sinks down a rung. You're constanly lifting yourself up to push the bike along, so although you're not using your muscles to move the pedals down you are using a lot of muscle power to heave your body into a position where gravity can take over.

The difference between sitting and standing to pedal is like the diference between sitting to crush 50 paper cups underfoot or standing to crush 10 cans.

Patrick
 

stokepa31_mk2

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 7, 2008
381
0
never on my kalkhoff but occasionally on my torq 2. My non electric is another matter but I would argue that weighing 20st makes out of the seat riding more efficient. I feel a lot less knackered climbing this way but then that is a product of having legs like oaks and the lungs of a sparrow:)
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Even the best of the professionals stand briefly on occasions, such as for a quick acceleration to an optimal speed for a given climb.

The difference is mainly that the arm muscles are also brought into more effective play, adding to the downward exertion, though the degree of this varies with the handlebars and how well the bike is fitted to the rider.
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The Maestro

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2008
296
0
Standing lets you apply much more power and leverage at those moments when you need it i'm sure of it.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Standing lets you apply much more power and leverage at those moments when you need it i'm sure of it.
Quite right. Watch the closing 100 metres or so of any road race stage such as those in the Tour de France and you'll see the top teams sprinters standing up on the pedals using the entire muscle set on each side of the body in turn, wrenching the bikes from side to side in a rocking motion to get the maximum effort into every stroke. The acceleration they achieve in an effort to be first across the line is phenomenal. No-one sitting on a saddle would stand a chance against them.
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
The question is: do you ever really need it? You could slow down or get off and push. :D

Patrick
Only rarely on an e-bike it's true, but pushing a heavy e-bike up a hill which is too steep to ride can be even more hard work than riding it if it hasn't got an operative throttle. That's why BikeTech created the "walk alongside" throttle for the Panasonic unit, so the bike could push it's own weight while the owner walked alongside.
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