standing while going uphill on a bike (Page 2)

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2012-01-10 10:59 PM
in reply to: #3982875


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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike
runk8run - 2012-01-10 7:45 PM

Another question: in "Going Long", Friel says that riders with less than 2 pounds of body weight for every inch of height climb better out of the saddle, while those with more than 2-3 pounds of weight for every inch of height climb more effectively seated.

Any thoughts, anyone ever tested this?

FWIW, I have about 2.1 pounds for every inch of height, so I guess I can pick and choose! But I have muscular thunder thighs so maybe that makes a difference somewhere.

I have no idea why this type of statement would be true and I have a lot of respect for Friel.  I am nowhere less than 2 lbs per inch.  

2012-01-11 7:00 AM
in reply to: #3982308

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Master
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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike
Would hate to use my biking as an example of anything, but....I am a decent hill climber relative to my other abilities on a bike, though that isn't saying much. I'm 5'7 1/2" and 115-120 pounds, so well under the 2 pounds per inch rule. Similar wiry build to Herrera (the skinny dude pictured earlier), if he were female. My natural tendency is to stand up a lot on a steep climb, esp. toward the end or in the hardest parts. I can also climb well not getting out of the saddle but it doesn't feel as comfortable. I can keep up with big, strong-looking guys on a nasty hill.....until we head down!

Edited by Hot Runner 2012-01-11 7:08 AM
2012-01-11 7:11 AM
in reply to: #3983135

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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike
colinphillips - 2012-01-10 11:24 PM
runk8run - 2012-01-10 8:45 PM

Another question: in "Going Long", Friel says that riders with less than 2 pounds of body weight for every inch of height climb better out of the saddle, while those with more than 2-3 pounds of weight for every inch of height climb more effectively seated.

Any thoughts, anyone ever tested this?

FWIW, I have about 2.1 pounds for every inch of height, so I guess I can pick and choose! But I have muscular thunder thighs so maybe that makes a difference somewhere.

One should take a formula like this with a grain of salt, as it shouldn't be reliable across a wide range of heights. Weight should scale roughly with the cube of height, so 2 lbs/inch is harder to attain the taller you get.

To take this to extremes, newborn infants are often around 20 inches long, but anything more than 0.5 lbs/inch is quite heavy. And a 7-foot (84") basketball player who weighed only 168 lbs would be severely underweight (Kevin Garnett is listed at 253lbs at 6'11").

As for the original question, I rarely stand, and generally pass a lot of people on climbs while sitting down (at around 2.25 lb/inch). At 10-15% I prefer to stay seated, but around 20% I'd likely want to stand up. (And if that 20% lasts for more than a short while, then I'll fall off.)

I don't think he's saying that anyone SHOULD or SHOULD NOT be 2 lbs per inch of height. He equates it to smaller riders vs. bigger riders (which I'm assuming would mean tall as well, and/or muscular), and I'm assuming it has something to do with how much return you get out of standing. If you're smaller, maybe it does help to stand because you can put more of your body weight into powering up the hill. If you're not as small, you can power more effectively while seated....plus, the bigger you are, the more effort it takes to keep yourself standing, so a bit of a diminishing return there.

In theory it makes sense. Just wondered what people have experienced in practice.

2012-01-11 9:28 AM
in reply to: #3982308

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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike

The more standard number of weight per inch of height is approximately 10 lbs / extra inch. (This has nothing to do with climbing, just comparing height per weight ,roughly.)

 

This is why with Friel's 'formula', taller guys end up having to be so freakishly thin to fit it. There's no way that you can use 2lbs / inch as a standard across a range of heights from 4 to 7 feet. 

 



Edited by agarose2000 2012-01-11 9:29 AM
2012-01-11 9:43 AM
in reply to: #3983757

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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike
agarose2000 - 2012-01-11 10:28 AM

The more standard number of weight per inch of height is approximately 10 lbs / extra inch. (This has nothing to do with climbing, just comparing height per weight ,roughly.)

 

This is why with Friel's 'formula', taller guys end up having to be so freakishly thin to fit it. There's no way that you can use 2lbs / inch as a standard across a range of heights from 4 to 7 feet. 

 

 

This is what I always heard as a rough rule - 100 pounds for first 60 inches then 5-10 pounds per inch after that

2012-01-11 10:19 AM
in reply to: #3983784

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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike
TriToy - 2012-01-11 10:43 AM
agarose2000 - 2012-01-11 10:28 AM

The more standard number of weight per inch of height is approximately 10 lbs / extra inch. (This has nothing to do with climbing, just comparing height per weight ,roughly.)

 

This is why with Friel's 'formula', taller guys end up having to be so freakishly thin to fit it. There's no way that you can use 2lbs / inch as a standard across a range of heights from 4 to 7 feet. 

 

 

This is what I always heard as a rough rule - 100 pounds for first 60 inches then 5-10 pounds per inch after that

Again, I don't think Friel is saying that anyone SHOULD fit that formula, just that if you DO (either because you're tall and freakishly thin, or you're shorter and...less freakish?), you get more out of standing on a climb than those who don't.

2012-01-11 10:27 AM
in reply to: #3982308

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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike
I'd quit worrying about a formula that may or may not make any sense, and just go ride. Learn how to make things work best for you.
2012-01-11 10:41 AM
in reply to: #3983885

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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike

brigby1 - 2012-01-11 11:27 AM I'd quit worrying about a formula that may or may not make any sense, and just go ride. Learn how to make things work best for you.

I'm not worried, was just asking out of curiosity while we were on the subject. Like I said, I fit in between the two examples anyway.

2012-01-11 11:26 AM
in reply to: #3982875

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Subject: RE: standing while going uphill on a bike
runk8run - 2012-01-10 5:45 PM

Another question: in "Going Long", Friel says that riders with less than 2 pounds of body weight for every inch of height climb better out of the saddle, while those with more than 2-3 pounds of weight for every inch of height climb more effectively seated.

Any thoughts, anyone ever tested this?

FWIW, I have about 2.1 pounds for every inch of height, so I guess I can pick and choose! But I have muscular thunder thighs so maybe that makes a difference somewhere.

I'm 6'2" / 150lb give or take.  So right around that 2lb number.  I agree that's more of a guideline than a "formula".  It's ridiculous when you look at very tall folks.

I'm not freakishly thin though - just don't have anything extra .  I can even think of a couple pros over 6 feet tall who fit that number.

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