pedaling technique during climbing

I try to remain seated for as much of the climb as possible.  I shift my weight back in my saddle and try to push "over the top" as much as possible.  When I get out of the saddle, it's usually because I've lost the necessary momentum to stay in the saddle so I stand up long enough to build the necessary momentum to sit down again.

Yes I agree high cadence is much easier than standing and going slowly up a hill. Stay seated as long as possible, and slide back on your sadle as it forces you to use your ham strings more and since they are not used as much in cycling they are usually fresher. Also I was taught opposite by my cycling coach, when your sitting that you should think about scrapping your shoe at the bottom of the stroke as this forces you yet again to use your ham's.
Colin

and now for something completly different....

if you watched the Tour last year, you must have seen the scrappy french kid, Thomas Vockler, slugging his way up those hills. He looked like a marionette on his bike, arms out and legs all crazy like. He did pretty damn good, and it looks like it works for him.....

High cadence to work your arobic system rather than pure muscle strength is important, more so the longer the climb. Also try mixing between standing and seated climbing. Your hr will go higher while standing but your able to apple more power, while seated try scooting back in the saddle, it allows to use your butt and calves more in the pedal stroke. As for the stroke itself most coaches recomend that you use the toe pointed down techique like you are trying to scrape something off your shoe at the bottom of the stroke. All this being said to be a better climber you must ride hills and ride them a lot.

get a few tour videos and try to find Robert Millar climbing.........wonderful technique....

rule one.....always pedal circles, regardless how you are feeling, concentrate on pushing the pedal over the top and scraping mud of your sole (those guys got it spot on)

my secret is to get your pedalling and breathing in a rythmn and to concentrate on holding a good cadence. Contrary to popular belief that your upper body should be motionless, I honestly think it comes down to the individual, some movement is ok as long as it helps you pedal at the correct cadence and climb faster with less overal effort. Also learn how to go from seated to standing without loosing speed, by shifting up a gear .......when you stand your cadence drops, make up for the loss in speed by shifting up.

Overall technique depends on the hills in question too......if it is a short sharp cliff which you can get over in about 30 seconds or less then get out of the saddle and power your way over and get some recovery on the downhill section, if it is a long climb at moderate grade like 3-4 miles at 10-20% then learn to stay seated for the majority of the climb and get a rythmn going, that will help you pace your effort so not to blow up......ocassionaly stand for a few minutes to change the stresses on your muscles. Lastly if you are a questionable climber and live in moutain goat country you'd be well advised on loosing a few pounds, that will make all the difference in the world. I'm 39 and 139lb and at the moment a terrible climber (by my standards), I was 26 and 118lb at my best racing weight and some of the hard core cat 1 and pro racers had trouble staying with me back home in England when the roads went up, If I over indulged in the off season and gained as little as 4 or 5 pounds my climbing went to pot.....racing crits and time trials may enphasize speed but to climb you need a good power to weight ratio.

have fun

Kevin

Kevin

118? Are you frickin kidding me? How tall are you? You must be like 5' tall. My seven time IM training partner is 144lbs., maybe 7% body fat, and looks like a stick with muscle attached and he is funny looking to me. I can't imagine what 118 looks like. :-O

Chucky
I'm 5' 4" and not very big across the shoulders......basically very slight of build, remember that 90lb weakling at the beach? I was the prototype 9 years ago when I came to the USA I weighed 126lb straight out of the army. The only good thing about being so light was riding a bicycle! and purchasing clothes from the youth section........anyway back to the main thread.....