"standing" techniques on a road/racing bike for new rider (and not fit either)

07-27-2004, 04:24 PM

Hello all

I have a 2004 Trek 100 road bike. I have clip-less Shimano pedals (M540) and
Shimano shoes. I think I am all set equipment-wise but not technique wise. I
am about 68-70 kg (~150 pounds), ~5 foot 9 or 10 inches tall, if it makes
any difference to my question.....

I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill, acceleration, etc)
on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly wrong. What gear should I
be in when I initially stand up and then ride standing up? What happens to
the gears when I sit back down? Shift down? How many? What about hand/arm
positions while standing? "Pulling" techniques on the bars while standing?
Body position? Rocking? Etc.

If there are any web links to this - please share.

many thanks in advance
--
Yuri

07-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
|| Hello all
||
|| I have a 2004 Trek 100 road bike. I have clip-less Shimano pedals
|| (M540) and Shimano shoes. I think I am all set equipment-wise but
|| not technique wise. I am about 68-70 kg (~150 pounds), ~5 foot 9 or
|| 10 inches tall, if it makes any difference to my question.....
||
|| I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill,
|| acceleration, etc) on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly
|| wrong. What gear should I be in when I initially stand up and then
|| ride standing up? What happens to the gears when I sit back down?
|| Shift down? How many? What about hand/arm positions while standing?
|| "Pulling" techniques on the bars while standing? Body position?
|| Rocking? Etc.

Boy...if I had to worry about all this why riding up a hill, I'd get off the
bike and walk.

Generally, when I go up a hill, I start in the saddle. I will shift down as
needed while going up, generally trying to keep the cadence above 70 or so
(more like 80 if I can). If I choose to stand as I near the top of the
hill, I might shift up one gear before standing, depending how easy to gear
feels before I stand. If it feels very easy, I shift up. If it feels hard,
I don't. I generally don't feel a need to shift down again as I reach the
top since riding is easier. I keep my hands on the tops while climbing and
never in the hoods.

There is no definite answer to what gear and how many gears to shift up or
down. You just need to go by what you feel you need to do. Those gears are
there for your use, so use them as you need to to be effective.

07-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
|| Hello all
||
|| I have a 2004 Trek 100 road bike. I have clip-less Shimano pedals
|| (M540) and Shimano shoes. I think I am all set equipment-wise but
|| not technique wise. I am about 68-70 kg (~150 pounds), ~5 foot 9 or
|| 10 inches tall, if it makes any difference to my question.....
||
|| I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill,
|| acceleration, etc) on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly
|| wrong. What gear should I be in when I initially stand up and then
|| ride standing up? What happens to the gears when I sit back down?
|| Shift down? How many? What about hand/arm positions while standing?
|| "Pulling" techniques on the bars while standing? Body position?
|| Rocking? Etc.

Boy...if I had to worry about all this why riding up a hill, I'd get off the
bike and walk.

Generally, when I go up a hill, I start in the saddle. I will shift down as
needed while going up, generally trying to keep the cadence above 70 or so
(more like 80 if I can). If I choose to stand as I near the top of the
hill, I might shift up one gear before standing, depending how easy to gear
feels before I stand. If it feels very easy, I shift up. If it feels hard,
I don't. I generally don't feel a need to shift down again as I reach the
top since riding is easier. I keep my hands on the tops while climbing and
never in the hoods.

There is no definite answer to what gear and how many gears to shift up or
down. You just need to go by what you feel you need to do. Those gears are
there for your use, so use them as you need to to be effective.

07-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
|| Hello all
||
|| I have a 2004 Trek 100 road bike. I have clip-less Shimano pedals
|| (M540) and Shimano shoes. I think I am all set equipment-wise but
|| not technique wise. I am about 68-70 kg (~150 pounds), ~5 foot 9 or
|| 10 inches tall, if it makes any difference to my question.....
||
|| I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill,
|| acceleration, etc) on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly
|| wrong. What gear should I be in when I initially stand up and then
|| ride standing up? What happens to the gears when I sit back down?
|| Shift down? How many? What about hand/arm positions while standing?
|| "Pulling" techniques on the bars while standing? Body position?
|| Rocking? Etc.

Boy...if I had to worry about all this why riding up a hill, I'd get off the
bike and walk.

Generally, when I go up a hill, I start in the saddle. I will shift down as
needed while going up, generally trying to keep the cadence above 70 or so
(more like 80 if I can). If I choose to stand as I near the top of the
hill, I might shift up one gear before standing, depending how easy to gear
feels before I stand. If it feels very easy, I shift up. If it feels hard,
I don't. I generally don't feel a need to shift down again as I reach the
top since riding is easier. I keep my hands on the tops while climbing and
never in the hoods.

There is no definite answer to what gear and how many gears to shift up or
down. You just need to go by what you feel you need to do. Those gears are
there for your use, so use them as you need to to be effective.

07-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
|| Hello all
||
|| I have a 2004 Trek 100 road bike. I have clip-less Shimano pedals
|| (M540) and Shimano shoes. I think I am all set equipment-wise but
|| not technique wise. I am about 68-70 kg (~150 pounds), ~5 foot 9 or
|| 10 inches tall, if it makes any difference to my question.....
||
|| I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill,
|| acceleration, etc) on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly
|| wrong. What gear should I be in when I initially stand up and then
|| ride standing up? What happens to the gears when I sit back down?
|| Shift down? How many? What about hand/arm positions while standing?
|| "Pulling" techniques on the bars while standing? Body position?
|| Rocking? Etc.

Boy...if I had to worry about all this why riding up a hill, I'd get off the
bike and walk.

Generally, when I go up a hill, I start in the saddle. I will shift down as
needed while going up, generally trying to keep the cadence above 70 or so
(more like 80 if I can). If I choose to stand as I near the top of the
hill, I might shift up one gear before standing, depending how easy to gear
feels before I stand. If it feels very easy, I shift up. If it feels hard,
I don't. I generally don't feel a need to shift down again as I reach the
top since riding is easier. I keep my hands on the tops while climbing and
never in the hoods.

There is no definite answer to what gear and how many gears to shift up or
down. You just need to go by what you feel you need to do. Those gears are
there for your use, so use them as you need to to be effective.

07-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
|| Hello all
||
|| I have a 2004 Trek 100 road bike. I have clip-less Shimano pedals
|| (M540) and Shimano shoes. I think I am all set equipment-wise but
|| not technique wise. I am about 68-70 kg (~150 pounds), ~5 foot 9 or
|| 10 inches tall, if it makes any difference to my question.....
||
|| I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill,
|| acceleration, etc) on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly
|| wrong. What gear should I be in when I initially stand up and then
|| ride standing up? What happens to the gears when I sit back down?
|| Shift down? How many? What about hand/arm positions while standing?
|| "Pulling" techniques on the bars while standing? Body position?
|| Rocking? Etc.

Boy...if I had to worry about all this why riding up a hill, I'd get off the
bike and walk.

Generally, when I go up a hill, I start in the saddle. I will shift down as
needed while going up, generally trying to keep the cadence above 70 or so
(more like 80 if I can). If I choose to stand as I near the top of the
hill, I might shift up one gear before standing, depending how easy to gear
feels before I stand. If it feels very easy, I shift up. If it feels hard,
I don't. I generally don't feel a need to shift down again as I reach the
top since riding is easier. I keep my hands on the tops while climbing and
never in the hoods.

There is no definite answer to what gear and how many gears to shift up or
down. You just need to go by what you feel you need to do. Those gears are
there for your use, so use them as you need to to be effective.

07-27-2004, 05:56 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
> I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill, acceleration, etc)
> on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly wrong. What gear should I
> be in when I initially stand up and then ride standing up?

I don't have any wisdom for you, but my husband has started riding with
me and asked me something like this the other day.

Husband: "What gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever feels right."
Husband: "You're no help at all."
Me: "Sorry, dear."
Husband: "So what gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever gear feels best."
Husband: "..."
Me: " :-D "

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-27-2004, 05:56 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
> I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill, acceleration, etc)
> on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly wrong. What gear should I
> be in when I initially stand up and then ride standing up?

I don't have any wisdom for you, but my husband has started riding with
me and asked me something like this the other day.

Husband: "What gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever feels right."
Husband: "You're no help at all."
Me: "Sorry, dear."
Husband: "So what gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever gear feels best."
Husband: "..."
Me: " :-D "

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-27-2004, 05:56 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
> I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill, acceleration, etc)
> on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly wrong. What gear should I
> be in when I initially stand up and then ride standing up?

I don't have any wisdom for you, but my husband has started riding with
me and asked me something like this the other day.

Husband: "What gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever feels right."
Husband: "You're no help at all."
Me: "Sorry, dear."
Husband: "So what gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever gear feels best."
Husband: "..."
Me: " :-D "

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-27-2004, 05:56 PM

Yuri Budilov wrote:
> I need some help on correct way of standing up (up-hill, acceleration, etc)
> on this road bike. I am sure I am doing it mostly wrong. What gear should I
> be in when I initially stand up and then ride standing up?

I don't have any wisdom for you, but my husband has started riding with
me and asked me something like this the other day.

Husband: "What gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever feels right."
Husband: "You're no help at all."
Me: "Sorry, dear."
Husband: "So what gear should I be in?"
Me: "Whatever gear feels best."
Husband: "..."
Me: " :-D "

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]