Standing while cycling

standing while cycling

Standing while cycling is a skill that must be practiced and maintained to avoid the loss of momentum that can cause your rear wheel to back onto a following rider.

This is a skill that must be practiced to expand your versatility as a rider.

To stand while riding, use the downward point of either leg of the pedaling circle to stand without the cessation of pedaling. Standing and sitting should not interfere with the pedaling motion when executed correctly.

This allows you to rest certain muscles and other body parts that are under load during seated riding. These muscles are relieved when standing and you can recruit muscles of the upper body to assist with delivering more power to the pedals albeit at a cost to increased energy consumption.

While standing you need to shift to a higher gear, one or two cogs, to maintain the speed since your cadence will fall.

If you are on a grade you may not even need to shift if the gradient is steep.

Use the extra power from standing to aid in acceleration, getting a high gear rolling or increasing the power at crucial moments during a ride.