If you watch closely during pro cycling coverage, you’ll often see the pros make a smart little move each time they go from standing to sitting.
Keep an eye on almost any rider. He won’t just plop onto the saddle. He’ll extend his arms as he sits, pushing the bike forward to put the saddle under his butt. Voila! Nearly a foot of free road.
This move also helps preserve forward momentum, which can be slowed during the standing-to-sitting transition. Relative to other riders, if you sit without pushing the bike forward it can make your bike seem to move backwards. That’s particularly true on climbs. It could cause the rider behind to hit your rear wheel and fall.
So try the pro push on your next ride and get in the habit of doing it all the time. You’ll be safer and more efficient, not to mention more impressive. Keep your eye on pro riders for other techniques you can adapt, except for those crazy descending methods, which are not safe.
that doesn’t really net anything.
“pushing the bike forward”
you seem to move forward but your speed goes down.
seriously
ref sir isaac newton
Great observation. In a tight fast pack, that little pedaling hesitation from stand to sit can be more than annoying to the rider on your rear wheel. Another reason to watch the RIDER in front of you and not stare endlessly at their rear wheel (as too many newbies do).
The reverse applies too, when you rise from the saddle you almost invariably drop back half a wheel unless you remember to push a bit harder as you rise. Failing to do this in a tight bunch can be disastrous
In my mind, this is more important than the point of the original article!
The best way to do this is to stand up as one foot is coming up over the top of the pedal stroke to keep the bike’s momentum going forward as you stand.
Fully agree. You need to keep the speed consistent both going off the saddle and sitting back down.
One action may result in the bike temporarily slowing, then speeding up and the other the opposite, but physics requires that the speed of your center of mass stay the same unless there is some external force applied.
True, but the point of following the recommended habit is greater safety for all riders. In a TTT, good habits like this can also smooth efforts and improve efficiency of the team for a faster time and quicker recovery in a stage race.
Another thing to notice of the Pro’s, Just before they stand they give the “chicken wing” signal to the rider behind them letting them know they are getting ready to stand. Just a little polite warning.
So I guess the “free” foot on sitting is just regaining the foot you lost on standing. Previously I have wondered if lose some/all of that “regain” to friction if I sit straight down and move backwards on the saddle later? Now I wonder if there is a way to reduce the loss when standing, or if there no way to get my body forwards without the bike going backwards!
Title of article: From sitting to standing on a bike.
Content of article: From standing to sitting.
I’m glad for the tip; just a little confused.