When choosing a climbing technique, even pros struggle to decide which position is best, so we asked scientists for advice to clarify.
In the 2014 Tour of Spain, two great climbers, Alberto Contador and Christopher Clive Froome, battled it over Spain’s daunting mountain courses. They battled it out on several occasions, often with equal strength, but with very different climbing techniques.
Contador, the eventual winner of that year’s event, prefers to climb out of the saddle, what Phil Spector calls “dancing on the pedals.” Team Sky’s Froome, on the other hand, usually chooses to sit in the saddle and maintain a high pedaling rate.
Both methods are effective, so which one should we follow? Former BMC rider Marco Minghetti points out: “It depends on the gradient and length of the climb. On gentler slopes, you can ride faster, there’s no need to stand up, and sitting is more aerodynamic. On steeper slopes, standing up gives you a short-term advantage.” 
As a six-time Italian national champion, Minghetti has personally experienced sore thigh muscles on climbs, so does his empirical view fit in with textbook physics? When you’re sweating and your heart rate is racing, you’ve probably thought about the mechanical work you and your tired limbs are doing.
Here’s a review of the power formula for conquering the Alpe d’Huez:
W = krMs + kaAsv² + giMs
W is power, kr is rolling resistance, M is the combined mass of rider and bike, s is speed on the road, ka is air resistance, A is the frontal projection of rider and bike, v is speed relative to the air (including headwind speed), g is the acceleration due to gravity, and i is the gradient.
This complex formula shows that lighter riders with a higher power-to-weight ratio tend to perform better on climbs. Does a smaller rider like Joaquim Rodriguez (5ft 7in, 59kg) have climbing skills that are in line with scientific theory? 
In cycling events at all levels, it is common to get off the saddle for a short time to sprint, whether to change the way you use your strength or to distance yourself from your opponent.
Of course, some riders will stand up for a long time to climb, which is quite interesting.
At the 2013 Tour of Spain, American rider Chris Horner became the oldest Grand Tour champion. His 41-year-old age became a hot topic at the time, but cycling enthusiasts were more concerned about his climbing style.
Professor Louis Pasfield, former chief sports scientist for the British Cycling Team, said: "I have never seen a rider who can climb a hill with a large gear ratio out of the saddle for a long time, but it works for him." Standing climbing may produce greater power output due to differences in the power chain (starting from the upper body).
Daniel Healy, former head of sports science for the BMC team, mentioned: "When standing, the rider can get more leverage from the handlebars, and the wider the handlebars, the greater the leverage.
Horner's handlebars used in the 2013 Tour of Spain were very wide, with 44cm to 46cm wide."
Horner's handlebars were said to have been installed by the mechanic by mistake a few seasons ago, but he has continued to use them. 
For example, does the Colombian climbing culture mean that riders like Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas and Rigoberto Urán are more likely to climb out of the saddle than Geraint Howell Thomas and Luke Rowe, both from Wales?
Minghetti says: "Not really. If there is a correlation, it's because a country in general may produce riders of a certain size. The bigger you are, the more energy you use when climbing, so standing up is not economical.
For Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas, who weighs 58kg, this is less obvious." Contador, by the way, weighs 62kg and Froome 69kg, which may be a factor in the heavier Froome's tendency to sit down when climbing. Then there's the matter of cadence.
Several studies have shown that a cadence of 80 to 90 rpm is ideal on flat roads; on hills, the cadence is slightly lower. A study of the 2008 Tour de France showed that on the 17.5km Col de Galibier climb at 1,208m, the average cadence was 67 rpm, while on the 10.3km St-Lary Soulan climb at an 8.3% gradient, the average cadence was lower, at 64 rpm.
As Minghetti says, “When climbing, you can’t drop your cadence too low or you’ll lose momentum and fall.” Climbing is a strenuous endeavor, whether you’re a lightweight rider nimbly on the pedals or a heavyweight rider sitting more in the saddle.
In the 2014 Tour of Spain, two great climbers, Alberto Contador and Christopher Clive Froome, battled it over Spain’s daunting mountain courses. They battled it out on several occasions, often with equal strength, but with very different climbing techniques.
Contador, the eventual winner of that year’s event, prefers to climb out of the saddle, what Phil Spector calls “dancing on the pedals.” Team Sky’s Froome, on the other hand, usually chooses to sit in the saddle and maintain a high pedaling rate.
Both methods are effective, so which one should we follow? Former BMC rider Marco Minghetti points out: “It depends on the gradient and length of the climb. On gentler slopes, you can ride faster, there’s no need to stand up, and sitting is more aerodynamic. On steeper slopes, standing up gives you a short-term advantage.”
As a six-time Italian national champion, Minghetti has personally experienced sore thigh muscles on climbs, so does his empirical view fit in with textbook physics? When you’re sweating and your heart rate is racing, you’ve probably thought about the mechanical work you and your tired limbs are doing.
Here’s a review of the power formula for conquering the Alpe d’Huez:
W = krMs + kaAsv² + giMs
W is power, kr is rolling resistance, M is the combined mass of rider and bike, s is speed on the road, ka is air resistance, A is the frontal projection of rider and bike, v is speed relative to the air (including headwind speed), g is the acceleration due to gravity, and i is the gradient.
This complex formula shows that lighter riders with a higher power-to-weight ratio tend to perform better on climbs. Does a smaller rider like Joaquim Rodriguez (5ft 7in, 59kg) have climbing skills that are in line with scientific theory?
In 2008, Professor Ernst Hansen found that road cyclists are better off sitting on slopes up to 10%. After 10%, standing is more advantageous in terms of sustained power output, but riders consume 5% more oxygen when standing.
In short-term (less than 30 seconds) all-out sprints, peak power output has been measured to be 25% higher when standing than when sitting, but this comes at a cost. Even on a relatively gentle slope of about 4%, climbing at 19km/h requires 10% less oxygen when sitting than when standing, mainly because the body's center of gravity is supported by the saddle, saving energy.
While science and reality don’t always match up perfectly, Hansen’s subjects roughly reflect the reality of professional cyclists.
Tejawan Pettinger, the 2013 British Hill Climbing Champion, said: “Generally speaking, I only stand up on steep sections, about 10% or more. However, standing up on a hill is more tiring, so I usually don’t stand for more than 60 seconds at a time.”
In cycling events at all levels, it is common to get off the saddle for a short time to sprint, whether to change the way you use your strength or to distance yourself from your opponent.
Of course, some riders will stand up for a long time to climb, which is quite interesting.
At the 2013 Tour of Spain, American rider Chris Horner became the oldest Grand Tour champion. His 41-year-old age became a hot topic at the time, but cycling enthusiasts were more concerned about his climbing style.
Professor Louis Pasfield, former chief sports scientist for the British Cycling Team, said: "I have never seen a rider who can climb a hill with a large gear ratio out of the saddle for a long time, but it works for him." Standing climbing may produce greater power output due to differences in the power chain (starting from the upper body).
Daniel Healy, former head of sports science for the BMC team, mentioned: "When standing, the rider can get more leverage from the handlebars, and the wider the handlebars, the greater the leverage.
Horner's handlebars used in the 2013 Tour of Spain were very wide, with 44cm to 46cm wide."
Horner's handlebars were said to have been installed by the mechanic by mistake a few seasons ago, but he has continued to use them.
Professor Pasfield added: "Standing up changes many body angles, one of which is the key hip angle. By opening the hip angle, more muscles, such as the gluteal muscles and calf muscles, can be activated, giving the rider more potential power.
When sitting, the 'closed' hip angle limits power output." From sitting to standing, the range of motion of the hip joint increases from about 40° to 70°, the range of motion of the knee joint increases from about 30° to 75°, and the range of motion of the ankle joint increases from 25° in sitting to 40° in standing.
Professor Pasfield pointed out: "These angles are similar to those in running and have a positive effect on the power phase of the pedaling." Although it is possible to generate more power when standing, it comes with energy consumption. “It’s about efficiency, things like producing more power with less energy, how well the body cools,” says Professor Pasfield.
It used to be thought that efficiency couldn’t be trained, but James Hopke and I have shown that it can be trained. In the case of climbing, this efficiency is specific, so if a rider spends most of their time in the saddle, they benefit more when they’re climbing in a seated position, whereas if they spend a lot of time standing up, they benefit more when they’re climbing in a standing position.” Professor Pasfield speculates that a rider’s preferred climbing style is a result of experience gained when they start to get serious about cycling, which raises the question of nationality.
When sitting, the 'closed' hip angle limits power output." From sitting to standing, the range of motion of the hip joint increases from about 40° to 70°, the range of motion of the knee joint increases from about 30° to 75°, and the range of motion of the ankle joint increases from 25° in sitting to 40° in standing.
Professor Pasfield pointed out: "These angles are similar to those in running and have a positive effect on the power phase of the pedaling." Although it is possible to generate more power when standing, it comes with energy consumption. “It’s about efficiency, things like producing more power with less energy, how well the body cools,” says Professor Pasfield.
It used to be thought that efficiency couldn’t be trained, but James Hopke and I have shown that it can be trained. In the case of climbing, this efficiency is specific, so if a rider spends most of their time in the saddle, they benefit more when they’re climbing in a seated position, whereas if they spend a lot of time standing up, they benefit more when they’re climbing in a standing position.” Professor Pasfield speculates that a rider’s preferred climbing style is a result of experience gained when they start to get serious about cycling, which raises the question of nationality.
For example, does the Colombian climbing culture mean that riders like Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas and Rigoberto Urán are more likely to climb out of the saddle than Geraint Howell Thomas and Luke Rowe, both from Wales?
Minghetti says: "Not really. If there is a correlation, it's because a country in general may produce riders of a certain size. The bigger you are, the more energy you use when climbing, so standing up is not economical.
For Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas, who weighs 58kg, this is less obvious." Contador, by the way, weighs 62kg and Froome 69kg, which may be a factor in the heavier Froome's tendency to sit down when climbing. Then there's the matter of cadence.
Several studies have shown that a cadence of 80 to 90 rpm is ideal on flat roads; on hills, the cadence is slightly lower. A study of the 2008 Tour de France showed that on the 17.5km Col de Galibier climb at 1,208m, the average cadence was 67 rpm, while on the 10.3km St-Lary Soulan climb at an 8.3% gradient, the average cadence was lower, at 64 rpm.
As Minghetti says, “When climbing, you can’t drop your cadence too low or you’ll lose momentum and fall.” Climbing is a strenuous endeavor, whether you’re a lightweight rider nimbly on the pedals or a heavyweight rider sitting more in the saddle.
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