What am I doing wrong? I want to really pump hard a hill while standing up! There is nothing to hold on too! Should I have bought a BMX bike? Is there something I can attach to a mountain bike that will let me stand up and pump a hill?
Besides the handlebar adjustments, using clipless pedals is another thing you can do to keep you on the bike, if you aren't already using them.
HCFR Cycling Team
Ride Safe...Ride Hard...Ride Daily
thanks, I want some! I've noticed my feet do feel "unsure". I also found out the name of the attachment is called bike bar ends! It helped me look it up and read all about it. I am searching now at the different types and shapes....know which one would let me hold on real good and pump standing up?
If you have a fairly decent bike shop in your area, they should carry the bar ends in stock so you can hold them and get somewhat of a feel for them. I have not used them before, but my friend who is into MTB has them on his bike and uses them all the time. They also help out when you are riding long distances as they give you another position for your hands.
HCFR Cycling Team
Ride Safe...Ride Hard...Ride Daily
Just hold onto the grips?
It's probably technique rather than setup that's making you struggle. When you stand up, try rocking the bike side to side as you push down on the pedals (as one side goes down, you push the bike the other way), it'll give you a bit more power. Also, with flats try curling your toes over the end of the pedals, you'll get a bit more grip.
Practice doing this on flat first, it'll be a bit easier.
As for bar ends, you'll have to go and try some out. What works for one person's hand won't work for others, etc. Personally I don't use them, but when I ride MTB enduros the ergonomic rubber ones tend to be what people run. The reason I don't run them is I use this bike for blasting down really rough descents as well and getting impaled by bar ends isn't fun!
Ha! It's nice to hear from experts. I think you are right. Technique is something that is coming to me very fast thanks to youtube and this forum. All these questions I have will be sooo stupid to me some day. I think I'll just work it out and give it some time and practice. This is the first week and I need some patience too. I made it up the huge hill on dad's farm yesterday and I layed down on the grass panting! I didnt know how hard bicycling was!! felt great!!!
Standing requires more effort (or so I'm told) than sitting when climbing hills.
If you do go off road and on steep stony/slippy tracks, then standing up will more than likely cause you to loose grip on the back wheel.
Conversely, on steep slopes, if sitting then you tend to pull on the bars and this can cause the front wheel to lift. The technique then is to bend the elbows down so that your forearms are loosely parallel with the ground.
This does work but takes a bit of practice so just get out there and ride.
Ride hard or ride home alone!
Just an update to my thread! I now can bust up daddy's hill like an olympian! I can stand and pump it or I can sit. I love my bike and mountain biking...I do it everyday if not just to take a spin for 10 minutes or so...thanks everyone for the great info!
glad you worked it out, don't be such a stranger and pipe in once in awhile!
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