Hi –
I only started riding about a year ago and have been out on my MTB at least once every week since, slowly building fitness. However I only noticed and started thinking about how little time I spend standing pedaling since winter and I took a few spinning sessions in my gym.
Even though I can now stand and pedal in the spinning class for the full 45min session – admittedly with a lot of sweat and effort – when I am out on the trails I just find it much, much more exhausting.
I suppose terrain often dictates riding position, plus when I am spinning it is more about endurance and keeping going for three quarters of an hour, and when I am on a trail my ride is more like a series of five minute sprint segments, but outdoors I do catch myself pedalling “flat out” high cadence in a seated position whenever I can and in general standing pedalling for short bursts of acceleration, or only the most demanding climbs or bumpy sections/descents. It actually feels so much more tiring 🙁
How much more standing pedalling do more experienced riders recommend and is it something worth working towards!?
Thanks!

I think you have answered your own question! Rough terrain, stand up short bursts stand up. Move weight around depending on traction, maybe seated maybe unseated.

There is an interview with Jo Barnes in the mag where he is trying as much as possible to avoid standing pedalling in enduro as it’s knackering and not as efficient I recall. Personally I find I’m seated a lot more with a good dropper post and save the stood up for sprinting/tech stuff.
Have a look at the world cup xc on red bull TV, I think there was a lot of seated stuff.

Also pedalling is not always worth it, you can keep the bike moving along as fast with technique rather than pedalling. It’s very counter intuitive but working on flown is the best thing you can do. Go slower to go fast.

As above. A good dropper should let you quickly get into a good seated position for climbing and for general riding. When you are in the twisty bits drop the saddle and pump the trail rather than pedal. There will always be a bit of stand up pedalling but best avoided where there are better alternatives

There’s been a number of articles about seated being more efficient. Stand pedal on climbs can get you over something quick if seated isn’t going anywhere (probably because you’re tired) but with front suspension it may introduce bob and then you start being interested in unnecessary stuff like lock outs and travel adjust.

Generally I stand mostly when freewheeling and twisty descents. Seat down and move the bike. Seat up and sit on the climbs.

and +1 pump. Or pump and flow.

It actually feels so much more tiring

Because it is

IIRC its 15 % more effort for 5% more output
Two choices
1.accept seated pedalling is more efficient and only stand when its proper rough or steep ,though , this may be weight dependent as I am pretty light, I tend to loose traction when i stand anyway.

2.Get a SS and accept you will stand for every single climb 😉

avoid standing pedalling in enduro as it’s knackering and not as efficient I recall.

Personally I find I’m seated a lot more with a good dropper post and save the stood up for sprinting/tech stuff.

Also pedalling is not always worth it, you can keep the bike moving along as fast with technique rather than pedalling. It’s very counter intuitive but working on flown is the best thing you can do. Go slower to go fast.

Good advice ^

It employs two different muscle groups, so you really need to practise to get comfortable – it is slightly more powerful as it employs your quads/hamstrings more efficiently, but higher physiological load so you’ll tire more quickly. With riding you’ll find what technique works best for the terrain – each of us are different so find what works for you. The determining factor is often grip i.e. whether the ‘peaky’ power generated by out of saddle efforts means that the back tyre simply spins and that sitting down and spinning allows you to make more efficient progress.

Long non tech climbs I always do seated for obvious reasons. Short steeps I prefer to smash a bigger gear and rely on recovery. Tech or slippy climbs, long or short, will require a mixture of both to keep momentum and reduce fatigue. All need practice and fitness – I lack both 🙂

Since I’ve been riding 29ers, I don’t ever seem to stand up! Exceptions being long (100+ miles) off road stuff, when I have to stretch my back and legs every once in a while…….I’m certainly not slower than my riding buddies on the ups, but admittedly, I don’t do massively technical stuff these days!

I’ve been practicing standing up pedalling after watching a James Wilson video on youtube, where he’s a bit of an evangalist of the technique. Claims it allows you to move around on the bike more, keeps weight more balanced, and knees act as suspension so less stress on spine.

He recommends practice sessions with the seatpost all the way down to force yourself to stand up (and when you must sit down only pedal very lightly due to sharp knee angles).

I think it’s worth practicing, have been doing it short xc commutes once a week, and seems to be becoming easier. Overdid it the other day though and had sore knees after.

I think it’s worth practicing, have been doing it short xc commutes once a week, and seems to be becoming easier. Overdid it the other day though and had sore knees after.

What does it achieve?

I used to do stand up MNPR nights when my full suss was out of action. Couldn’t get used to life without a dropper post so just slammed the seat and stood up for every climb. Definitely got stronger and better at sprinting.

Ride a singlespeed. You’ll soon learn the best technique. After riding a whole winter and doing the puffer singlespeed I find I stand up much more now, even on a geared bike with spinny gears. With the right technique and bike setup standing up can be quite a relaxed way of pedalling and you can keep going for ages. The trick is to use your body weight to turn the pedals, keep the arms and shoulders relaxed and use your core. At least that’s the technique for endurance, probably different if all-out speed is the aim.

On long *road* climbs it’s usual to stay seated with occasional short periods of standing to give the muscles a break, this might coincide with a steeper bit. As @paulnnean says, on an MTB it’s more about the terrain you are riding over and how you maintain traction and forward momentum, there’s no “one solution fits all”.

As said sat down is more efficient use of your energy, but if really needed, standing up gives a powerful boost.

James Wilson standing pedalling stuff is really good. It does enable you to move round on the bike more and be more in control but it is more difficult to do without training

The JW stuff advocates a lot of weight training and mobility training to work up to the strength you need but even the pros don’t do that all the time – as evidenced by the Joe Barnes statement above.

Sit for a bit, then stand, then push, then have a rest and enjoy the view.

The JW stuff advocates a lot of weight training and mobility training to work up to the strength you need but even the pros don’t do that all the time – as evidenced by the Joe Barnes statement above.

Take a look at the WC XC from today…