Emma, you are just amazing...I am in awe of your ability to pedal out of saddle in such a high cadence. Thanks loads for this video and your recent videos on cycling treats - aka nutrition videos! Im from the US, why do Brits say Porridge instead of Oats?
I love getting out of the saddle, I use the radio tower on zwift as an out of saddle interval after gunning up the initial climb seated. Did wonders for my endurance. Plus the bike always feels lighter once your bums off it 😉
Most of my climbing is done standing when percentage comes above 5/6 percent. when the surface is whet or gravel or really steep I sit down again. I love standing climbing so much that i had to start practise climbing seated. (I used to be a real dancer, but these days, getting older i'm more grinding my way up, in general with age my cadence has dropped and my power has increased but the speed is about the same or a little less)
I'm impressed with Ms. Pooley language abilities. We have heard her speaking eloquently in Spanish, French and Italian. As if being a 1st-class athlete wasn't enough!!
Two components of out of the saddle climbing: technique and effort. Give each a percentage scale and then it makes sense. Along those lines I would think sprinting would be 100% effort and say, 40% technique. There is probably a better way to say that mathematically.
Emma has been one of the greatest additions to the team. I find her videos great, I do miss Matt but the video quality just keeps getting better and better. Thank you.
Emma really hits it home for me at 6:45. When I am climbing, I often stand up for a short interval to practice my technique. I used to hate standing. (I'm too big) But after doing some short and not to difficult intervals, I became much more comfortable and now I stand all the time, even if it's just to show I can do it. The more I practice, the easier it gets. Give it about six rides or two weeks. I try to think about the pace I climb stairs and try to match that pace and effort. Then it feels like climbing stairs!
Thank you. Great video. Smart, clean, and clear. I teach physics for a living and really appreciate your proper use of torque and force. I could use your video as a piece for class discussion!
As someone who rode a bike as a kid, gave it up when I got a drivers license, and have only owned two bikes since (one beach bike and one mountain bike) and rarely rode either of those I find your tutorial videos very helpful. I find myself now owning a very e pensive touring bike and wanting a road bike for exercise. Thanks very much!
IMO, Emma and Matt are two of the best when it comes to the calm, technical, and efficient demeanor, very suitable for tutorials. I wish GCN could produce more videos, especially for near-absolute beginners who just got out of the "red phase" (safety) and jumped into the "I want to ride now but I'm not sure what to do" phase.
Great video Emma. I've discovered that I can keep a good cadence on long steep hills by doing 30-30; 30 seconds dancing, 30 seconds sitting. I count the seconds: 'One elephant, two elephants ..."
Another great piece! All the basics well explained in the best possible way. How many times on rides have I seen cyclists doing incorrect things when they climb. Here the reasons and the correct form. Well done Emma!
Great video! Congrats. I've found that many newcomers to cycling have a really hard time riding out of the saddle specially those that come form gym spinning classes. I think it's because on the gym you cannot sway the bike when you stand and devolop a different technique. Sometimes with a lot of vertical movement of the body. When they try it on the road it just doesn't work. Any ideas on how to grasp with this?
This is a really great video. Thanks I loved it, well done!! I used to live on a bike when I was younger but then got away from it. And finally found it again, but there’s a lot I forgot. You guys and girls are awesome.
I grew up in Los Angeles in Golden age of skateboarding and bmx. We always rode out the saddle because we were kids and it looks cool. Im going to strength training has helped me. I can ride out of the saddle 80 % of the time. I love it.
Good morning Emma, thank you for the video. I saw a video from a bike fitting guy some time ago that discussed the issue that many people blame their saddle for being uncomfortable, when actually they should stand up more (regularly) to allow blood flow and to stretch muscles out. I try to remember to do at least 25 pedal strokes out of the saddle every 15 minutes (mountain bike), especially when climbing. It really helps me and I often find that after gearing up two gears to stand, I can then only gear down one gear afterwards and sustain that for a period, before going back to my original gear, allowing me to climb faster. Using this technique has enabled me to regain many a lost wheel on a long, stony climbs. Ride on! Tim
Another very useful video, presented by someone who is absolutely renowned for dancing on the pedals! "Smoothly as a gazelle", well you just gave a demonstration Emma:-) I do have a question though: I have gotten the impression that smaller/lighter people tend to ride more often out of the saddle than taller/heavier people. Could it be that for the taller/heavier category, riding out of the saddle is actually harder? I also noticed that women more often than men seem to completely avoid riding out of the saddle, when asked they always talk about stability. Just a personal observation.
This video was just what i needed. Did a 300km sportive the other weekend and found myself out of the saddle alot in the end beacuse my bum hurt. But also it was alot fo hills. So i feel i need to practice my out of the saddle technique more. I also did it on an old Steel Road bike with 12 gears. So there was alot of climbing standing up involved :) Thanx again for a great video !
Table of contents: 3:525:18 Minor correction at 3:20: the very issue is that (combined) momentum is already conserved. All else being equal, by moving forward you push the bike backward, relatively far because you're that much heavier than the bike. The extra push _adds_ momentum to offset that. To be fair, I think Emma is aware of this and it was just a poor choice of words. I just want to avoid confusion.
Emma and GCN you guys please go ride in Japan its amazing and has all the climbs and the people are so kind! and also we want to see Emma riding in the United States please! Will be so cool!
Funny: Wifey delivered bike to my office yesterday, all parts, except one: Seatpost... => Just rode nearly 50km without a saddle - and now youtube suggests this (great) video, spooky.... Btw: It did actually work very well, was afraid that after 10km or so some body part would quit, but no, legs kept going very well, only problem maybe the hands, they got a bit stiff with all the weight on flat and downhill sections. And yes, on the flat sections I was significantly slower - but only because you just can't have the same cadence, so I was basically missing gears. But on the hilly part I noticed that I could comfortably do 2 cogs higher than usual - which I found very interesting. Maybe I do it again, just for fun but in any case I try to ride out of the saddle far more often, seems to help with the legs recovery.
Love that Trek Emma! I ride out the saddle often. Couldn't agree with you more. I think body position fore and aft is under emphasized. Practicing riding out the saddle while not attacking or accelerating I've found to be particularly helpful as well.
My climbing out of the saddle or riding long & hard seated on the drops really improved while training these... inside during the winter! IDK why but that's where it drastically improved. Probably because we can focus on that and nothing else while doing it. A mistake I made a lot and still make sometimes is to sit back down while the climb is not over yet - that goes for short climbs obviously but I got that habit I had to overcome. Oh, and chain jumps are nasty while out of the saddle.
As expected - great video. One comment on swaying the bike. The purpose is to use the frame like a lever by swaying the frame/bike in the opposite direction away from the leg driving downwards. By doing this, you are effectively pulling the crank upwards adding more power - at least that's the theory I am familiar with...
I like how "to climb out of the saddle" can mean two things; the motion of going into a standing position on the bike, or riding uphill while out of he saddle.
I have empirically also found keeping your head still (i.e. no body-sway) and going in a straight line (i.e. no slalom-riding) is more effective and less wasteful, but I think Alberto Contador would like to disagree :-)) Loving these training videos by Emma, very inspirational. Any day now I'll get to the perspirational part, I swear.
Is this what we used to call honking...? You make it look soooo much easier than us mere mortals. Has the sound man got a new mic or does Emma's drivetrain sound like it needs lubing?
Alberto Contador's out of the saddle technique is probably the most efficient and least perceived effort technique I've tried. Although he moves a lot and slaloms a bit, it very strangely makes the effort easier, allowing me to climb faster or stay longer out of the saddle.
Loving Emma's videos and also very helpful. It is good to have a really good climber giving tips on what to do and not. It's funny but I guess that over time you just get used to standing when the gradient is steep. Definitely helpful to be out of the saddle when your trying to climb in a higher gear. Thanks Prof Emma... Ah had to get Fleche Wallone in there!! 😜
Great Video. One Question: Why do you need to sway the bike? What is the benefit of this? I find that when I am out of the saddle that my body stays relatively still. Cheers, keep up the good work!!
Perhaps in the next video you can discuss whether pulling back foot up is a good idea or not. I think it drains more energy but i do get a slightly higher cadence doing so
Ive been riding a mtb for many years and have no problem at all riding out of the saddle on it. But today when i tried my friends road bike i could pedal out of the saddle with my hands on the hood but impossible for me do it on the drops. Is this all solved from practise or is it just not possible to all out sprint on drops like you can on a mtb bar
i ride a 42/25 as my smalles in ecuador,at 2500m i got to the point where i do 100k rides with most of it being 5-12% uphills. the thing is im just too broke to buy a new chainring. i use a steel frame bike with its original chainring.
0:13 "The riding out of the saddle is 90% technique and only 50% effort." Then, I guess, having a light weight bike contributes the further 30% and a healthy diet about 15%, and all adds up (as it should) to 185 of the maximum 185 percent. Nice!
Not bad.. But I think each factor has its own scale. So, in the technique category, go to 90% of none (0%) to perfect (100%). Then in the effort category, only go to 50% on that 0-100% scale. Nice!
Alberto Contador would famously spend a huge amount of time pedaling out of the saddle on climbs. I read somewhere that he would specifically train to enhance this skill.
Do you like to climb out the saddle? 👇
Emma, you are just amazing...I am in awe of your ability to pedal out of saddle in such a high cadence. Thanks loads for this video and your recent videos on cycling treats - aka nutrition videos! Im from the US, why do Brits say Porridge instead of Oats?
Global Cycling Network it helps im mtb. When your going up real steep stuff.
I love getting out of the saddle, I use the radio tower on zwift as an out of saddle interval after gunning up the initial climb seated. Did wonders for my endurance. Plus the bike always feels lighter once your bums off it 😉
Yes, for steeper shorter climbs... I have taught myself to spin in the saddle for longer climbs though!
Most of my climbing is done standing when percentage comes above 5/6 percent. when the surface is whet or gravel or really steep I sit down again. I love standing climbing so much that i had to start practise climbing seated. (I used to be a real dancer, but these days, getting older i'm more grinding my way up, in general with age my cadence has dropped and my power has increased but the speed is about the same or a little less)
I'm impressed with Ms. Pooley language abilities. We have heard her speaking eloquently in Spanish, French and Italian. As if being a 1st-class athlete wasn't enough!!
Alex Lopez and a Dr!
"90% technique 50% effort." Us mere mortals are on a weak 0-100% system, Emma.
volodya putin approves
Two components of out of the saddle climbing: technique and effort. Give each a percentage scale and then it makes sense. Along those lines I would think sprinting would be 100% effort and say, 40% technique. There is probably a better way to say that mathematically.
when i realized those two summed to a number greater than 100, i knew I'd never ride out of the saddle
So 140%? I guess i will never be good at riding out of the saddle
😅😅😅
Emma has been one of the greatest additions to the team. I find her videos great, I do miss Matt but the video quality just keeps getting better and better. Thank you.
Thanks MrWhitefeather93
Emma really hits it home for me at 6:45. When I am climbing, I often stand up for a short interval to practice my technique. I used to hate standing. (I'm too big) But after doing some short and not to difficult intervals, I became much more comfortable and now I stand all the time, even if it's just to show I can do it. The more I practice, the easier it gets. Give it about six rides or two weeks. I try to think about the pace I climb stairs and try to match that pace and effort. Then it feels like climbing stairs!
Thank you. Great video. Smart, clean, and clear. I teach physics for a living and really appreciate your proper use of torque and force. I could use your video as a piece for class discussion!
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed the video!
As someone who rode a bike as a kid, gave it up when I got a drivers license, and have only owned two bikes since (one beach bike and one mountain bike) and rarely rode either of those I find your tutorial videos very helpful. I find myself now owning a very e pensive touring bike and wanting a road bike for exercise. Thanks very much!
IMO, Emma and Matt are two of the best when it comes to the calm, technical, and efficient demeanor, very suitable for tutorials.
I wish GCN could produce more videos, especially for near-absolute beginners who just got out of the "red phase" (safety) and jumped into the "I want to ride now but I'm not sure what to do" phase.
Great video Emma. I've discovered that I can keep a good cadence on long steep hills by doing 30-30; 30 seconds dancing, 30 seconds sitting. I count the seconds: 'One elephant, two elephants ..."
Thanks John Bicycle
Wow where are you riding ?
we dont have that many elephants around here 🤣
Probably the best video on the subject I've come across
GCN has always been fantastic advice and fun, and the addition of Emma takes it up another notch. Let us know when you're coming to Colorado.
Emma, your trainning/technique videos are great! Keep em coming!
Thanks Jean-Philippe Martin
Another informative vid. featuring Emma.. good work GCN
Cheers John
Another great piece! All the basics well explained in the best possible way. How many times on rides have I seen cyclists doing incorrect things when they climb. Here the reasons and the correct form. Well done Emma!
Thanks Miguelangel Da Vila
Great video! Congrats.
I've found that many newcomers to cycling have a really hard time riding out of the saddle specially those that come form gym spinning classes. I think it's because on the gym you cannot sway the bike when you stand and devolop a different technique. Sometimes with a lot of vertical movement of the body. When they try it on the road it just doesn't work. Any ideas on how to grasp with this?
Greasy Scott. How did you guys know I was trying to improve my out of saddle riding. Started at 2 seconds and now up to 30 secs. Great stuff Emma.
Mind you I was lifting 30 stone and am now lifting 16.7 :-)
Dougall Stewart its easy just practice
ozan razi lol not at 30 stone it’s not. Mind you your quite right about practice 👍
Awesome - great improvement
Well done on the weight loss and kudos on continuing to improve yourself.
Nice Emma. Motivates me. I have to ride now
That's a cool Emma you got there
I will apply all your tips tomorrow, on my first ever hills ride.
I do klime out of the saddle and for a long time for me it's like running.nic video emma.pat from Belgium 🚴👊
Glad you enjoyed the video Pat
Thanks Emma. I'm new to cycling but I feel more motivated to ride.
Awesome!
This is a really great video. Thanks I loved it, well done!! I used to live on a bike when I was younger but then got away from it. And finally found it again, but there’s a lot I forgot. You guys and girls are awesome.
Thats great to hear! Thanks for the support!
She is so far more advanced than she gives herself credit for. Thank You for all the tips. Beautiful country to ride as well.
Love her accent... 💓
Is kinda easy but a pro explaining it always adds some depth.
Your two new presenters need to bring their 'A game', cuz Emma is setting the bar very high. Great job Emma!!
I grew up in Los Angeles in Golden age of skateboarding and bmx. We always rode out the saddle because we were kids and it looks cool. Im going to strength training has helped me. I can ride out of the saddle 80 % of the time. I love it.
Good morning Emma, thank you for the video. I saw a video from a bike fitting guy some time ago that discussed the issue that many people blame their saddle for being uncomfortable, when actually they should stand up more (regularly) to allow blood flow and to stretch muscles out. I try to remember to do at least 25 pedal strokes out of the saddle every 15 minutes (mountain bike), especially when climbing. It really helps me and I often find that after gearing up two gears to stand, I can then only gear down one gear afterwards and sustain that for a period, before going back to my original gear, allowing me to climb faster. Using this technique has enabled me to regain many a lost wheel on a long, stony climbs. Ride on! Tim
Thanks for the comment Tim!
You look great riding out of the sattle. You make it look so effortless
Great stuff, Emma!
Every video how to from Emma helps me improve just a little bit. Ever closer to some version of perfection! 😀💕
Another great video, Emma! You hit on all the reasons why my climbing is so poorly done, and what I need to do to improve it.
Oh Emma we really miss you. You are an inspiration. Surely Switzerland has less attraction than the GCN Office in Bristol
Really good segment, Emma. Thanks! I think you hit all the keys.
Another very useful video, presented by someone who is absolutely renowned for dancing on the pedals! "Smoothly as a gazelle", well you just gave a demonstration Emma:-)
I do have a question though: I have gotten the impression that smaller/lighter people tend to ride more often out of the saddle than taller/heavier people. Could it be that for the taller/heavier category, riding out of the saddle is actually harder?
I also noticed that women more often than men seem to completely avoid riding out of the saddle, when asked they always talk about stability. Just a personal observation.
By far the most helpful explanation of this that I have found. Thank you.
You're very welcome!
Good that you mention the kickback Emma, great video, loving your series of informative features.
Thanks Dave - let us know if there is anything else you would like to see covered
Dancing = 90% Technique + 50% Effort. So, does that mean we always have to give 140% every time ?
that is r8 my friend, 100% is in your leg, + 40% with your whole body weight
Emmazing!
Yes, that's why it's so hard
Of course!
emma continues to rock :) another great presentation !! thanks
Thanks Emma. Great backdrop for a video too. Amazing location/ scenery.
Thanks Emma.
Free coaching on climbing from Emma Pooley? I actually cut short a business phone call so I could watch it.
Cheers Stuart!
You guys are so helpful
Very good explanation! Great technical content! Bravo, GCN! She is a keeper! Mad respect!
This video was just what i needed. Did a 300km sportive the other weekend and found myself out of the saddle alot in the end beacuse my bum hurt. But also it was alot fo hills. So i feel i need to practice my out of the saddle technique more. I also did it on an old Steel Road bike with 12 gears. So there was alot of climbing standing up involved :) Thanx again for a great video !
Great to hear you can make the most of Emma's top tips
Thanks, now I have some specific things to look for when I ride and some hints on things to try in training!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! I've always wondered how everyone still rides so easily out of the saddle. ❤
These are great tips. Watching your shadow will help with your form too.
Great explanation and a lot lot better than the other similar topic gcn video.
One of the best GCN videos yet.
Well, I should be awesome out of the saddle. Bodyweight I have in abundance :D
Honestly now, nice video, kinda love Emma's videos!
Table of contents: 3:52 5:18
Minor correction at 3:20: the very issue is that (combined) momentum is already conserved. All else being equal, by moving forward you push the bike backward, relatively far because you're that much heavier than the bike. The extra push _adds_ momentum to offset that. To be fair, I think Emma is aware of this and it was just a poor choice of words. I just want to avoid confusion.
Emma and GCN you guys please go ride in Japan its amazing and has all the climbs and the people are so kind! and also we want to see Emma riding in the United States please! Will be so cool!
Funny: Wifey delivered bike to my office yesterday, all parts, except one: Seatpost... => Just rode nearly 50km without a saddle - and now youtube suggests this (great) video, spooky....
Btw: It did actually work very well, was afraid that after 10km or so some body part would quit, but no, legs kept going very well, only problem maybe the hands, they got a bit stiff with all the weight on flat and downhill sections. And yes, on the flat sections I was significantly slower - but only because you just can't have the same cadence, so I was basically missing gears. But on the hilly part I noticed that I could comfortably do 2 cogs higher than usual - which I found very interesting. Maybe I do it again, just for fun but in any case I try to ride out of the saddle far more often, seems to help with the legs recovery.
I like watching Mike Cotty - Col Collective - riding up mountains he seems to spend an interminable time out of the saddle, the guy is really fluid.
she isn't so young but still so good at cycling! respect and wishes from my side!
Glad I'm not the only one who can't sprint or attack. I can do stints out of the saddle but it's just to look cool. Love your videos
Thanks Reid
Love that Trek Emma! I ride out the saddle often. Couldn't agree with you more. I think body position fore and aft is under emphasized. Practicing riding out the saddle while not attacking or accelerating I've found to be particularly helpful as well.
Cheers Noah, glad you enjoyed Emma's top tips
Another great video. Your a natural presenter. Thanks for the tips.
A great video, well done this is quality
Thanks Treve
for short sharp hills i like to stand up. long shallow hills you mayaswel try and be aero...
My climbing out of the saddle or riding long & hard seated on the drops really improved while training these... inside during the winter! IDK why but that's where it drastically improved. Probably because we can focus on that and nothing else while doing it.
A mistake I made a lot and still make sometimes is to sit back down while the climb is not over yet - that goes for short climbs obviously but I got that habit I had to overcome. Oh, and chain jumps are nasty while out of the saddle.
Muchas gracias, excelente lección!
As expected - great video. One comment on swaying the bike. The purpose is to use the frame like a lever by swaying the frame/bike in the opposite direction away from the leg driving downwards. By doing this, you are effectively pulling the crank upwards adding more power - at least that's the theory I am familiar with...
Thank You ! Emma !
You're welcome
GCN we need an ask Emma anything about climbing video
I like Emmas bike.I think Trek makes the nicest bikes.I have an Sl6 Domone
"it´s been said before. but i´ll say it again..." hearing that, i remembered my bike needed a good cleaning
I like how "to climb out of the saddle" can mean two things; the motion of going into a standing position on the bike, or riding uphill while out of he saddle.
Your Trek is so nice Emma. 👍. I personally love to climb out of the saddle.
I have empirically also found keeping your head still (i.e. no body-sway) and going in a straight line (i.e. no slalom-riding) is more effective and less wasteful, but I think Alberto Contador would like to disagree :-))
Loving these training videos by Emma, very inspirational. Any day now I'll get to the perspirational part, I swear.
Contador had a crazy rhythm out the saddle , which basically went against all the rules , but still managed it for 20 mins at a time.
Is this what we used to call honking...? You make it look soooo much easier than us mere mortals. Has the sound man got a new mic or does Emma's drivetrain sound like it needs lubing?
Awesome video Emma!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it
Another GREAT vid Emma! Keep them coming! Yer AWESOME!👊🏻👍🏻💪🏻
Thanks Jay! Let us know if you have anything else you would like to see on the channel
Hi 👋 thank you, is good video well done 👏
You gotta love Lasty’s pain face
Whenever we have the opportunity to share it again...
Alberto Contador's out of the saddle technique is probably the most efficient and least perceived effort technique I've tried. Although he moves a lot and slaloms a bit, it very strangely makes the effort easier, allowing me to climb faster or stay longer out of the saddle.
got passed by a gazelle on my local climb today. looked effortless and he was f'n smashing it. a gazelle!
I've seen people riding out of the saddle by moving their body up and down while their bike remains still LOL
Love this, you should do more on this content 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻👌👌👌
Thanks, let us know if you have any suggestions!
What a Beast!
Miss you Emma
Emma is amazing.
Loving Emma's videos and also very helpful. It is good to have a really good climber giving tips on what to do and not. It's funny but I guess that over time you just get used to standing when the gradient is steep. Definitely helpful to be out of the saddle when your trying to climb in a higher gear. Thanks Prof Emma... Ah had to get Fleche Wallone in there!! 😜
Whatcha out you old duffers that Emma is developing a rather good presentation technique
I really like it !!
thank you for the tips :D
Glad you enjoyed it
Good video Emma.👍 gcn.👍
Thanks Mark
Your a climbing beast!
EMMA IS AMAZING ! ! ! AN AMAZING WOMAN ! ! !
emma is a great youtuber ! give great infos !! cool vids !! greeting from canada ! :D and great channel !!!
Thanks Ludovic!
Great Video. One Question: Why do you need to sway the bike? What is the benefit of this? I find that when I am out of the saddle that my body stays relatively still. Cheers, keep up the good work!!
Hey Steve, you want to sway the bike as opposed to your body as it's more efficient to move the bike than your body weight 👍
Well done Em.
Perhaps in the next video you can discuss whether pulling back foot up is a good idea or not. I think it drains more energy but i do get a slightly higher cadence doing so
Ive been riding a mtb for many years and have no problem at all riding out of the saddle on it. But today when i tried my friends road bike i could pedal out of the saddle with my hands on the hood but impossible for me do it on the drops. Is this all solved from practise or is it just not possible to all out sprint on drops like you can on a mtb bar
i ride a 42/25 as my smalles in ecuador,at 2500m i got to the point where i do 100k rides with most of it being 5-12% uphills. the thing is im just too broke to buy a new chainring. i use a steel frame bike with its original chainring.
Good work! That's some pretty heavy gearing for climbing there, but if it works for you then why not!
awesome ...
0:13 "The riding out of the saddle is 90% technique and only 50% effort."
Then, I guess, having a light weight bike contributes the further 30% and a healthy diet about 15%, and all adds up (as it should) to 185 of the maximum 185 percent. Nice!
its why riding out of the saddle looks cooler!!! it all adds up now!!!
Was going to say, her maths is obviously not as good as her climbing.
Not bad.. But I think each factor has its own scale. So, in the technique category, go to 90% of none (0%) to perfect (100%).
Then in the effort category, only go to 50% on that 0-100% scale.
Nice!
Quick maffs
Ian Nick Tarry it was meant to be a joke
Kickback is an important aspect
Alberto Contador would famously spend a huge amount of time pedaling out of the saddle on climbs. I read somewhere that he would specifically train to enhance this skill.
Wait, what? 90% Technic, 50% effort... you are definitely and over achiever! #badass Emma