SpokEasy

I Must Be Lazy

\"II must be lazy. Very lazy, indeed!

After more than six years on two wheels, I still seldom try pedaling out of the saddle. My legs still seem to be quite weak; and pedaling while standing tires them in a hurry.

Why? Does pedaling out of the saddle use different muscles from pedaling while seated? I also need to get into a very hard gear before making the attempt; or else I feel like I\’m pedaling in thin air. Maybe that\’s why I tire from it so quickly. Or am I lazy?

This video mentions moving your body weight forward while pedaling out of the saddle. I\’m very cautious about that, for fear of going endo.

It also says something about pedaling slowly in an easy gear; but when I try to pedal out of the saddle, I wind up pedaling slowly in a very hard gear. I\’ve noticed that trying it in an easier gear makes it feel harder to control the bike. I also read somewhere that leaning too far forward while pedaling out of saddle increases rolling resistance; because it \”grinds\” the front wheel into the ground.

With all that swirling about in my head, it amazes me to see Tour de France riders \”dancing on the pedals\” while ascending a mountain. They make it look so easy!