Do you help pedaling with your arms?

[Ric_LV]

Sometimes when I go uphill I use my left arm to help. I put my hand on the left knee and I help to push it down when needed. Do you use this technique too? Or do you think its useless?

 

[pineapple]

Sometimes when I go uphill I use my left arm to help. I put my hand on the left knee and I help to push it down when needed. Do you use this technique too? Or do you think its useless?

Unless your legs are utterly wasted I doubt if it helps very much. If you compare the size of your leg muscles with those of your arms, you can tell that it's not going to make much difference.

 

[Ric_LV]

Unless your legs are utterly wasted I doubt if it helps very much. If you compare the size of your leg muscles with those of your arms, you can tell that it's not going to make much difference.

Yes, but you don't just use the power of your arm muscles. When I do it, I try to, like, fall with my arm on the knee, so the whole upper body mass is involved too.

 

[crees22]

Yes, but you don't just use the power of your arm muscles. When I do it, I try to, like, fall with my arm on the knee, so the whole upper body mass is involved too.

Ive done it on occasions when been running on empty up a hill, but to be honest it doesnt help me in the slightest, if anything it takes more energy out of me.

 

[jhuskey]

Sometimes when I go uphill I use my left arm to help. I put my hand on the left knee and I help to push it down when needed. Do you use this technique too? Or do you think its useless?

I only use my arms to pull against the bars on steep hills. That technique helps me.

 

[tanggoman]

I pull the handlebars on each downward stroke of each leg when climbing steep, and not what you desrcibed above.

 

[cydewaze]

I've done that before after bonking. It's pretty much a psychological aid though.

 

[mmpc001]

I only use my arms to pull against the bars on steep hills. That technique helps me.

Yup, me too. The ol' pushing-on-the-knee thing does nothing for me...

 

[davidbod]

Try this. Sitting in a chair just raise your bottom off of the seat so your weight is on your legs bent like in a cycling position. Now take your arm and push on the top of your knee. Do you feel any difference in the pressure your foot is making with the floor. No.

 

[Telegram Sam]

Yeah- it sounds more like a meditative device then anything. I think we all have something we do automatically when we climb, I put my eyes on the spot right in front of my tire . It certainly would not improve on the power your legs applied at the pedal

 

[Telegram Sam]

I pull the handlebars on each downward stroke of each leg when climbing steep, and not what you desrcibed above.

My wife does this as well- we always tease her because it looks like she is trying to fly...course now if she catches herself doing it she busts up laughing and can't do the climb anyway

 

[mmpc001]

My wife does this as well- we always tease her because it looks like she is trying to fly...course now if she catches herself doing it she busts up laughing and can't do the climb anyway

You mean she doesn't get airborne??? Tell her to keep working on it and it'll eventually happen...

 

[Telegram Sam]

You mean she doesn't get airborne??? Tell her to keep working on it and it'll eventually happen...

You bet- the poor thing only has me and dad to ride with, and like father like son, we are notorious hecklers. Really, she's a mountian goat- climbs with good spin at the same rate and her heart never races after a year on the bike. Me, I ride all my life and on my climb I start at 85rpm...end at 95-100 having a god damn athsma attack or something... feeling like I ought to be dead- whom am I to heckle her? Just her husband, it's my job. Maybe if she pulls the damn wheel her heart will start beating

(It's Curves Gym guys...they teach them some Jedi trick or something)

 

[Marx SS]

Wow, I've never heard of this technique. Does it work?
I'll try it on the way home tonight (when no one is looking).


Thinking about it though, it looks like you're just transferring the weight of your body which normally would go through your leg, to going through your arm. Your body is not braced against the 'bars (by pulling up on the 'bars with your hands because you are using them to push down on your knee) so there could not be any greater force on the pedal pushing down.

When the force on the pedal required is greater than your static body weight, then pulling up on the handlebars gives you that extra load.

 

[bikeguy]

I prevent rocking of my upper body by a pull on the handleber opposite the leg that's extending. If I'm sprinting I pull up so hard the bike creaks and the handlebar bends a little.