Using handlebar bar tops

sam218 said:

I am newbie, and I was wondering how to use bar tops while climbing
seated. What direction do you pull/push? horizontally or vertically? also is 50rpm to slow cadence for climbing?

I probably pull back towards my body, not completely horizontally and definitely not vertically. As for 50 rpm if you have lower gears you might find it easier to use them and increase your cadence. But it depends on the steepness and length of the hill and your leg strength.

I try to relax my upper body and not pull or push on the bars. Sometimes it is inevitable and I do pull on the bars, but I generally focus on keeping up a quick cadence (for me) and keeping my pedal strokes even. Greg Lemond talks about this in his bicycling book. He talks about the differences between putting your hands on the bar tops versus the brake hoods.

Bottom line, there is not right or wrong way. What is comfortable and efficient for you?

sam218 said:

I am newbie, and I was wondering how to use bar tops while climbing
seated. What direction do you pull/push? horizontally or vertically? also is 50rpm to slow cadence for climbing?

Try a few different faster cadences, perhaps, and see what feels right for you. Most would say that 50 rpm is definitely on the low side for climbing, ranges between 70 and 85 seem quite common on this site (what sort of gradients are you riding up?) A higher cadence could well work to reduce the amount you pull/push depending again on the gradient and how hard you're attacking the hill.