Uphill battle for cranks

Researchers at Massey University aim to discover whether it is better to sit or stand when cycling up a hill by using a pair of $40,000 cycle cranks fitted to a road bike.

"These cranks are able to collect data that will tell us exactly what force is exerted on the pedals," Dr Philip Fink said.

"Not a lot is known about the bio-mechanics involved, so we're looking to pinpoint where the power comes from."