Yes. On short steep stretches, obviously, upright cyclists can outperform recumbent cyclists: with a conventional bicycle, you conquer mountains by leaving your seat and standing on the pedals. However, the strength in your legs is so great that you waste much extra energy in your arms clinging to the handlebars. On longer mountain sections, however, this use of many low-trained muscles is very strenuous: for example, Tour-de-France riders ride in a sitting position as long as possible and try to avoid standing up until the sprint at the end of a stage. The recumbent cyclist has a somewhat contrasting approach: he conquers mountains with a very different strategy. The recumbent rider must downshift to maintain a good efficient cadence. Since he is supported in the ergonomic recumbent seat, he can exploit his maximum leg strength. Arms and upper body remain relaxed. However, the adaptation to the muscle strain during recumbent cycling requires some time of training.