Everybody loves to climb hills on their mountain bike right? Well some may not always enjoy it at first, but I think that with time and experience it can become a truly fun part of the ride. I know some of you might think I am crazy in saying that, but from my many years of riding, I have found it to be an almost “Zen” like experience. I actually enjoy the climb and I have got a few quick pointers to help you improve your climbing on a mountain bike, and who knows………you might actually enjoy it too!
So here is a rundown of some quick tips on how to climb better on a mountain bike:
Gearing: In general finding a gear where you can spin the pedals compared to slowly turning them over is the way to go because you will be able to keep them moving if you get bogged down by an obstacle or a steep portion of the trail.
Energy: This ties in nicely with the gearing idea. Try to keep your energy output consistent and keep it relatively below the place where you feel like you are going to “blow up” (stop pedaling). If you know there is a tough section of trail coming up, then ease up on the pedaling to save up some energy so you can really charge that tough section without stopping.
Position on the bike: I find that sitting up and sliding forward on the saddle helps my breathing and improves my view of what is coming up in the trail. It is also a more comfortable position on the bike, and hey for climbing…..…we need all the comfort we can get!
Mindset: Ah the mental aspect of climbing on your mountain bike. One of the crazy things about most sports is that I truly believe it is about 50% mental. I think that this is true when it comes to climbing hills on a mountain bike and I could probably write a novel about it! Overall it seems like our minds try to limit what we think is possible when climbing. To turn that around try these ideas:
- Commit to trying a difficult obstacle that your mind is telling you to forget about. Really go for it and don’t let up until you are physically stopped by an obstacle. Chances are you may not be stopped! It is a real rush when you nail it and it gives you bragging rights with your buddies!
- On a long climb that seems like it will last for an eternity, set small goals along the way. Look ahead on the trail and just focus on getting to a specific spot. Then repeat once you get there. Maybe you can focus on a cool spot that would be a good place to grab a bite to eat and hangout with your buddies for a while.
Picking a good line: In general avoid obstacles that will slow you down and interrupt your momentum. This won’t always be possible and sometimes weaving all over the trail to find the best line will waste energy. In some cases riding over the smaller obstacles to maintain a straight line on the trail can save you energy. You may have to do some trial and error riding to see what is best for you.
Exceptions: This was mainly focused on riding a mountain bike that has many gear choices; not a single speed mountain bike. Climbing on a single speed uses a different set of tactics that I may get into in a future article. Let’s just say that climbing on a single speed can be a bit more challenging!
Alright, well that is a brief overview of some things to keep in mind when you are climbing your next hill. I hope those tips help and that you take some of those and try them out on your next mountain bike ride. Focus on a few of them and get comfortable with them before trying the others.
Do you have any comments or questions about how to climb on a mountain bike? Do you like to climb or is it something that bothers you? I would like to know! Please leave a comment or question in the section below. To avoid comment spam and preserve the value of this blog to the readers, I screen all comments. Please do not submit your comment more than once. It will appear shortly.
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What do you mean by “sitting up and sliding forward”
I recommend sitting in a more upright position and sitting closer to the front of the saddle so that you can breath easier and spin the pedals more efficiently. Also I think sitting up helps you see what obstacles to avoid in the trail. Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any more questions.
A good article with useful hints N tips.
- Kiran
Thanks Kiran, I am glad it was helpful!
Another little tip is whilst climbing something very steep or technical is to , as you hve said, slide yourself towards the nose of the saddle, tighten you core muscles and to try and pull the handle bars into you stomach. This seems to help with traction on the rear wheels. Don’t why but, it does!
Great tip Stuart! Thanks for adding that.
Keep your elbows in towards your sides too. This helps to lock the steering and stop that nasty side-to-side wander that creeps in on climbs.
- Jon
Good point Jon! Thanks for adding that. That definelty helps on steep climbs.
Elbows & knees out will help balance on the technical sections of a climb.