Hill Question

Loretta Damage

I was attempting a hill that I had never tried before today and found at one point that when I was out of the saddle my back wheel wasn't getting any traction, as a result I sat back down only to find that I was lifting my front wheel off the road as I peddled. I ended up having to walk up the final 20m of the climb, which was a gutter as I've never had to admit defeat before, especially as although I wasn't feeling the love I knew I was going to make it. Is the issue with traction / front wheel lifting normal? Is there a technique I should be adopting to overcome this? I should say the road surface was damp but no rain had fallen for at least 5 hours.

Cheers.

danlikesbikes

To do so on a road bike is pretty rare unless it was a V steep hill and your tyres are not the best. I've done it on a mountain bike loads of times and you just have to pull yourself a bit more forward on the saddle and keep your body as low and forward as possible. That way your body weight should still transfer to the rear wheel stopping it spinning, whilst leaning forwards will reduce the chance of your front wheel from popping up.

jermas

Perhaps your tyres aren't particularly grippy. Technique sounds fine- not much else you can do with that. Maybe check tyre pressures if your tyres are good'ns.

Bobbinogs

If it was a steep hill and you were in a very low gear, you may have started spinning by putting too much grr into the pedals (which can be hard to control if you are standing) which has happened to me before. I think this is a leverage thing so you have a couple of options which work for me, slow down and ease off on the pedals or go up a gear. I prefer the easing off option. The other thing could well be tyre pressure (as above post). I took some advice posted on here before and have found that dropping tyre pressure for big climbs also to be very helpful (80psi for the F&R, I am ~68kg), there are quite a few guides around on what is right for you.

irezumi

Sounds like you're 'crunching'.

Try and smooth out your pedalling action before dropping pressures etc. Not so grippy tyres on a damp surface in cold conditions can easily be spun up when climbing.

John.T

The roads round here are very slippery at the moment. Mud, crushed leaves, diesel, etc. It is very easy to get wheel spin. When sitting keep your weight low and try not to pull up on the bars, more backwards. also as said move your weight forwards on the saddle. It does not feel natural at first but you get used to it. Better than going over backwards.

Monty Dog

Keep you weight centred between the wheels and the pedal stroke even - wider tyres at lower pressures help with grip a lot. It's very difficult to wheelie a road bike on a road climb unless you're really pulling up on the bars

Loretta Damage

Thanks for the advice, think I'll research some grippier tyres as a result. There seems to be no end of threads on that subject on here!

Wheelspinner

Monty Dog wrote:

Keep you weight centred between the wheels and the pedal stroke even - wider tyres at lower pressures help with grip a lot. It's very difficult to wheelie a road bike on a road climb unless you're really pulling up on the bars

Or you are Robbie McEwen.

dreamlx10

as I peddled

What were you selling ?

jim453

Monty Dog wrote:

Keep you weight centred between the wheels and the pedal stroke even - wider tyres at lower pressures help with grip a lot. It's very difficult to wheelie a road bike on a road climb unless you're really pulling up on the bars

Not sure this is true, or I'm doing it wrong (v. possible).

On severe climbs my front wheel is extremely light to the point of popping up off the floor even when low and trying to get over the front while still allowing the back enough weight to grip. If at this stage I actually tried to pull a wheelie i'm one hundred percent certain I would be on my back instantly.

+1 for a nice smooth transfer of power through the crank.

oldwelshman

As Monty said, it is a matter of weight distribution between the front and back.
If your out of the saddle and forward and the front wheel is still lifting, something is wrong, either your on a 90 degree incline ( a wall) or you with about 5kg
I have yet to find a climb where it is that steep where bothe the back skids and the front lifts.