Struggling with technical climbs...

Mr OCD

Gradually improving my fitness on the MTB but struggling with my technique on technical climbs such as the red route '8' at Gisburn... as I'm sure you know they use a lot of stones / rocks on the climbs and I find these really difficult to manage and land up walking up some parts with the bike... :oops:

Any tips for completing these?

Wallace1492

Low gear, spin it slow, don't stand up, just steady pressure, keep weight forward and don't let front forks rise up.

lostboysaint

Wallace1492 wrote:

Low gear, spin it slow, don't stand up, just steady pressure, keep weight forward and don't let front forks rise up.

Wot he said, + make sure you keep your head looking up the trail, it's much easier to pick a route through all the carnage then rather than just being stalled by rocks and roots.

The Northern Monkey

Mr OCD
Which bit is that at Gisburn?

I wouldn't worry though, there is a LOT at Gisburn thats very difficult on a HT because the terrain is bad in parts.

mattrgee

The Northern Monkey wrote:

Mr OCD
Which bit is that at Gisburn?

I wouldn't worry though, there is a LOT at Gisburn thats very difficult on a HT because the terrain is bad in parts.

Glad someone else thinks so. I was there the week before last and found myself walking more often than I'd like.

The Northern Monkey

It'd be a great trail if the surface wasn't so easily washed away.

Some of the lads on here have put loads of effort in to building and maintaining the trails, but unfortunately the bedrock/underlying material is really poor

legin

just try and keep going there are times when you think you wont make it but keep spinning you will be surprised how the wheels hook up.if its real steep shuffle over the nose of the saddle and try to keep it smooth.it comes with practice.

FSR_XC

lostboysaint wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

Low gear, spin it slow, don't stand up, just steady pressure, keep weight forward and don't let front forks rise up.

Wot he said, + make sure you keep your head looking up the trail, it's much easier to pick a route through all the carnage then rather than just being stalled by rocks and roots.

As above.

If the front is lifting too much, try dropping your elbows. This way you don't pull up on the bars when peddling.

Mr OCD

Cheers All...

It does sound like I'm using the wrong gears to go up the climbs then as I seem to come to a stop spinning half way up the technical climbs and then struggle to get moving again!

lostboysaint

Always better to be spinning early than to try and change down to suit.

Also, what tyres work up there? Have you spoken with Rockjock about what he uses and got his opinion of what's on yours?

Beardface

To echo the above, I find that moving weight forward and dropping my elbows helps a great deal, to the point that I acutally enjoy hills now. Not as much as going down, but it doesn't always feel like a chore anymore!

Correct gearing is important too, as also mentioned above.

Practise makes perfect, keep attacking the climbs, they'll get easier over time

miss notax

lostboysaint wrote:

Always better to be spinning early than to try and change down to suit.

This

I find if you start off in the wrong gear and have to change part way up, you're pretty much stuffed! The key to is just to keep on spinning at a reasonably consistent pace, and - as others have said - to keep your weight low and forward to stop the front wheel coming up.

EnglishChris

What everyone else has said around keeping sitting, weight forward, on the nose of the saddle, elbows in, pulling down on the bars to keep the front wheel down...

but also...

Don't look 'negatively' at the rocks you're trying to avoid with your front wheel, because you are sure to ride straight into them. Instead, be 'positive' and look through the gaps and past onto the trail ahead... This makes an amazing difference, just as looking up at the trail as you head around a techy uphill corner somehow helps you get the bike round the corner instead of stalling by looking down at the front wheel itself.

If you're trying to get up and over a bigger rock or slab, let your front wheel lift slightly onto it and then kind of shift your body weight forward somewhat, really pushing the front wheel over and past the obstacle. This also has the effect of reducing the amount of weight you have over your back wheel which then helps the back end to clear the obstacle too...

Its amazing what some shifting of body weight, looking where you want to go, combined with the right gear and consistent pedalling helps you clear....