Making molehills out of mountains

Tell me if this sounds familiar: you’re riding your mountain bike along a nice stretch of dirt singletrack, and suddenly a steep and rocky hill appears in front of you. You take a deep breath and start pedaling hard to make the ascent. About half way up, you spin your rear tire out in the dirt and run out of steam. You get off and push the bike and yourself up the rest of the monstrous hill. Most mountain bikers have found themselves doing this time and time again until they finally figure out how to climb properly.

One way to learn how to climb on a mountain bike involves riding with stronger riders – keeping close behind them and trying to see how they do it. This works, but it takes time and can be so frustrating and painful that you keep the bike safe and dry in your basement for a long time and don’t return your riding buddies’ phone calls.

A more rewarding way to learn is to read the rest of this article, take your newfound knowledge with you out on the trail, then practise, practise, practise. Soon enough, you’ll be out front on your group rides instead of bringing up the rear.

Hill climbing on a mountain bike is not just about gear selection, although this is important: When approaching a hill, you need to select a gear that will allow you to maintain a steady pedal stroke all the way up. Feel free to change gears in mid-climb, but use the rear derailleur instead of the front unless you want to pick pieces of your chain up from the trail.

Climbing hills on a mountain bike is difficult because the laws of physics and trail surfaces are working against you. Your centre of gravity changes as you move uphill and traction is lost if you stay in the standard riding position. Add in loose dirt, gravel and rocks and whatever traction you have left becomes nothing but a fond memory.

You’ll need to apply “body English” to overcome these forces of nature. Here’s how.

First, move your butt forwards on the seat so the nose of the seat is in the vicinity of your tailbone. You want to be more “fore” than “aft,” so your centre of gravity stays in front of the rear axle of the bike.

Second, lower your chest to the handlebars as you move your butt forwards on the seat – another strategy to keep your centre of gravity forward.

Third, bring your elbows close into your body. This allows you to maintain efficient control over your bike and keep it pointed in the right direction without much effort.

Now practise these three techniques on a small incline. Choose an appropriate gear and exaggerate the body and arm positions. Move on to bigger and steeper hills, and keep on practising these techniques. For steeper hills, move your butt further forward on your seat, your chest closer to the handlebars and your arms closer into your body. With lots of practice, you’ll be able to change your position easily to adjust to different conditions and climb most hills with relative ease.

At this point, you have become a Jedi master of mountain bike climbing with no need to avoid rides with your buddies. Happy trails. ~ Fraser Moffat is an experienced cycling instructor who has explored many of Ottawa’s best trails.

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