How To Climb Any Hill On Your Mountain Bike | MTB Climbing Skills

To get to the best bit of mountain biking (downhill!) we must unfortunately suffer climbing to the start of the good trails. Here is Rich with some tips on how to make that a little less painful, from a positive mental attitude to bike choice.

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Do you have any climbing tips?

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[rocketappliantist]

The way I manage climbing is I remind myself I'm getting a good exercise, and the longer the climb, the longer the descent. I hate climbing, but at the same time I absolutely love it. I use the same mentality for ski touring.

[vangaspar]

Some extra tips by my experience: 1. In long uphill drives that burn your leg's muscles, if you ride in a quite wide trail, try to make zig zag so to maximize distance over force on pedaling. 2. For clipless pedal users, try to push & pull for better cadence and adjust clip springs for easier unclipping just in case you'll need to put your feet quickly on the ground (f.e. in very steep, close to zero velocity points). Keep in mind that SPDs cleats SM-SH56 are way better for emergency unclipping than the standard -SH51. 3. If you 're not very fit, select a lower gear even if you have to pedal quicker than you expected. It's easier to change gearing from large to small sprockets when the climb gets more even. 4. If you ride with a friend, avoid jokes and everything that produce loughs, it will destroy your (already heavy) breathing!!! Cheers.

[gatoryak]

My top tip: Change your attitude. Learn to love the uphills. Mountain biking is one of the few sports that offer the runner's high of a high-intensity endurance activity combined with the adrenaline rush of gravity action sport. That combo hormone rush is the best.

[focus]

I am new in getting back to MTB/XC. I don't 'look forward' to the hills, but i relish the challenge and push myself to cycle up as far as i can. Each time i tackle them, i try and beat my previous progress - it's a great benchmark on my fitness and a challenge to keep improving.

[JamesRobertMTB]

I just try to find a rhythm and keep that gear spinning!

[yvan]

Can mtb help me climb the mountain called depression?

Yes. Yes it did.

[dzastafahrai]

Once I mastered technique (elbows down, seated forward) I started to enjoy the climbs even on big enduro (180/165). Climbs gets your fitness up and after a good climb my bike feels very light and easy to descend ✌️😎

[jnnyrs]

I don't have much issue with hills in fact I like them. I like a leg burn 😅

[ianmcmillan]

I lock my suspension out for climbs. I find I lose force when I’m bouncing all over the place

[bielgrauig]

Seat up, suspension locked, find your pace and don't stop pedaling. I also like to switch how I grip the handlebar to not get bored.

[demeterpogorelc]

Thanks! From this video, i learned how to climb up a building, now i dont know how to get down. I hope you will do a video, about how you can you can huck to flat anything.

[jonm]

Find something to really focus on thinking about. Never think about the hill you're climbing and never think about any hills coming up. Just find some mental distraction and let your body get on with what it's doing. I'm from mid-Wales, you get to be very good at climbing here 😊

[AndyC_Outdoors]

All well and good having a hardtail for climbing but any lumps and bumps on the climb interrupt leg movement and bounce you around compared to a short travel FS. I climb so much better on my FS than hardtail if it's even a little but rough 👍

[project-]

On a full-Suspension I lock out the rear and front forks when I have to do a long climb. No shame in stopping on a really long climb to catch your breath and continue on.
let your mind wander - and before you know it your at the top.

[smaggio]

New to mtb, and GMBN has an uncanny ability to publish tutorial videos WHILE I’m out riding & working on those very things. Guess what I was trying to improve on this morning? 😂

[proverbalizer]

1:58. Just went for my first real rugged mountain biking loop ride and it's good to know that my intuition, /natural body sense was very cerrect on this one

[the_spanner_chmp]

Great tips Rich
I'm really impressed how well and easy it is to climb hills on my Nukeproof Scout, it just eats hills 😁👊

[David_Mudsurfer]

I like to put my Head down, starring to the ground, not thinking about anything but my breathing. Its like a state of medidation, very exhausted, but clear in mind. I truly found much happiness on steep sections.

[alexanderbell]

I went to my local trail centre/bike park yesterday and I realised how unfit I had become after a long time off the bike, after one climb I was nearly ready to pass out

[aliens]

29er wheels are amazing for climbing !!