[mack_turtle]

I was riding today and I have found that I slip a lot on technical climbs. I lack the cardio-vascular fortitude to stick with extended climbs, but I can't seem to keep my back wheel in the dirt. Standing and pedaling, I tend to unweight by back wheel and it just spins, killing my momentum. If I lean back to keep my back wheel down, I can't get enough power or I loop out.

Technique? Bike setup? Grow some muscles?

 

[randyharris]

I find if I lean up over the bars too much then I will get far more spin, for me it's finding that right position where I still get good traction - not leaning too far forward.

 

[mtnbikerfred]

Technique : SLOW DOWN! Relax and try to "feel" the back tire. Be smooth. Pedal circles, don't stomp on the pedals.

Bike setup : A shorter stem and/or higher bars may help you move back further on the bike.

Grow some muscles : You just keep riding. You will. =

 

[randyharris]

Pedal circles, don't stomp on the pedals.

Mash away, even pull up on the upstroke on big hills.

 

[Godless Communist]

Assume the classic oldschool "sprocket jockey" position -- ass out of the saddle and over the back wheel, head over the stem. Looks funny, but gets 'er done.

 

[FTM]

Sounds like you need to work on your core strength. You need a strong core to be able to create a stable platform for driving the pedals and keeping your weight back, while climbing out of the saddle.

 

[Moozh]

Mash away, even pull up on the upstroke on big hills.

Amen!

 

[Sparticus]

Assume the classic oldschool "sprocket jockey" position -- ass out of the saddle and over the back wheel, head over the stem. Looks funny, but gets 'er done.

^^^^^^ this.

Spread your weight out so it's over both the back wheel and the front wheel at the same time. Damn uncomfortable and damn effective.

--sParty

 

[Bro]

Body position is important too.

But check yo' tires. Knobbies obviously help, but make sure to account for soil conditions.

 

[paco664]

stop worrying about not making it up the hill and concentrate more on your line up the hill.... get that ass out the saddle and pull up on those bars while you try and bend those cranks....

 

[Eboogie101]

what he said

stop worrying about not making it up the hill and concentrate more on your line up the hill.... get that ass out the saddle and pull up on those bars while you try and bend those cranks....

And check your frame geometry, my back wheel hardly ever spins out when I stand-up to crank it. Keep up the hard work too!

 

[Stevob]

lower your tyre pressures

 

[mateis]

Even more important: know when to lean back.

You need the traction most when your cranks are somewhere at the 3/9 'o clock position. That's when your weight needs to be pretty far backwards. You can rock your centre of gravity forwards when past that point. That's also the moment to compensate for a front wheel that gets of the ground. May sound a bit strange, but really works great for me.

 

[p nut]

What kind of tires are you running?

 

[mack_turtle]

2.2 Race Kings, pretty low pressure. some tires with more knob to them might help, but I have a 2.1 Exiwolf that had the some problem. so it's not my tire that's at fault. or is it?

 

[p nut]

Haven't been on RK's. I'm in the Rockies and I've had good luck with Saguaro's, Exiwolfs (2.3), and SB8's.

 

[flipnidaho]

learn the row technique. on every power downstroke, pull down and back on the handlebars while staying low on the bike (this works best standing up off the saddle but also works while in the saddle). It kinda looks and feels like you're pulling the bike back towards the contact patch of your rear wheel...

 

[wjphillips]

learn the row technique. on every power downstroke, pull down and back on the handlebars while staying low on the bike (this works best standing up off the saddle but also works while in the saddle). It kinda looks and feels like you're pulling the bike back towards the contact patch of your rear wheel...

Yes! This is it. Also, you want to rock your body forward and backward depending on the immediate terrain under your wheels. It's tricky, but with practice you can do it. I would recommend bar ends as well. These will give you more leverage on the climbs.

Bottom line: you need to really ride more aggressively. I suspect you are being timid on the hills. You need to really attack it hard. I move my body around quite a bit to compensate for the conditions directly beneath my tires.

It takes lots of practice, so keep riding and keep pushing yourself harder and harder and soon you will be dusting people on the hills (including geared riders).

Hammer it!!

 

[aka brad]

And check your frame geometry, my back wheel hardly ever spins out when I stand-up to crank it. Keep up the hard work too!

There is something to be said for all these ideas. One thing that has not been brought up is cockpit setup. Typically you spin out when you stand because you move your center of gravity forward when you stand. While moving your body front and back will change your center of gravity on the fly, you can shorten your stem which will naturally move your weight back. If your stem is 100mm plus, it might be worth a try.

 

[mtnbikerfred]

One thing that has not been brought up is cockpit setup.

Yes it was.

Bike setup : A shorter stem and/or higher bars may help you move back further on the bike.