Brent Kearney

I bought my first mountain bike last year, so I’m still pretty much a newbie. However, I’ve been riding as often as possible since then, and what I found the most difficult in the beginning — pedaling up mountains — is now much easier. Here’s a few things I’ve learned about uphill mountain biking:

1. Lean forward, and don’t be afraid to stand up if you need to.
   Some experienced mountain bikers told me to remain seated on the uphills, at all time. I took this advice, but since then, I’ve found that in some circumstances, staying in a higher gear and standing up to pedal, while really leaning right over the handlebars to keep the front tire down, works better. Try not to wobble the bike back and forth when you do this. The trick is balancing your weight properly to give the back tire enough traction not to spin out (the higher gear helps with this), and not to let the front tire come off the ground.
2. Don’t rush.
   I used to find it amazing how I would be busting my lungs to get up long, steady hills, while more experienced riders didn’t seem to be working nearly as hard. They weren’t. For some reason, on hills, I felt the urge to pedal as fast as possible in the lowest gear. This is entirely inefficient: it causes the front tire to jump (too much torque on the rear tire), makes it more likely to spin-out the rear tire, and worst of all, makes you work way harder than you need to. Intentionally go slowly, pick the highest gear that you can “comfortably” pedal for that hill and your present physical state, and concentrate on a slow, steady cadence instead of how fast you’re moving. Relax and breathe easy.
3. Psychologically, use baby steps to get up those long, grueling hills.
   A huge hill can be intimidating, and that anxiety makes getting up it even more difficult. It’s best not to think about it. Pick a place on the ground a few metres in front of you and focus on getting to that spot. As you reach that spot, re-set your goal for another spot, further ahead. Climbing the hill in these increments makes it seem a lot easier.
4. Shift your weight forward on the seat.
   On most hills, you won’t be standing up, or at least not the whole time. When you’re in the saddle and pedaling uphill, move your weight forward so that you’re sitting as far ahead as possible on the front of the seat. Lean forward, moving your chest toward the handlebars. When you breathe, try to fill your chest with air, not your belly. Remember my second tip (don’t rush).
5. Steer around the bumps.
   If possible, go around those roots and rocks instead of over them. All you need is an inch of space for your tires; if there is room to go around a root, rock or trench — take it. Your front tire will be more likely to stay on the ground, and your back tire less likely to spin out.
6. Relax your upper body.
   Flexing the muscles in your chest, arms and shoulders uses a significant amount of energy, and your heart needs to pump blood into those muscles faster when you do. Reserve as much of your heart’s capacity for your legs as you can by keeping the rest of your body relaxed. Of course, you’ll need your arms to hang onto the handlebars, steer, and maybe pull yourself forward, but try to be aware of how much energy that you’re giving to your upper body. Your legs can use all of the O₂ that you can give them!

If you have any other tips, I’d love to hear them. Have a great summer!