When the trail takes a turn and gets full of rocks to the point you have forgotten what dirt looks like, you riding style has to change as you climb that technical trail on your mountain bike. For many riders – if your typical mountain bike trails are not rock filled – there can be a steep learning curve as you bounce around trying to find your comfort zone. In the past, I have discussed tackling rock gardens, but how do we settle in for the long haul and navigate long climbs that are filled with rocks that are primed and ready to throw us off our line and eventually off our mountain bikes?

Just a side note: In my opinion, rocks and technical lines are what make mountain biking better than any other cycling discipline. The better you get at riding this kind of terrain, the more you are going to search it out looking for more. Riding technical, rock filled trails can be one of the most rewarding rides at the end of the day. For this rider…it doesn’t get much better. Don’t get me wrong…I like fast and flowy as much as the next rider, but nothing beats the rocks.

Climbing Your Mountain Bike on Rocky Trails

Climbing on really rocky mountain biking trails can prove to be even more difficult than blasting down them. This slow speed, high level of technical difficulty climb can be defeating for even the best of mountain bikers. As you pick your way up the hill just begging for the end, here are some tips that will help you try to keep your climb dab free.

Make the climb a contest with yourself - Technical climbing on your mountain bike is completely a head game. Typically, you will give into temptation and get thrown off your line from not paying attention or by simply giving up. As you pick your way up that rocky climb, play a mental game with yourself (or the other riders with you) by seeing if you can keep the climb dab free. You will actually be surprised how a simple change of attitude can drastically improve your results.

Stay out of granny! – If you can – stay out of your easiest gears as much as possible. As you climb rocky, technical terrain, you are going to need the occasional power boost to get up and over larger roots and rocks. If you are in granny and the biggest ring in your cassette, you are going to find that the front end will want to rise and you will lose control. You will also not have enough speed or torque to muscle over the larger obstacle, so – instead – you will sway back and forth throwing you off your line. Unless the climb is just stupid steep and I have no other choice, I try to stay in the middle ring as long as possible.

Pick a line and power through – Through most of the climb, you are going to be picking every inch of your line carefully, but – sometimes – it is better to pick a straight line and power through small sections. If you are coming up on a section of the rocky, technical climb that does not seem to have a defined line, hit it straight and hard. You are going to be surprised what a little bit of momentum and drive will carry you over. Be sure to gear down and recover after bursts like this so you can be ready for the next.

Plan your climb – The temptation during long rocky climbs is to look 2 inches in front of your tire at all times. The problem with this method is that you might get yourself on the wrong side of the trail for future obstacles. Every technical climb is a balance between navigating what is directly in front of you and planning for what is ahead. As much as you can, look up and see what lays before you as you continue to pick your way through the rocks.

Constantly shift your weight and the bike – Keep your grip loose and concentrate on staying light on the bike. If you try to take on these climbs with a death grip on the bar and a rigid stance on the bike, you are just going to fail over and over again. Make sure to keep your body and the bike moving independently of each other as you will need to use some body english to keep the bike on track.

Don’t be afraid to stand up – Standing up and shifting your weight can get you up and over larger rocks and roots easily. Just be careful not to throw your weight too far forward to the point you lose traction on the rear wheel. The occasional bunny hop up and over larger rocks to avoid washed out, looser sections of trail can keep your line straighter and get you up the hill faster.

For this rider, I find climbing technical, rocky, rooty, debris filled climbs a lot more fun than your typical groomed, boring climb. They not only improve your technical riding skills dramatically, but they keep your attention all the way up the climb as you navigate the mess in route to your destination. You will actually be surprised how much these types of mountain biking climbs actually improve your downhilling ability as you learn to move the bike up and around obstacles independently of your body. This fluid motion between bike and rider is what will make you smooth and fast once things get pointed down and gravity takes over.

Image by Pete Tiley / Titan Images as found on the Mountain Biking by 198 Flickr Group. Join today and see your images on the site!