Comments on: Riding Tip: How To Climb Rocky Mountain Bike Trails

By: Robb Sutton

Robb Sutton — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:55:30 +0000

I have also found that most riders run their tire pressures way too high too. Instead of gripping the rocks…they are bouncing off of them.

By: Robb Sutton

Robb Sutton — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:54:48 +0000

Thanks for the comment Kark! I 100% agree…9 times out of 10…we give up too early.

By: Robb Sutton

Robb Sutton — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:55:30 +0000

I have also found that most riders run their tire pressures way too high too. Instead of gripping the rocks…they are bouncing off of them.

By: Robb Sutton

Robb Sutton — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:54:48 +0000

Thanks for the comment Kark! I 100% agree…9 times out of 10…we give up too early.

By: Kark

Kark — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:35:03 +0000

Great article. Rock is almost all we have here on the Ontario/Quebec border. So rewarding.
You touched upon a key in the first paragraph can be expanded on and was put to me very well by my favorite wrench. You mentioned "..or by simply giving up".
My local wrench gave me this advise.
"When you're sure you've stalled out, shit the bed, can't make it and are about to unclip, make ONE MORE pedal stroke. ..Just try it and see."
That advise has plowed me through more rock gardens jams and techy sections than I can count.
Another bit I've learned and passed along is;
Trust that the bike knows what to do. Trust that the bike will do it.
That is one that is especially helpful to riders new to technical riding who are prone to freaking out with trying to pick a line and just giving up when all they had to do was pedal through and miss the really obvious show stoppers.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:16:37 +0000

Great advice and right on. Where I ride rocky climbs are more the norm than the exception. The biggest mistake I see people making is trying to pick their way around the rocks rather than attacking and letting the suspension do what it was designed to do. If your shock pressures are right (I think people tend to ride too much) and you get up off the seat in a gear you can still climb in and have some power when you slow you'll have a lot more fun. Rocky climbs are no time to sit and spin

By: Robb Sutton

Robb Sutton — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:12:33 +0000

That's the point! Glad you liked in man!

By: Paulo

Paulo — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:27:21 +0000

This article is rated Freakalicious. You have a knack of writing articles that make me want to drop everything, grab my bike and head out!

By: Robb Sutton

Robb Sutton — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:15:03 +0000

Yep…I'm a freak too! It's all good.

By: Ony Anglade

Ony Anglade — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:09:19 +0000

Rocky, rooty, technical climbs are probably my favorite aspect of mountain biking. Yeah, I'm a freak, I admit it. I've found that moving my body just a little bit fore/aft (as needed to balance between front and rear traction), while staying seated, makes a big difference. So does having a nice rear suspension setup that can help the rear wheel roll over the rocks at slow speed, without losing contact with the ground, especially while powering up at slow speeds. Great article.