| Mountain bike riding is a popular pastime and sport for | | | | some can be part of a series of hills. Some can even |
| many Americans. According to the National Bicycle | | | | be mountains. The strategies for climbing the different |
| Dealers Association, 28.5 percent of the bicycles sold | | | | types of hills must be considered in relation to whether |
| by specialty bicycle shops in 2008 were mountain | | | | one is climbing an isolated hill, a series of hills, or a |
| bikes. But it is a good bet that few of these riders | | | | mountain, as the strategy is different for each. |
| consider actual mountain bike climbing to be their | | | | This article will address the strategy for mountain bike |
| favorite part of the sport. | | | | climbing up an isolated hill. |
| Climbing hills, particularly steep hills, is an activity that | | | | Climbing an Isolated Hill |
| most riders approach with dread. They know from | | | | An isolated hill is one that "stands alone" without any |
| hard, painful, sometimes humiliating experience that | | | | surrounding hills. The strategy employed in climbing |
| mountain bike climbing leads to the agony of defeat | | | | same will depend upon whether the hill is convex or |
| much more often than it leads to the thrill of victory. | | | | concave. |
| With the right strategy, however, hill climbing can be | | | | Convex Hills. |
| done efficiently, without causing undue hardship to the | | | | Climbing any hill takes power and speed, two |
| bike or to the body. | | | | components that must gradually be increased upon |
| Three Ingredients of a Successful Bike Climb | | | | approaching a hill. For a convex hill (one that is steeper |
| Biking enthusiast Ken Kifer says that there are three | | | | at the bottom), the timing and the speed of the ascent |
| ingredients of successful mountain bike climbing: | | | | must be nearly perfect. As odd as it may sound, the |
| 1. Physical strength of the rider | | | | way to accelerate up a convex hill is to shift down. |
| 2. Proper gear selection for the climb | | | | This provides more power for the climb. But timing is |
| 3. Hill climbing strategy employed | | | | everything when using this method. Downshift too |
| Assuming that most people who participate in such a | | | | soon, and exhaustion will plague the rider even before |
| rugged sport as mountain biking are physically fit, the | | | | reaching the hill. Downshift too late, and climbing the hill |
| first ingredient should not pose too great an issue. If it is | | | | can be too labor intensive. |
| a problem, some rough and tumble rides up and down | | | | Concave Hills. |
| various hills for a few weeks should eliminate this | | | | Concave hills are steeper at the apex and, as such, |
| obstacle. | | | | require a different strategy than do convex hills. Two |
| Items 2 and 3, however, are not quite so easy to | | | | key factors to this strategy are keeping the speed |
| master. However, before these aspects are even | | | | steady, thus conserving energy, at the start the climb. |
| attempted, one must choose the correct type of bike | | | | As the hill becomes steeper, the downshifting should |
| Choosing the Correct Type of Bike | | | | begin. |
| There's a vast difference between a road bike and a | | | | Another strategy to mountain bike climbing of a |
| mountain bike and not knowing this difference-and | | | | concave hill is to stand up on the pedals, which creates |
| perhaps making the wrong choice-can make mountain | | | | a more powerful cycle. When standing, make sure the |
| bike climbing nearly impossible. | | | | full body is evenly distributed on both pedals. This will |
| In general, one can tell the difference between a road | | | | create sufficient power to overcome the hill. |
| bike and a mountain bike by considering two | | | | A Few Tips for General Technique |
| factors-the framing and tires of the bikes. | | | | One's pedaling technique is also an important factor in |
| Framing. | | | | successful mountain bike climbing. The right placement |
| Because road bikes are built for speed, they typically | | | | of the feet can have a huge impact on the amount of |
| have lighter frames than do mountain bikes. By | | | | effort expended while climbing the hill. The feet should |
| contrast, the heavier frames of mountain bikes house | | | | be positioned properly and the heel should be kept |
| suspension systems that are built to withstand the | | | | parallel to the ground. (If the toes are pointed down, the |
| frame-jarring shocks of rough terrains. | | | | muscular contractions of the leg are minimized which |
| Tires. | | | | will affect the speed and the stamina of the rider.) |
| Road bikes have thinner, smoother tires. The tires of | | | | Another point to consider is the cadence of the ride. |
| mountain bikes, however, are broad with a significant | | | | (Cadence is the number of times that the pedal is |
| amount of traction to handle rough terrains. | | | | rotated, on either side, per minute of cycling.) Aiming for |
| The Final Ingredients | | | | a steady cadence is a healthy goal, whether the |
| The final two ingredients-proper gear selection and hill | | | | surface is flat or is on a hill. Cycling at a cadence of 85 |
| climbing strategy-are indispensible parts of each other. | | | | to 105 is an optimum level. |
| Both are essential ingredients of successful mountain | | | | When mountain bike climbing, one's power to climb the |
| bike climbing. Both involve strategy. And the uses of | | | | hill will be increased at a higher cadence while |
| both are dependent on the different types of hills. | | | | downshifting to a lower gear. The effort on the pedal, |
| Mountain Bike Climbing Up Different Types of Hills | | | | however, should remain the same on both the |
| Most hills or mountains fall into three categories. Each | | | | upstroke and the down stroke. Maintaining the same |
| category brings its own unique set of challenges. But | | | | amount of pressure throughout the whole pedaling |
| each different type of hill can be conquered-with the | | | | cycle will create a more even stroke, which can help |
| proper strategy. | | | | to maintain the energy level needed to climb the hill. |
| 1.The concave hill is steepest as the top. Such a hill | | | | The View from the Top |
| appears to get taller as the rider approaches. | | | | Mountain bike climbing is not for the faint of heart. It |
| 2. A convex hill is steepest at the bottom. This type of | | | | takes strength, stamina, and good technique. But with |
| a hill appears to get shorter as the rider approaches. | | | | these tips, you should be able to see the view from |
| 3. An even grade hill has a sloped, even rise. | | | | the top of the hill (or mountain) sooner than your |
| To make mountain bike climbing even more challenging, | | | | friends! |
| some hills can be a combination of all three types and | | | | |