Climbing (on a bike)

bvibert · Jun 1, 2009

Do you enjoy the climb, or is it just a necessity to get to the down hill?

When riding my MTB I enjoy the climbs, especially if there's some sort of technical challenge to it too. Even non-technical climbs are good by me too though. There's something about the sense of accomplishment when I get to the top, or maybe that's just the effect of lack of oxygen. There's plenty of climbs that I can't make, for whatever reason, I look forward to giving them another shot every time I ride them again.

I'm interested to hear the roadies take on this too...

Greg · Jun 1, 2009

I really love short technical climbs. The long extended grueling ones? Not as much, but I still like them. Part of why I'm doing this is the fitness benefit and building endurance and wind throughout the season just feels good. Plus you get to go back down!

bvibert · Jun 1, 2009

I like the long, grueling ones the best, even though I'm usually ready to pass out by the top. And it's not just because I know I get to go back down, that's just a nice added bonus.

MR. evil · Jun 1, 2009

Enjoy them….not so much. But with the exception of a select few I don’t hate them either. I do prefer the shorter technical climbs over the easier long drawn out type. The longer drawn out ones just bore me to death, all you are doing is pedaling for what seams like an eternity. That’s what I imaging road riding to be like. I need some technical challenge to keep me on my toes and my mind off the lack of oxygen. The last section of the Johnny Cake climb we did yesterday is a good example. If that had been a standard fire road that would have really sucked and bored the crap out of me. But all the rocks, ruts & leaves gave it a technical aspect that I enjoyed. It wasn’t very technically challenging, but it had just enough going on that you had to pick lines and think about what you were doing. Then there is the climb from the stream crossing after rt69 to the stone wall. That is a pretty rocky / technical little stretch and I really look forward to it every time we ride that loop.

awf170 · Jun 1, 2009

Climbing is the best part of riding because it is actually challenging. Downhills and drops are 90% guts, 10% skill. Climbing on the other hand is purely based on skill.

Flame away downhillers...

RootDKJ · Jun 1, 2009

I went with the These options suck. There are some climbs that I get really into, and one in particular that makes a steep & sharp left, is really challenging to me, but I can only do it about 1/2 the time.

Other hills I could do with out. There's one long steep one on a fireroad that just drains me, it's boring and seems to last forever. Only good part about it is the sweet twisties off to the left of it once you get to the top.

Rolling hills are more my style.

bvibert · Jun 1, 2009

MR. evil said:
Enjoy them….not so much. But with the exception of a select few I don’t hate them either. I do prefer the shorter technical climbs over the easier long drawn out type. The longer drawn out ones just bore me to death, all you are doing is pedaling for what seams like an eternity. That’s what I imaging road riding to be like. I need some technical challenge to keep me on my toes and my mind off the lack of oxygen. The last section of the Johnny Cake climb we did yesterday is a good example. If that had been a standard fire road that would have really sucked and bored the crap out of me. But all the rocks, ruts & leaves gave it a technical aspect that I enjoyed. It wasn’t very technically challenging, but it had just enough going on that you had to pick lines and think about what you were doing. Then there is the climb from the stream crossing after rt69 to the stone wall. That is a pretty rocky / technical little stretch and I really look forward to it every time we ride that loop.

A climb is never boring to me. I'm too busy concentrating on making that next revolution of the pedals.

I even enjoyed that long ass climb up the gravel path in the sessions loop that we did last week. There was nothing technical about that.

Trev · Jun 1, 2009

I started biking in May of this year.

I 'love the climb' in the sense that it is very challenging. I am starting to pick apart the various challenges.. like I find myself popping my front tire up off the ground to replace it in a better spot now and then.. sort of chuckled yesterday while doing one of those slow demanding climbs.. saying to myself " ok move that front tire over there .. good job Trev " .. those self pats on the back really help me out

Of course, my slow demanding climb is probably something some of you bikers consider downhill... lol..

TheBEast · Jun 1, 2009

I just hate it when the 50+ crowd whoops my a$$ on the damn climbs, only to have me buzz by them on the downhill

Johnskiismore · Jun 1, 2009

Love climbing on my MTB. Not that great on the long long ones, but I really like the challenge

MR. evil · Jun 1, 2009

awf170 said:
Climbing is the best part of riding because it is actually challenging. Downhills and drops are 90% guts, 10% skill. Climbing on the other hand is purely based on skill.

Flame away downhillers...

So you are saying that this is only 10% skill?
http://www.ellsworthbikes.com/mobilerider/?video_id=12415

Paul · Jun 1, 2009

Climbs suck, I climb enough on the road, thankyewvurrymush....

mondeo · Jun 1, 2009

It's a love/hate relationship on the road for me. It's not therapeutic and relaxing like flats or fun like turns or downhills; basically as I head toward a good climb I simultaneuosly think, "this is gonna be painful" and "Show this b**** who's the boss." Then I get to the top and get a decent amount of mental satisfaction to go along with sucking wind.

JD · Jun 1, 2009

awf170 said:
Climbing is the best part of riding because it is actually challenging. Downhills and drops are 90% guts, 10% skill. Climbing on the other hand is purely based on skill.

Flame away downhillers...

I enjoy a good climb. A nice singletrack that tractor-beams me up. Nice flowing trail with interesting features that makes me want to clean it up. Not overly steep, eroded trail with mad roots showing where the trail has gotten wider and wider and is just asthetically shitty, and not never ending washed out 2track. But a good climb that allows me to keep it rolling, is well thought out and sustainable, I LOVE them. Granny gear grinds IMO require no real bike handleing, just cardio. A bunch of XC racer types here in town can tear my legs off of stupid shitty climbs. On the DH they are so far off the back sometimes I worry about them and almost go back. Descending technical DH singletrack requires an emense amount of skill and real sound technique on braking, cornering, jumping, pumping, unweighting, manuals.... Grind up a hill just requires a granny gear and some lungs. I couldn't disagree more with austins perpective, but I still LOVE well thought out ascents. Waterbury VT climb up to Burning Spear. The climb to peek a view in Stowe. (never made it all in one shot, though I have made every section....hardest move is the last 20 feet and I made it once, but dabbed earlier...and I've made everything else and dabbed there a few times) Both are awesome, devistating, doable, misty climbs that I love.

JD · Jun 1, 2009

MR. evil said:
So you are saying that this is only 10% skill?
http://www.ellsworthbikes.com/mobilerider/?video_id=12415

That guy can rock, but those trails are absolutely gross!!!
I'd rather rip buffed out shit like this...which is obviously only 10 percent skill...

Marc · Jun 2, 2009

I do get some sort of sick, masochistic pleasure from climbing. I think it's the sense of accomplishment. I've ridden up Killington almost every year I've been going there (about nine years maybe?) and the sense of satisfaction is amazing. Only rivaled by the sense of pants wetting terror as you realize you're now about to ride down Killington, half the time on wet, greasy, steep trails with noodly legs and tired everything else.

Climbing on the road is different for me because I don't have long climbs around here. Some moderate length at best... maybe a mile at the most, but most of them are also very steep. Some right around my house approach 20% grade. I still enjoy it, and I still seek them out for the sense of accomplishment and the endurance gains, but I do wish I had some longer, 6-8% average grade climbs around.

bvibert · Jun 2, 2009

JD said:
That guy can rock, but those trails are absolutely gross!!!
I'd rather rip buffed out shit like this...which is obviously only 10 percent skill...

Wow, sick stuff there!

MR. evil · Jun 2, 2009

JD said:
That guy can rock, but those trails are absolutely gross!!!

That was filmed at Whistler. Those rock faces and roots were so wet I would kill myself trying to hike down them.

MR. evil · Jun 2, 2009

bvibert said:
Wow, sick stuff there!

Did you watch the link I posted? Insane is the only word for some of the stuff that guy is riding. The first minute of the vid is slow, but after that it gets really cool.

bvibert · Jun 2, 2009

MR. evil said:
Did you watch the link I posted? Insane is the only word for some of the stuff that guy is riding. The first minute of the vid is slow, but after that it gets really cool.

I watched it, pretty intense terrain. Not anything that I'm ever likely to ride, especially in those conditions. I was more impressed by all the features in JD's video though. The raised ladder bridges with gap jumps in the middle were pretty sick, IMHO.

Climbing (on a bike)

Bike Hill Climbs

Love to climb

Hate them

Don't really care

These poll options suck, so none of the above

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