MTB Trail Riding/climbing Question

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Sit on the nose of the saddle, right at the very end.  Not very comfortable but it will help keep from spinning out.

When you pull on the bars (which is natural climbing), pull back and DOWN not back and up. Imagine a straight line from your handlebar to your rear axle, that should be the direction of pull. It will provide a downward transfer of power to your back wheel, thereby creating more friction=less spinning.

STAY SEATED...

On the really steep stuff, you will have to probably move forward (there have been plenty of times the nose of the saddle has been uncomfortably poking a places where the sun don't shine...) and lower your chest to also keep the front wheel on the ground.  But as soon as you stand in such a low gear, it will spin out on ya.  Also, spin spin spin.  I also look what's coming up and if I have to, gain a little momentum if there is a big rock or root I need to clear.  Those items will slow you down, so it's nice to hit time with a little speed so when you do slow, they don't stall you.



Edited by Kido 2010-09-30 1:38 PM

Keep your butt down as previously mentioned, always be looking ahead( constantly 10-15 yds ahead, not staring of what's right in front of your tire). One thing that helps is picking a line and sticking ot you. You will find that your technical skills will greatly increase and when that increases, your confidence increases. When confidence increases that means no more holding on to the brakes for dear life and rippin it on the trails. I just got into Tri's but am an avid MTB racer. That's the only draw back to prepping for my first tri (IMLOU) is that time on the MTB has gone away. Haven't been MTB since my 60 mile race at the Brown County Breakdown on OCT 10.

Easiest way to visualize this is to bring your elbows toward your knees. This does exactly as the jellyman describes.