Technical climbing

Key facts

Skill level

3/5

Risk

1/5

Terrain

steep, rooty and rocky climbs

Bike types

MTB, eMTB

Body position

• Sit on the nose of the saddle and bend forward, elbows low — it keeps the front wheel down.
• Keep enough weight on the rear for traction: if it spins, sit back a little.
• Look a few metres ahead, at the line, not at your front wheel.

Pedalling

• Shift before the steep part — shifting under full load is how chains skip.
• Pedal smoothly all the way round; a hard stomp spins the rear tyre.
• Ratchet — quarter pedal strokes back and forth — past rocks that would catch a pedal.

Steps and roots

Before a step, lift the front wheel onto it with a pedal stroke and a light pull, then shift your weight forward and let the rear roll up. A slightly lower tyre pressure helps the rear grip.

Related articles

• Electric mountain bike (eMTB) — A mountain bike with a pedal-assist motor and battery. The motor helps only while you pedal, so you climb more, ride further and spend the day descending.
• Drivetrain — Everything that turns your legs into forward motion: cranks, chainring, chain, cassette, derailleur and shifter. A modern mountain bike runs one chainring and twelve sprockets — 1×12.
• Cross-country (XC) — Mountain biking as an endurance sport: as much up as down, on light and efficient bikes, where fitness wins races. The only mountain-bike discipline at the Olympic Games.
• Tyre pressure — The cheapest upgrade on any mountain bike. Too much air and the tyre skips and slides; too little and it squirms, burps and hits the rim. The right number depends on you, the tyre and the trail.
• Singletrack — A narrow trail, about as wide as one bike, winding through the terrain. The heart of mountain biking: most of the riding worth driving to is singletrack.