Once you start cycling with your mountain bike, every once in a while you might come across a hill.
Climbing a steep hill with your bike can be a pretty tough indeed. Climbing uphill with a bike becomes quite easy if you own a mountain bike.
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However, you might need to learn a few tips and tricks which will help you climb hills with your bike quite easily.
This article was written to share some tips and tricks with you and teach you how to climb hills with a bicycle for beginners.
Types of Climbs
There are different types of climbs out there on any biking trail. Each climb poses a different kind of challenge for the rider.
There are basically 3 types of climbs one might face when out on a ride with their mtb under 500. They are:
Power Climbs
These are very short climbs and are just fairly steep around 10-12%. Heavy and strong people can very easily overcome this climbs.
Gradual Climbs
These types of climbs are a bit longer but are just around 6% steep. They don’t tire up the rider but are not that easy to climb too. Heavy riders can easily tackle these types of climbs.
Steep Climbs
These are where the pure climbers show what they are made of. These climbs are longer and steeper than usual.
You will have to be exceptionally lightweight to cover these kinds of climbs. You will need proper training, weight to power ratio and genetic ability to tackle a steep climb.
Tips To Help Climb Hills On A Bicycle
So what can be done to overcome steep climbs? The main key is patience and training. A little bit of practice every now and then will take you a long way. Some other tips to climb hills with a cycle are:
Maintaining Proper Weight
Try to lose as much weight as you can. If you become lighter in weight and still maintain the same power output, you can overcome any climb faster than you could before. Reducing weight makes you a better climber.
Try To Spin Your Legs More
Rather than pushing gears, it is better to spin your knees more. You will climb up hills much faster due to this. And by the end of the day, you will have healthier and fitter knee muscles.
Always Keep A Look Out
This will help you get a clear idea of what type of hill you will come across next. Keeps your eyes on the road and plot your route perfectly in your head.
Drop Down Gears
As you approach the hill it is better to drop down a few of your cycles gears. Use your knees to generate some power and forward momentum.
Dropping down some gears at this point helps you maintain balance and makes the climb a lot smoother.
Shifting Gears
When going uphill try to shift the gears. They will provide you with that extra boost and power needed to overcome a tough trail. Make sure you are still pedaling when changing the gears.
This will help in not losing the momentum. During going uphill, it is better to keep your bike in a low gear. Sometimes shifting gears might seem a bit tough or the gears might not change at all.
This is because too much tension is being applied on the derailleurs. In this case, try to ride a bit sideways, this might release some of the pressure being applied on the bike chains.
Breathe Properly
Breathe in and out properly during both going uphill and descent. This helps you not get exhausted and cover any trail within minutes.
Take Rest
Hill climbs can be very tiring and strenuous. It is better to take rest once you reach the top of the hill for a few minutes or so. Just sit down and enjoy the view.
Be Alert
Keep your eye on the road for incoming cars, traffic or pedestrians. Get up from the sit when descending from a really steep hill. Let your mountain bike take the impacts for you.
Conclusion
End of the day practice is what will make you perfect when going uphill on a mountain bike. Always keep practicing, and one day you might just defeat that hill you once found hard to overcome.