I climb a lot & am a regular on the UKC forum (UK Climbing).
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/
A lot of climbers are MTBers. Just wondering how many are on here?

once of that parish struggle to put the bike down these days

I am (well sort of). Definitely more rider than climber though!

I am an infrequent climber – have lead a few VDiffs/Severes in the Lakes and go to a climbing wall every now and then. More into scrambling/mountaineering really but never seem to manage to get much time to do it.

Would generally prefer to be out on the bike.

More of a rider than climber. Managed to get as far as leading VS multipitch but not been getting much done recently. A few years back I did a lot of the harder scrambles and long mountaineering routes but strangely since i moved to Scotland I havnt had a regular climbing partner to go climbing with. At least with mtb you can just pick up th bike and go. I dont like climbing or even bouldering outside on my own. Hoping this summer i will get out a bit more!

I’m a climber, mainly indoor and mountaineering as opposed to graded routes. Out of action at the moment due to a broken hand though, so I’m only biking at the moment.

Down to the wall a couple of times a month, but as much an excuse to go to the pub really. I’m not sure you’d really call it climbing either, if you saw the undignified manner with which I huff and puff my way up.

I’ve been climbing for 23 years and mountain biking for 20.
More biking than climbing nowadays.
I stopped serious (E grades)climbing when junior came along.
Much easier to get out for a bike ride for 1/2 a day than a weekend away. Although I reckon Mountain Biking is more hazardous than rock climbing – there is a lot more to go wrong!

used to climb/boulder/mountaineer lots until injury stopped play, got back into to biking to keep sane and it’s worked a treat I’m now normal and even have a special bit of paper to say so.

Similar to few above. Used to lead multi-pitch VS regularly for a while. Then spent a while seeking out remote scrambles in Lakes/N Wales. No time now and too far to travel. Shame – I miss the mountains. 🙁

Whatever you climber types do make sure you don’t go cross the Cairngorm plateau to climb or you will unleasah STW forum hell.

Do trees count? If so, yes. Don’t get paid for doing it now though after an injury 🙁

Seldom nowadays although I was leading at E3 back in the day, but on delicate rather than thuggish routes. I have reach and technique rather than brute strength. When I moved to S Wales I lost touch with my regular climbing partner(s), plus the local nasty limestone led to a slow demise in ability. And once junior appeared- that was it.

All this coupled with (in my head) seconding not being proper climbing (over that now- I hope) and all my kit now sitting and degrading for 20 years.

However- all is not lost. A few of us are off to do battle with the sandstone of Porthclais and beyond very soon I hope 🙂

And I still love scrambling.

Lapsed climber here too… riding bikes took over and then after separating my shoulder I just kinda stopped.

I do keep planning to start again, mostly to get back into climbing the frozen stuff.

Did loads up till the early 90’s (mostly sport) but had to stop due to knackered shoulders. Started training again 3 weeks ago.

Used to do a fair bit although the majority of it was indoors. I stopped for various reasons but one of them was that I could never be arsed with all the harness, ropes, belaying etc and preferred just to be by myself or with a mate, freeclimbing stuff. That was only ever going to end one way, with Mtn Rescue scraping me off a crag somewhere.

The trouble with climbing is that you have to keep up your climbing fitness (not just general fitness), and you have to have your head right for leading – otherwise it can be a very frustrating experience when you go out having not done it for 2 months. Biking is easier to do irregularly imo.

Been doing quite a bit indoors. Don’t know if i can be bothered with the ropes and stuff though!

Used to climb a lot, all over the UK, summer and winter. Norway, Yosemite big wall a couple of trips, lots of Alpine trips. Now sadly don’t get out for much more than a once a year winter solo up the road on Torpantau when it’s in nick, or perhaps a couple of routes while in the Alps biking.
It’s something I really miss, but when I think back to the falls (broken back in one, femur in another) and near misses (TV sized block landing where I was stood 5 seconds ago at the bottom of El Cap etc) I honestly don’t know how long I could have kept off of the mortuary slab.
Will idle along with a few routes every now and then just to keep the eye in (though E4 is a long way off now!). The thing I find hard is that you can’t just go for a climb like you can go for a ride round here, it’s a mission just to find someone to hold the ropes on the right day with the right weather.

Dabbled.

Seldom nowadays although I was leading at E3 back in the day, but on delicate rather than thuggish routes. I have reach and technique rather than brute strength.

Could have been written by me.

Injury stopped play. But slowly I’m getting back to it. I led some diffs and v.diffs in the lakes last summer with my son. I’m still not injury free but with a local wall I think I can make a bit of grade progress. Not so much for the sake of grades but to give more route options.

I lead HVS currently, Ive just got a work placement on egde of peaks too 🙂

Dont think I will ever get past E1/2.

Equal biking and climbing for me!

Do a bit of both. Dont agree that you lose it that quick in either though. Dont climb at all in the winter as I have never really felt the love for the wall. Much of climbing is a head game so if you stay reasonably fit it seems to come back pretty quick. Don`t get above leading E1 with the odd E2 with a following wind.

I think biking is much more dangerous but I guess that is a very personal view based on how I climb (or reasistically place gear) and how I ride. Both are in fact by far the best sport!!!!!!!! Err

neilc- where are you. Fancy a gentle climb out west?

Climbed a lot for about 4 years when I first moved to Sweden, leading 7’s in sport and low E’s on trad. Had a serious fall, tried to return to the sport but the fall combined with having children meant I lost the will so took up cycling again.

Use to do a lot…. then nothing for 12 years – just starting again. ‘chalkstorm’ was my toughest lead (technically).

Spend roughly equal time on both climbing and biking, which means I’m embarrasingly mediocre at both.

Used to climb a lot, but got tired of waiting for good weather, waiting for the seepage to dry, waiting for good winter nick to arrive… Can go out on the bike anytime in any weather!

Just sold my axes and crampons to buy some new wheels… 🙂

Interesting comments guys. I havent climbed for a few weeks now due to shoulder dislocation (again & again!) so getting right back into MTBing now in a big way.
Winter climbing was/is my thing, I am fairly obsessed with it, especially ice. Last winter was awesome, but this winter has been very disappointing (in Snowdonia anyway)
I run a blog about climbing conditions in Snowdonia through the winter & have met many interesting people through it.

Good to be back in the MTB fold though. Gotta go now, off up into the Clwydian range on the bike. Yippee!!

Did my SPSA training a long time ago but struggled to ever have confidence in my own gear placement so never enjoyed lead climbing. Left it behind now in favour of the bikes, which take up my every spare minute anyway.

Originally a climber, now more a biker… But still enjoy climbing if I get the chance to get out…

As others have said… much easier to pop out on the bike for a quick, worthwhile spin, than traipse to the crag for a climb, especially if you have to find a partner, etc.

I thought all older ex-climbers took up MTBing 😉

A bit fanatical into my mid-40s, 8a sport, E7 trad, big walls. Over-use and traumatic injuries led to loss of mojo.

Now into mid-50s and the MTB rules :))

Cheers
Paul

I’ve drifted in and out of both sports over the last 20 years. Like stevious, I’ve only ever been embarassingly mediocre at both.
In the mid 1990s we used to take MTBs on climbing trips to the alps (as a bad weather alt), so I suppose I can claim to have been on mountain biking hols in the alps before it became popular in the UK.

I’m mostly into mountaineering, done quite alot of winter mountaineering/climbing in Scotland and many trips to the alps in summer, but never climbed above HVS, winter IV, AD+

Indoor climbing mostly .Son got in to it and needed a rope man.
We climb 2 or 3 times a week now ,great fun .
Perfect extra training for me, as I hate gyms.
Must try and get outdoor climbing more in the summer.

Down the wall once a week in winter and out once a week in summer. Occasional day out, but as others have said it’s a lot more of a hassle to go climbing . . . and then it rains.

And don’t get me started on Windsurfing.

Marko

” I thought all older ex-climbers took up MTBing “

Lots take up road riding as well Basher, Chris Gore, Jason Myers and Mark Dellifield are all roadies now.

Not much hassle for me to go climbing, but then I am surrounded by several crags within a few miles. 🙂

That said, I’m more into alpine stuff, which is quite a bit of effort.

A few photo here:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/author.html?id=3026&nstart=0&sort=

Some nice winter routes there Glen! I’m hoping to get one last winter blast in beginning of April in Scotland. Depends on shoulder though.

Dabbled, then moved down south.

If anyone in the Reading area fancies taking a relative beginner out, I can tie knots and belay, but only ever climbed indoors (or on indoor walls outdoors).

Did a lot of climbing in the 70’s – 90’s but not so now. Mainly due to mates losing their mojo after having kids. Also did quite a bit of kayaking but various mates either lost their mojo or emigrated. I have missed it though & intend to take it back up & do more climbing this summer. Going down the wall weekly at the moment. It is a great form of exercise and good for self confidence as well.