How much do you like climbing? « Singletrack Forum

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How much do you like climbing?

63 posts & 52 voices | Started 2 years ago by Bagstard | Latest reply from cookeaa

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GaryLake - Member

I was always all about the downs and a shite climber. Problem is, if you're last or mid pack to the top, you're not first in line for the descent.

I set about getting quicker just so I could do my best to skin everyone on the ups (I'm by no means fast but you get what I mean) and get the uninterrupted first run on the descents I so craved.

As I got fitter and better, I started enjoying the climbing, but I also got faster going down. Particularly on the Afan-type stuff where a lot of the downs are quite flat and drawn out in places and require a lot of tempo and pedalling to get the most out of them. So it was kind of win-win...

Posted 2 years ago #
ahwiles - Member

i like climbs, technical, switch-backy, not-too-steep, lovely!

Posted 2 years ago #
scu98rkr - Member

I'd say I like climbs overall but I think even the most harden climber would say there are some they hate.

Obviously I like technical climbs and I love short sharp climbs where you can really push your self all the way up.

Really long climbs are fine too you just get in a gear your comfortable with and keep going.

However there are always some climbs in the middle where you feel like you should easily be able to get to the top quickly but you just cant because the ground is clangy or something. But at the same time the climb isnt so difficult you can just drop to the little chain-ring and spin. They're infuriating because Im always thinking I should be at the top already.

Posted 2 years ago #
AndyP - Member

So.. does anyone actually
ride along and think "oh goody", here comes a really tough bitch of a climb?
absolutely. It's the best and most rewarding thing about cycling.
I'd rather they had downlifts than uplifts...

Posted 2 years ago #
noteeth - Member

It's what Bontragers are made for.

Posted 2 years ago #
gog - Member

I'm beyond middle aged and newish to the sport, hated climbing when I started, but now sort of get the, 'it has to be done so get fit and do it as well as you can' reasoning. I am getting fitter, can climb better but not well, but will never really enjoy it the way I enjoy, in my own limited way, the down!

Posted 2 years ago #
joolsburger - Member

As I've got fitter I've come to enjoy climbing. It's also very satisfying when you start beating your mates to the top.

Still haven't quite cracked some of the really steep technical climbs but woudl like to.

Posted 2 years ago #
Clembo - Member

I love climbing. A great sense of acheivement when you clear the nemesis climbs that you've not been able to clear before. Plus less chance of me falling off than when I go downhill!

Quite refreshing the number of people on here who do like uphills. I was starting to think no one rode uphill, now all the youngsters are on 50" travel suspension bikes

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Yes.

As I'm no longer prepared to push my limits on the downhills, I enjoy pushing my limits on climbs I would have previously considered unrideable.

A new bike which seems to excell at climbing helped this, plus spending more time in the big hills where stopping mid climb is often a recipe for pushing the rest of the way.

However I'm learning not to confuse "I've cleaned that climb" with "I CAN clean that climb". Having conquered a couple of toughies in the Pentlands I then went boasting to all and sundry only to fail miserably on subsequent attempts...

Posted 2 years ago #
_tom_ - Member

I hate climbing when I'm doing it, but getting to the top is a great achievement. Plus you have to go up there to come back down, which is the most fun bit anyway.

Posted 2 years ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

I am not greatly keen on climbing. A nice short techy climb can be an interesting challenge and one I am reasonably good at. However the hour plus slogs that I sometimes meet are soul destroying. The only good thing about them is " what goes up must go down"

Posted 2 years ago #
Dougal - Member

I love me some climbing, all sorts in fact. Even better when I have someone with me ~~to punish~~ for the company. There better be no dogs, kids, fatties or mincers in my way when I'm raging it uphill on purpose built trails though! Grr, etc.

Posted 2 years ago #
Keva - Member

riding up climbs is like riding down in slow motion.

that's what one of my mates says.

I love climbing, Cwmcarn is one of my faves, so are the Golf Links and Bonk Hill at Rhayader /Cwmdauddwr. Whites is a goodun as well... and yup, I do look forward to them when I see one looming in the distance. No way I'm stopping 'till I reach the top. On the odd occasion when I have been beaten by a climb I feel gutted and am even more determined to never let it happen again.

Kev

Posted 2 years ago #
topangarider - Member

Love the challenge of a techy climb, but not the dull grassy stuff that takes no mental effort.

Don't mind too much on the road - apart from like this morning when honking up a killer my back wheel spun on a damp pizza box left in the road!

Posted 2 years ago #
joolsburger - Member

I never finish with a climb. That is a bit pants AFICT.

Posted 2 years ago #
ononeorange - Member

+1 for long technical climbs - I love them! Best bit. Probably controversially, I don't like downhills as much as I'm nervous on them.

I enjoy seeing how long I can keep momentum up in a big gear on the ups. the only time they become a bind are slippery grassy climbs.

Posted 2 years ago #
spacemonkey - Member

I love climbing even though I'm in no way built for it. Sure, there are times when I've had enough and choose a different route round a particular climb, but generally I've got now problem.

IMO it's one of my fitness indicators, especially when I climb a ba5stard hill and need only a couple of seconds recovery before sticking it in a bigger cog and speeding off.

I think it stems back to my teenage road-riding days when I'd spend 8hrs in the saddle with a couple of whippets who were into hills. We'd go all over Hants, Surrey and Sussex and I never once got off an pushed. Hence I always summon up those memories when the going gets tough. Although in MTBing there are various climbs that either catch you out because they're just too steep or technical, especially in certain conditions, etc.

One thing I find weird is what I call thermals and anti-thermals.
- Thermals: Some stretches of road of trail can go uphill quite steep but I always feel like I'm being pushed up them.
- Anti-thermals: Other stretches can be relatively flat yet seem to suck every ounce of energy to get "up" them.

Posted 2 years ago #
IanMunro - Member

I love climbing providing it's not fantastically steep or technical, when I swap to pushing - which I also quite enjoy.

Posted 2 years ago #
oldgit - Member

I love them. Long and non technical, just sitting there knowing you can do it. I like to add to the weird pleasure be keeping a few gears in reserve.
I'm not any good a technical off road stuff, but a long road climb is far more satisfying than the following descent.

Posted 2 years ago #
BadlyWiredDog - Member

If you don't like climbing, why even bother riding a mountain bike in the UK? You know you're going to spend more time climbing on any ride than descending - assuming it's circular anyway - so you might as well like it

Posted 2 years ago #
alpine girl - Member

I like climbing, and after living in Tirol I've got to really enjoying the long 3 hour plus slogs. Just stick the bike in the right gear, switch the brain off and enjoy the view. Then some food at the top, stick on some more clothes then downhill all the way to the bottom of the valley (where I live luckily).

Posted 2 years ago #
anotherdeadhero - Member

All part of riding bikes and you can get a peverse pleasure from meeting the challenge.

Posted 2 years ago #
cookeaa - Member

One thing I find weird is what I call thermals and anti-thermals.
- Thermals: Some stretches of road of trail can go uphill quite steep but I always feel like I'm being pushed up them.
- Anti-thermals: Other stretches can be relatively flat yet seem to suck every ounce of energy to get "up" them.

Yeah, I find this now and then, although most seem to be “Anti-thermal” with me, there are a few Climbs (the same climbs too) where it all seems a touch easier than it should be, I find myself picking up a nice rhythm in my pedalling even if it’s close to the end of a ride and I’m blowing a bit. The Glider analogy is a good one, you do almost feel like you’ve gotten some lift.
It’s not just down to tail winds or better rolling surfaces either, maybe it’s certain angles of incline where you just get the right position on the bike; not so steep you’re having to lean into the bars or hoik yourself out of the saddle perhaps, but there is a definite sensation of “This should be a bit harder”…

Posted 2 years ago #