I think I need to get a bit more weight onto the front of my bike as my most common failure on steep uphill is for the front wheel to hit a rock, bump, root… and skip sideways and for me to put a foot down. Can I get a bit more weight up front by changing any of the set-up (saddle, bars, stem?) or is this a technique issue and I need to get off the saddle and lean forward?
Bike is a Whyte e-120 in case that makes a big difference

Could be setup and technique. Think about possibly lowering the front end slightly if you have a skyward facing stem. Technique is to slide forward on your saddle (not off it) and lower your chest aiming to get your sternum closer to the bars. Elbows out or tucked in and back & easier imo to achive with narrower bars. It’s all a compromise though as some of the above might effect your downhill enjoyment/speed.

Putting more weight at the front is definately not the answer.

It could be technique as above, or just the fact that many bikes these days have geometry that doesn’t lend itself favourably to climbing.

EDIT: Just looked and its not that slack a bike, or mega long front fork so should climb reasonably well. Look more at your technique. Definately sit more forward on the saddle if your not already.

Like Convert said or

osaddle forward on rails, assuming that doesn’t muck up everything else

Some bikes are just better at this. The longer chain stays of my FS make keeping the front down much easier. IMHO its one of the reason lots ofeple report that 29 ers climb better

Oh and learn to relax and steer

Used to have that problem and dropping my wrists snd shifting weight forward on the saddle always helped..

Sit forward, right on the nose of the saddle if need be.

I find dropping your wrists and elbows can help, as you lean forward.

Try fitting a big fat DH tyre on your front wheel. Not only will it be a lot of fun on the downhill, it’ll show you adding weight is never a good solution to a riding problem!

Change of technique is your best bet, ie sitting further forward. Maybe get a longer/wider-nosed saddle? If you change the geometry/components to make it a better climber, it won’t be as good DH. Its all about compromise.

as above re technique, plus planning your line up things, through the obstacles when to stand up out of the saddle and power…

And sometimes unweighting the front wheel could be the answer, lofting the front wheel for a split second and putting it down on the top of a rock or a root will be less disruptive than knocking into it at an angle.

Also makesure your tyre isn’t pumped up too high, and that your fork rebound isn’t set too fast. Both could contribute to the skipping you describe.

Yep get your weight forward. Pedal smoothly. A Whyte E-120 should be gamboling up hills.

Cheers all, looks like technique then. I will try the sit forward, and drop wrists a bit and see what happens.

I have been winding back a bit on the rebound damping (slower) as it sometimes feels a bit over reactive. Tyre pressure does not seem too high – its softer than my other bike by the squeeze test and that seems to climb OK.