Best climbing mountain bikes

[stephenmarklay]

I want to get a MTB this year. I like to climb for the workout. There is a climb close to home I cannot get up on my old 1990’s specialized.

It is very steep and the front starts to come up and the front wanders and I lose it. I can barely keep traction in granny gear too.

So would a longer wheelbase 29er allow me to climb more steady with less wander in the front?

[benb]

This is probably a fit and/or technique issue. No judgement on your technique.. but if you're going to buy a new bike I would make sure you talk to a good fitter who is a skilled MTB rider/fitter about the issue you're having.. you need your weight in exactly the right place over the bike to stop these issues.

(Been there done that)

But a lot of these nasty climbs if you're in the granny gear it might be faster to run up.. one of the reasons the 2x10 and 1x11/12/whatever stuff has started to become popular.

I never try to ride up anything technical if I know I'm going to be in the granny ring.. I only use the granny if it's really steep and non-technical.

[sandyrs]

This is probably a fit and/or technique issue. No judgement on your technique.. but if you're going to buy a new bike I would make sure you talk to a good fitter who is a skilled MTB rider/fitter about the issue you're having.. you need your weight in exactly the right place over the bike to stop these issues.

(Been there done that)

But a lot of these nasty climbs if you're in the granny gear it might be faster to run up.. one of the reasons the 2x10 and 1x11/12/whatever stuff has started to become popular.

I never try to ride up anything technical if I know I'm going to be in the granny ring.. I only use the granny if it's really steep and non-technical.

This sounds like sound racing technique but if the OP wants to ride climbs for the workout, then I think saying to run it instead kind of doesn't help him that much :)

[rzthomas]

For the super-steep stuff, all you can really do is get the weight on the front wheel and spin as powerfully and consistently as you can. I think the newer bike geometry with the shorter stems helps with that a bit, but a lot of it just comes down to technique and fitness.

[Ken Robb]

This is one of the most difficult things for me to do. Getting my weight in just the right place with enough weight forward to keep the wheel on the ground while also keeping enough over the rear end to maintain traction is very tricky. Then just as everything is going well there is a slight change in pitch or surface that requires a very fast adjustment of position. This is when I usually stall out. :)

[josephr]

how many times have you heard the comment about a full-squish bike that it "climbs like a hard-tail." well, I can't afford any of those bikes! Anyway, I just moved from a full-squish 26er to a HT 29er and the adjustment is taking some adjusting to being able to stand on the pedals again while maintaining balance/traction. It has the longer seat-stays, so the stability is there which helps. There's one part on a local trail that's always given me fits, but first time on the HT29er, made it up with just a little fuss.

Not giving all the credit to the bike----going through some rocky areas was not nearly as nice as being on the squishy bike though.

[benb]

This sounds like sound racing technique but if the OP wants to ride climbs for the workout, then I think saying to run it instead kind of doesn't help him that much :)

Running it is no worse for fitness.. I'm mostly talking about short technical sections here that are bordering on "trials". Granny ring here for me means something crazy like 22x34 gearing. The 32x34 gearing in the middle ring is already stupid low.

[holliscx]

Maybe look at Rocky Mountain bicycles only because they're based near Whistler I believe and I know those guys climb and have mtb heritage. A buddy of mine is doing a stage race there in a week or two. Like you I'm starting to want a 29r.

[Mikej]

Rear tire air pressure

[ofcounsel]

Rear tire air pressure

Yep, Longer wheelbase helps. And steeper head and seat tube angles are generally better for climbing. But these same factors can also make the bike a bit skittish on the downhill. So it's about finding a good balance in the equipment that works for you.

Air pressure is a big "equipment" factor for climbing. Drop your air pressure for better traction. Some roadies ten to run way more pressure than optimal. On my 29er, I run about 28 rear and 25 front, and I'm a big guy (230 lbs).

But more than anything, body positioning is the biggest factor. Take a look a this quick little video, this guy displays a decent technique for getting up the steep stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkS8nzvqfPA

[joosttx]

I always found it to be the one that is under Ned Overland. :)

[GRAVELBIKE]

I ride a rigid 29er and find that proper tire pressure is key to traction (and comfort). With 30 mm tubeless rims, I generally run 19 psi front (2.3") and 25 psi rear (2.1").

[rcnute]

I'd avoid a bike like this: http://www.diamondback.com/bikes-mountain-all-mountain-mission-2

My friend has one and it's great downhill but impossible to climb while standing.

Ryan

[Dirtdiggler]

FWIW for me its all in technique. When I'm climbing very steep terrain, I like to roll my wrist downward causing my upper body to drop lower and also monitor the rear tire to ground tire contact to allow how much pedal to transfer, I guess in a sense of automotive traction control.. Also a lower front suspension helps drop the front end down. I remember Marzocchi had forks that locked out for that sort of thing.
I ride a 26'' Salsa Juan solo rigid SS and also a 29-er G.Fisher Rig with Niner rigid fork, so squishy for me..

[ORMojo]

All of the above - but technique is the most important. I can climb the steep sections on either my 26er full sus or my 29er YBB, but it requires more attention to technique on the 26er.

BTW, I just saw this in an email this morning - Competitive Cyclist has past-season MTBs on sale (http://www.competitivecyclist.com/rc/up-to-50-off-complete-mountain-bikes?cmp_id=EM_2015_PDM6054_M1&utm_source=PDM6054&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=CC_2015_6_week24_4_BestMTBDeals&sort=-discountpercent), including the Ibis Mojo HDR 650B 20%-38% off, which is one bike I would be seriously considering if I was in your position.

[jh_on_the_cape]

cheap/free things to try:
reduce your tire pressure for better traction. make sure you have the correct tire for the conditions.
for a standing climb think about having the nose of your saddle just touching your bum. so you are just a bit forward, and not stomping but keeping your body stationary.
bar ends help lots of people get their weight a little forward on climbs and allow use of upper body english a bit easier.

but if it's very steep and loose, it's just difficult. keep working and you will be so psyched the first time you clean the whole thing.

[tv_vt]

Funny, I thought the thread was about the 'best climbing mountains' bike. Not the 'best climbing' mountain bikes. Different beasts entirely.;)

[stephenmarklay]

Thanks everyone. I do think tire pressure will help. I will try that. I am going to focus on getting up that thing by the end of summer. It does have some roots a bit higher than I have been and that is going to be hard.

I am certain it can be done. I'm not certain it can be done by me. The original post topic may not make a difference without just working on it. I will keep at it l. It is very steep. It starts at maybe 15 degrees and just gets steeper. It's not really long like maybe 1/8 mile or so.

I have bar ends and am basically horizontal over the bike sitting on the nose and the slightest bump causes the front to come up. I could almost use a bigger cog in the back to make it smoother. Thanks for the advice and when I get it I will repost.

[stephenmarklay]

All of the above - but technique is the most important. I can climb the steep sections on either my 26er full sus or my 29er YBB, but it requires more attention to technique on the 26er.

BTW, I just saw this in an email this morning - Competitive Cyclist has past-season MTBs on sale (http://www.competitivecyclist.com/rc/up-to-50-off-complete-mountain-bikes?cmp_id=EM_2015_PDM6054_M1&utm_source=PDM6054&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=CC_2015_6_week24_4_BestMTBDeals&sort=-discountpercent), including the Ibis Mojo HDR 650B 20%-38% off, which is one bike I would be seriously considering if I was in your position.

Thank you. I as the email but have not looked yet. I will tonight.

[BSUdude]

For the super-steep stuff, all you can really do is get the weight on the front wheel and spin as powerfully and consistently as you can. I think the newer bike geometry with the shorter stems helps with that a bit, but a lot of it just comes down to technique and fitness.

A shorter stem actually puts less weight over the front wheel than a longer one.

[poff]

It is all about rear suspension design. The leading candidate right now is DW-link based rear suspension - Ibis Mojo and Turner bikes are prime examples. Here is from Turner website:

dw-link

Simultaneously engineered anti-squat and wheel rate curves are the mathematical formulas that make dw-link the world's most efficient and traction-aiding suspension system.

The dw-link is the only design on the market that is able to control unwanted bob and still remain active in more gear combinations than any other design. Dave Weagle has been refining the mathematics of optimum pivot locations of the dw-link on everything from World Cup winning downhill bikes to short travel XC flyers.

[xjoex]

A few years back I switched from a FS 26" turner flux to a hardtail 29" stumpjumper. I would say it climbs way better. The FS was better on the descents, but all around I have been liking the hard tail 29 more.

Modern bikes are pretty great. Get whatever fits, make sure it has good tires and have a blast.

-Joe

[K u r t]

For years I rode my hardtail Seven Sola under the assumption that because it was lighter and could not bob, I was on the ultimate climbing machine. When I purchased my first full suspension bike (Specialized Epic) I was surprised to learn how much better I could climb. I primarily attribute absorption of bumps that - on the rigid frame - tend to throw off balance and upset momentum. Also, that slight bit of wheel movement over irregularities keeps the tread on the ground for less wheelspin on steep climbs. I still usually ride the Seven. ;-)

[Tony]

For years I rode my hardtail Seven Sola under the assumption that because it was lighter and could not bob, I was on the ultimate climbing machine. When I purchased my first full suspension bike (Specialized Epic) I was surprised to learn how much better I could climb. I primarily attribute absorption of bumps that - on the rigid frame - tend to throw off balance and upset momentum. Also, that slight bit of wheel movement over irregularities keeps the tread on the ground for less wheelspin on steep climbs. I still usually ride the Seven. ;-)


Same here. I thought my steel hardtail was the ultimate climbing machine until I tried a Ibis Mojo hdr 650 b.

Several FS bikes I've tried lately combines uphill and downhill abilities in ways I've never experienced.

[ofcounsel]

Yep me too. I thought my Niner Air 9 RDO hardtail was the ultimate climbing machine. It still is, for smoother climbs. But if the trail is a bit bumpy, my Pivot Mach 429SL really outshines the hardtail climbing. And it's blast downhill too.

I'm currently building up a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR EVO 29 (Troy Lee Edition). It should be done next week. It's gonna be interesting to see how that bike climbs/descends compared to the Pivot.

[Ray]

I used to do a lot of mountain biking in the late '90 and early '00s, tried everything from no suspension to hardtails to full boingers. And on ANY of them, there's a point in terms of steepness, where there's no equipment that's gonna help you keep your front wheel on the ground AND maintain traction on the rear wheel. Rear suspension can help if it's really technical - if it's just steep but not technical, suspension doesn't matter one way or the other. It's all technique and center of gravity.

You're gonna have to lift your butt slightly off the seat, get your chest down as low over the bars as you can manage, and then just feel your way to the right fore/aft sweet-spot that manages this balance the best. And it's usually changing with slight changes in grade, so you have to always be adapting. There's also a sweet spot in terms of cadence - too slow and you're gonna bust the rear wheel loose with every mash, too fast and you'll have trouble maintaining the right position.

Changing the geometry will generally make one half of the rear / front wheel equation easier but also make the other half more difficult, so I'd find a bike that works best for you in most terrain and just try to adapt when on steep climbs. The whole thing is such a knife's edge type of exercise that you're generally just gonna have to feel your way through it. I was just good enough at it to understand it and do it pretty well on short to medium climbs, but never had the fitness to manage it long really long steep climbs. Around where I live the climbs are usually short and technical, but I remember a couple of dirt road climbs high in the San Juan Mountains that I did in '04, so steep that finding the right fore-aft balance was the primary challenge for mlle after mile after mile. I walked a good bit on those climbs. The near total absence of oxygen didn't help much either...

-Ray

[crossjunkee]

The only suggestion I have is demoing a Specialized Epic, in any flavor. I find the bike amazing on climbs, especially with the Brain technology. I'm a diehard hardtail fan becuase I don't the "bob" when climbing on full suspension bikes. The Brain eliminates all bob. The bike is very forgiving and the bike makes up for my laziness when my technique gets sloppy. I know there are a ton of Specialized haters in this crowd, but the bike is amazing.

Start with the Epic Expert and go up from there. I noticed a difference in each model up. I ultimately ended up with a 2014 Marathon. Slightly lighter / stiffer frame than the Expert, but not quite the S-Works model. I also noticed a difference between the carbon and alloy Rovals.

Fit is key

[Gfi3]

Yep me too. I thought my Niner Air 9 RDO hardtail was the ultimate climbing machine. It still is, for smoother climbs. But if the trail is a bit bumpy, my Pivot Mach 429SL really outshines the hardtail climbing. And it's blast downhill too.

I'm currently building up a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR EVO 29 (Troy Lee Edition). It should be done next week. It's gonna be interesting to see how that bike climbs/descends compared to the Pivot.

THIS!! Get yourself a Pivot 429. Best trail machine out there right now IMO.

[stephenmarklay]

The only suggestion I have is demoing a Specialized Epic, in any flavor. I find the bike amazing on climbs, especially with the Brain technology. I'm a diehard hardtail fan becuase I don't the "bob" when climbing on full suspension bikes. The Brain eliminates all bob. The bike is very forgiving and the bike makes up for my laziness when my technique gets sloppy. I know there are a ton of Specialized haters in this crowd, but the bike is amazing.

Start with the Epic Expert and go up from there. I noticed a difference in each model up. I ultimately ended up with a 2014 Marathon. Slightly lighter / stiffer frame than the Expert, but not quite the S-Works model. I also noticed a difference between the carbon and alloy Rovals.

Fit is key

I will do this. I can demo the bikes for the day at my LBS.

[slinkywizard]

It is very steep and the front starts to come up and the front wanders and I lose it.

I had this issue as well on my Ottrott XC, I now ride it with 27.5" wheels and the climbing has improved notably. Although the length of the chain stays is still the same, the contact area of the biggers wheels somehow makes the front end seem more stable. Perhaps give 27.5" wheels a try?

[kennykaos]

Everyone has pretty much covered the basics here...

[crossjunkee]

I will do this. I can demo the bikes for the day at my LBS.

Awesome! Report back after you demo a couple of Epic's. I would suggest running full firm on the Brain. It will still engage over bumps, but full firm will eliminate all suspension bob. It will climb like a rocket!

[aosty]

As many others have mentioned, it's mostly technique and a weight shift balancing act between the two wheels.

If your front end is lifting and wandering, you need more weight on the front wheel.... options: lean/skooch forward, lower stem, longer stem.

If your rear wheel is losing traction... options: higher gear, lower tire pressure, more aggressive tire tread.

more:

- Higher (harder) gear will reduce tire spin out.

- 29"ers have better traction.

- Most modern full suspension designs are very efficient when properly set up and will help on technical bumpy stuff.... not so much if it's smooth.


FWIW, my rides usually involve quite a bit of both smooth and bumpy climbs.... I'm a bit of a "masher" and leave my suspension "wide open" (unlocked) 95% of the time.