What makes a MTB climb better?

[RoboLuke]

So I always read the bike reviews in mags and then somewhere they say the bike is awesome and then...whether its a goat or not. So what from a bike design perspective will one know whether a bike will climb well (beyond the obvious one weight)?

[TNT1]

Geometry? Feel of the bike? The tester's ability on a given day?

 

Dunno. It sounds like a very subjective rating to me.

[bontie]

The legs

[Goodbadugly]

Geometry? Feel of the bike? The tester's ability on a given day?

 

Dunno. It sounds like a very subjective rating to me.

"Climbing like a billy goat..." SO many things. But the biggest of them all is stated by TNT1

[1skinnyman]

Bike weight plays a small role for me since I am a super feather weight.

For me training to climb is most important. Weight distribution and your ride position.

[zaShadow]

This is no scientific answer, just opion:

I ride a Scott Spark and a friend rides a Giant Anthem. The Anthem's wheelbase feels shorter. I thought it climbs better than my bike, but I prefer my bike at speed, on a downhill or even twisty and technical sections.

[Joris748]

Geometry and traction.

 

You must be able to load the front, without loosing grip on the rear. A little change (e.g. drop the bar 15 mm) can be the difference between staying on the bike or walking.

[Me-rider]

Geometry and traction.

 

You must be able to load the front, without loosing grip on the rear. A little change (e.g. drop the bar 15 mm) can be the difference between staying on the bike or walking.

 

Surely this can also be achieved by correct body posture and practise on your bike so you know how to man handle it up those tracks?

[Joris748]

Surely this can also be achieved by correct body posture and practise on your bike so you know how to man handle it up those tracks?

Ofcourse, that is the key. But with the steer at the same height as the sadle, it is impossible to achieve the correct body posture.

 

I think a race=oriented fully or hardtail does climb better than an AM-bike.

Edited June 6, 2011 by Joris748

[amasendeinja]

Eating less pie

[dirtrider]

Ofcourse, that is the key. But with the steer at the same height as the sadle, it is impossible to achieve the correct body posture.

 

I think a race=oriented fully or hardtail does climb better than an AM-bike.

 

I am sure a lot got to do with the rider build as well . I climb much better with my 18kg Morewood with 160mm shock on front than on my "race" ready RDS 9 . Although the seating on the Morewood is more upright (a lot more) I find that I can keep my traction better and it is easier to move around on the bike than the RDS . And both got the same tyres front and rear but GS is not the same .

[Brian Fantana]

A strong core, and some hill intervalls will make any mtb climb like a dream.

[Underachiever]

Eating less pie

 

+1 AND the legs

[Wyatt Earp]

Lot's of training, but then when you find out ,let me know.

[Trubie]

The legs

+1

[MJ the Expat]

Weight. Read an article the other day on what just 2 kilo's of added weight does to a cyclist on a climb. Can't remember the length of the climb but the penalty was 1min 30sec. Will go look for the article.