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Lifting the front wheel when climbing


FirstV8

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Thats probably the problem

Dont throttle the bars and relax your grip.

Dont pull up on the bars.Its in the legs

Ja no... don't pull on the handle bars, you'll reduce the torque your front wheel applies =\

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Thats probably the problem

Dont throttle the bars and relax your grip.

Dont pull up on the bars.Its in the legs

This. Activate your core and relax your upper body.

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2 things worked for me:

 

1) Bike setup: I had a setup done 2 years ago en then one 3 months ago. Different people, different setup, same bike. Last set up made a massive difference- front wheel used to wander, now it stays put as my weight is so much better balanced across the bike.

 

2) Ride the rivet: Like most have said weight forward on the saddle, relax the hands and let the legs do the work.

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when I started out, it happened a bit to me, somehow on my own I started doing these techniques suggested above and found the sweet point to position my body to keep the nose down but sill have weight at the back for rear wheel traction

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I hope the MTB gurus can give me some advice to solve what is happening when climbing short or long climbs . The last few rides when going up climbs i tend to lift my front wheel . This is annoying as it tends to throw  me off my rhythm and also sometimes nearly come off as my wheel hits the ground . I go back on my saddle when i climb and am now at 86kg . I ride a Silverback Sido 2 with Maxis tyres .

 

 

Has this only started to happen recently?

What has changed in terms of bike set up?

Are you running lower shock pressure?

Are you running lower tyre pressure?

You mention you are now 86Kg. What were you before this started happening?

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Wow , thanks for all the replies and advice . I am an old road biker so that is were it starts . I had a bike fit when i bought the bike and then did my own fine tune to suit me . I have cut my bars shorter so do have my arms fairly narrow . Ill try ucking them more . Dropping wrists is something ill battle with as i ride with my thumbs on top of the grips ( road bike habit ) . I started riding at 125kg and now 86 and dropping so yes its a factor . I have found the right tyre pressure for my weight and area conditions ( 2 bar front and 2,2 rear ) . The one thing i might change is a shorter stem, its currently 100mm  but i find it comfortable on flatter gravel and single track . 

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Juliam Louw taught the following to a recent class :

 

SHORT very steep climb -

- stay seated

- drop the wrists 

- tuck elbows in

- lean forward with your body to get your centre of gravity forward.  moving forward in the saddle also helps

- PULL on your handle bars, which gives you a lot more kick onto the peddles

 

This works both for keeping the front on the ground, and getting that explosive power to get up the hill.

 

 

 

I have been experimenting with some of these components on slightly longer steep climbs recently ....

 

if Mr Louw says it works it will if it doesn't your not doing it correctly.
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A girl once told me. Move! You're not cast in concrete, move your body. It does feel like more effort, but the result is almost always a good one.

 

Are we allowed to ask what you were doing when the girl told you this? :mellow:

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Wow , thanks for all the replies and advice . I am an old road biker so that is were it starts . I had a bike fit when i bought the bike and then did my own fine tune to suit me . I have cut my bars shorter so do have my arms fairly narrow . Ill try ucking them more . Dropping wrists is something ill battle with as i ride with my thumbs on top of the grips ( road bike habit ) . I started riding at 125kg and now 86 and dropping so yes its a factor . I have found the right tyre pressure for my weight and area conditions ( 2 bar front and 2,2 rear ) . The one thing i might change is a shorter stem, its currently 100mm  but i find it comfortable on flatter gravel and single track . 

125kg to 86kg. That is pretty amazing! You must feel great? :clap:

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Try to "tuck" your elbows in when you climb, e.g. pull them closer to the centre of your body. This should centre your weight more over the bike and make it less likely for the front wheel to lift or rear to spin out, but still allow you to be able to turn your bars if required. You should also find that this helps you to optimise the way you pedal straight into the pedals rather than bouncing on the bike. I hope this makes sense...

And pull your hands back towards your hips.

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Find a short climbing section with a few obstacles, ruts or loose gravel to clear and practice with a mate. From repetition and observation from your competitive buddy, your natural body movement will soon learn what needs to happen to get over the climb.

 

Sitting in the same position will render the same result without increased momentum. If you're not moving forward and back to compensate terrain changes, you will limit your ability to clear more difficult obstacles and climbs...

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