Hill Climbing

[riverz]

I've been on my KDX 200 only 4 times now. The first 3 times i'd stand up and lean forward going up hills. I found I didn't have enough upper body strength to hold myself on the bike (way out of shape).

An expert rider told me until I get myself in shape, sit over the tank and lean on the front going up hills. I tried this and tackled every hill with no problems. I even took on a huge hill full of rock faces. I've started working out again to get myself into shape for next year so I can stand up. Even though I had no problems sitting down up the hills, is this a bad idea? I hear mixed comments from different riders about this. Thanks. Dave

 

[CaptainObvious]

Is it bad? No, what ever works for you! I only stand on hills that require me to act as the next 2 feet of suspension. Otherwise you could get thrown from the bike.

Good idea to get yourself into shape anyway.

 

[Houndog]

Just keep riding and you will be in shape :)

 

[Chief]

On long silty hills I like to stand and put my weight over the back wheel for more traction, also pulling on the bars. When I feel the front end lift up too much I can shift my weight forward as needed instead of letting off the throttle or feathering the clutch. Seems to work for me, but like you said, everyone has their preferences.

Joe Chief

 

[Simon Fuller]

For fast trail riding standing is the way to go. It enables you to control the bike alot easier than sitting down as you can alter your weight alot faster than when sitting. Hill climbing is no exception, the snottier the hill the better your control will be if you stand.

Standing also enables you to see obstacles further ahead.

Some of the best enduro riders come from a trials back ground (Stefan Merriman, world enduro champ - also from NZ :) ).

After all that - what works for you is what works. Standing can be very tiring, so pick the times that you can rest your legs.

 

[Chief]

Amen.

Arse off the seat is best. I often do it just for visibility. On a typical ride I cross traffic, so it also gets you noticed for safety. Also gets you above the dust at times. The problem is that standing for long periods is impossible sometimes unless you are 17. I find that as time goes on, I can and do stand for longer periods. The Best riders I've been with stand almost all the time except for cornering.

Joe Chief

 

[kevinkdx]

As stated above, standing when hill climbing is preferable because you can move around and adjust easier so you don't crash or get stuck as much.And sitting on the corners, shoot around here the trails are so bumpy you can't even sit in the corners!:S

 

[kmccune]

Stand up, it keeps your rear looking less like a lower primates rear!

Kevin

 

[Perk]

McCune, You just about made me spew my Bud Light. As far as that brew that you can chew part in your signature. You own a brew pub I take it? When I can afford it, and my head allows me, I enjoy a thicker brew myself but nothing I could chew.

For hill climbs, yeah, stand whenever possible. Your legs act as an extension of your suspension, and you can move around on the bike a lot quicker also. But first, you should become comfortable standing on the bike on easier terrain to begin with. Learn how to, and become comfortable with shifting, worrking the clutch, braking, turning, etc. while standing, on ground that is a bit more forgiving than a steep incline. Before long, it will all become second nature.

Perk

 

[kmccune]

No Brew Pub,  (I wish) just home brew! I have a sign that says pub on it though :silly:

 

PS don't be wasting beer by " spewing" it ;)

Kevin

 

By the way a joke:    An Irish (or Scottish for that matter) man walks out of a pub.......

 

 

[Chief]

As stated in one of the performance handbooks, I found having the levers, shifter, and brake set perfectly for a sit down ride made them nearly impossible to operate while standing. This forced me to sit down, often at very inconvenient times.

After I read the book I adjusted my hand levers a bit lower and foot controls a bit higher. Now I sometimes have to lift my whole knee to shift when sitting down, same thing when braking. I press my boot against the case when I need a lighter touch on the back brake. It's a lot easier to manuever the controls that are a bit uncomfortable while sitting. When you are standing they need to be more user friendly since you are already using your hands and feet for support instead of your rump.

You can set the hand levers by leaving them barely moveable until you find the right position for yourself, then tighten up on them so they won't flop around on you under normal riding.

Although I ride woods and would much rather sit, the new settings give me a lot more freedom of movement on the bike (Standing or sitting) .

Joe Chief

 

[wanaride]

Chief, what is this "performance handbook" you are talking about? I wouldn't mind reading that one...

 

[Chief]

Wannaride,

If you go to the "Eric Gore's Forward Motion" site that is listed on DRN, You should be able to order the book. There are 3 books, one on bike maintenence, one on riding technique, one on freestyle stunts. I'm not sure which book the info is in because I don't have it in front of me but would guess it is in the riding technique book. If you order all 3 you get a discount. There is a wealth of info in the books and on that site. Good Reading.

Joe Chief

 

[riverz]

Thank you everyone for your very useful tips. I went out last weekend and stood up about 80 percent of the time. Fatigue was a factor more than anything but I did have more control by locking my knees up against the tank.

Dave