Hills - how to approach

Hi,

Hills are killing me! I am finding myself halfway up steep-ish hills time after time lately. I'm not sure of how to approach and then top the incline. And the middle of the incline is a bad spot - too hard to push the bike up the hill - must roll back down (backwards on a narrow path) and try again or go back the other way (tail between legs). I have not [yet] developed the clutch/throttle skills to resume the climb from halfway.

On the trials I have been riding it usually occurs like this; down a craggly hill and then immediate steeper uphill. Shaped something like the letter "V".

I find myself stuck at the mid point when I've hit the base of the incline in 3rd or 4th and have to start madly down shifting to keep it from bogging down. I can't seem to get into 1st or 2nd in time.

I don't have the top end (this is a yz85) to accelerate down the preceding hill and just blast up the incline. It will top out way before the bottom. Or the preceding down hill is "technical" enough to require some caution at slower speeds.

I've had the best luck more or less coasting down the hill and hitting the base in 1st. This can cause some front end "air" and unstable riding.

Long story I know - question is what is the best way to approach these "v" shaped hills?

Thanks all!
Daf

Thanks, Rooster, I'm heading back out there tomorrow and will be giving it another go. Most of the trails have these gully hills so it will be hard to avoid the practice. :)

Thanks!
Daf

Standing? Really?? Maybe that's part of my problem because I'm generally sitting a bit back.

Thanks
Daf

Hi _JOE_,

I'm about 5'4 140lbs. I got the 85, instead of the 125 as I originally wanted, because I had not ridden in 20+years and it was about $1800 cheaper. I'm pretty good about sticking with a new "hobby" but just in case I wanted the lowest debt overhead possible.

It does pretty good on less dramatically inclined hills - the big problem is, like I was mentioning earlier, coming down a steep hill then immediately hitting the up side.

Seems like I don't have the top end to blast down the down side and use that momentum on the upside. I think the top speed on the 85 is about 40mph - I must be hitting 45 or 50 coming down... so I end up clutching and coasting the last several feet down. Then when I hit the bottom/start the climb I'm in the position of down shifting rather madly to get to 2nd or 1st for the meat of the uphill.

Thanks!
Daf

Yeah, could be the case, Chili. I do think it's more of a rider issue than bike.

Heading back out next weekend to practice.

Thanks all!

Daf