Hills - how to approach

[Daf]

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

 

[Rooster]

Judging a hill is a tough thing, however, if you hit it with enough speed, you can control the bike up the hill. Feathering the clutch when you get too low in the power is key, and keeping the finger on the brake is good as well, as you don't want to overshoot the hill, depending on what's at the top.

It's all about experience and practice, in time you will find yourself hitting a hill without thinking about it.

 

[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

 

[Ridon]

It is very important to choose the right lines of the hill to climb it. You have to look always straight ahead and also you must be standing on the bike.

 

[Daf]

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

Thanks
Daf

 

[_JOE_]

An 85 is a hard bike to use in a situation like this. They are designed to go fast. You should probly go out into a field or something and practice clutch control.

 

[_JOE_]

Wow, I just looked at your age. Are you really small? If you weigh much more than 125 pounds the 85 will struggle to pull you up a steep hill without some heavy clutch use.

 

[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

 

[kschilk]

Seriously....short of strappin" a JATO bottle to the back fender, a bigger bike seems the only way out.

 

[Chili]

Unless that 85 has serious issues it should go substantially faster in top gear down a hill than 40 mph if you have it wrung out. Sounds more like an issue of you're not capable of turning fast enough to maintain your momentum.

 

[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

 

[High Lord Gomer]

My first guess would be that you should hit the hill in a lower gear but at higher RPM to get the motor where it is making it's most power.

Wring it all the way out on a dirt road or large field to find out just how fast it will go in each gear. My bet is you will be surprised.