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Home / MTB Tips / Survey

How Much do you Hate Climbing on Your MTB?

As the saying goes, you gotta get up to get down... but that doesn't mean you have to like it.

By Jeff Barber
October 23, 2022

23 comments

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As mountain bikers, some of us will go to any length to avoid climbing. Just look at chairlifts and e-bikes. As the saying goes, you gotta get up to get down… but that doesn’t mean you have to like it.

For those who don’t totally hate climbing, tell us your Zen secret in the comments below.

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Jeff Barber

Jeff Barber has been mountain biking since 1992 and has tested hundreds of mountain bikes and components. He is the co-founder of Singletracks and serves as Editor in Chief. Contact him at [email protected].

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23 Comments

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Called2RideMTB Maryland // 2017
Oct 23, 2022

I could say it is a necessary evil, but as much as I might sigh before a climb, I am thankful that I can do it and recognize that it helps keep my leg muscles strong.

6 reply

BrokenClavicle Florida // 2022
Oct 23, 2022

I view climbs as another obstacle on the trail to be conquered. I'm not overjoyed with climbing, but I don't hate them either. Climbs are tests you either pass or fail. Cleaning a climb makes me feel every bit as good about myself as sending a jump or bombing a trail does. It just takes longer and has maximum effort.

6 reply

Zoso 2016
Oct 23, 2022

Love me some tech climbs. It's those long and straight fire roads that are mentally taxing.

3 reply

Sam James British Columbia // 2018
Oct 24, 2022

A ride isn't really a ride for me unless it involves climbing at some point. Shuttling and ebikes feel like I'm cheating myself out of half (a lot more than half, let's be honest) of the ride.

2 reply

mklesick North Carolina // 2022
Oct 24, 2022

I love a good climb! I prefer to climb singletrack and enjoy the technical climbs, but I don't mind a fire road climb to get some good descents.

2 reply

FastFuelEx Ohio // 2022
Oct 24, 2022

I tell myself that I have to climb if I want to decend, and that it’ll be over in just a few minutes and it’s back to having fun again. Though not fun to me, climbing is the most rewarding aspect of the ride.

2 reply

Paul Mourer 2016
Oct 24, 2022

I think climbing is a technical challenge, just like any other part of mountain biking. I think most people 'dont enjoy' climbing for the same reasons they wouldn't enjoy a descent that is way over their head - it's frustrating, feels impossible, and you feel like you are going to die. but, a climb that is at an appropriate skill and fitness level can be quite enjoyable when viewed simply as a challenge - I think the bigger issue is that the fitness barrier for most climbs is very high. without that minimum fitness, it can be easy to ascertain that all climbing is awful when in reality there could be many "climbs" that are quite enjoyable. maybe those appropriate challenge climbs just climb very little at this point in time.

also, like it or not, climbing takes way more time than descending (similar to backcountry skiing). If you can't find a way to enjoy climbing, you are going to hate about 2/3 of every ride. learn to enjoy climbing and enjoy mountain biking more. or don't, your choice.

and just to be clear, I didn't always enjoy climbing but I do now. I think it was a combination of intention and facing the reality that you will climb continuously for hours in Colorado.

2 reply

Mark Obsniuk 2018
Oct 24, 2022

The story title biases the entire discussion. I'd flip it around. Why do I hate descending? Because some trails just plain suck, but the climb and views are worth it.

2 reply

SKullman 2014
Oct 24, 2022

Climbing is the best part of MTB riding. The satisfaction of clearing a technical climb is the best thing ever. Long grinds to the clouds...YES every day! I will take a lift down the hill to climb back up. Don't get me wrong, I do love a good downhill flow, but the drops and gaps and drop after drop after drop can be left off the trail.

1 reply

Sam James British Columbia // 2018
Oct 24, 2022

I feel like you might be in the minority! More power to you though!

0 reply

SKullman 2014
Oct 25, 2022

Most of my friend that I ride with are the same, but we know we are different.

0 reply

Black-Man West Virginia // 2011
Oct 27, 2022

I just did a climb today that was a killer. It’s semi-technical but with the leaves covering the trail, it is a really technical. I get to the top and its always a water break.

1 reply

scopauboy California // 2020
Oct 27, 2022

I take slow and steady. Keeping my heartrate in check as there always seems to be a section that will require your max heartrate and that's the section, I want to make without getting off and pushing.

1 reply

k9 Australia // 2011
Oct 28, 2022

When my wife started mountain biking I said to her 'you need to learn to love climbing' and she did. She's 71 years old, still races and still climbs pretty well. The secrets I passed on to her were, one, do a quick relax before the climb starts to lower your heart rate a little, deep breath, relax forehead, face, jaw, shoulders, arms as much as possible. Sometimes you only get a few seconds to do this if a short, sharp climb comes up. Other times you might do it for 10-15 seconds approaching a longer climb. On longer climbs, try to repeat the relaxation a couple of times on the way up, especially just before extra steep sections or water-bars. At the top of a water bar or flat spot, just relaxing for 1 or 2 seconds can help before you get back into the climb. Second thing is start out as easy as possible and save yourself for as long as possible so you don't blow up. Try it!

1 reply

Chin Gao New Mexico // 2016
Oct 27, 2022

CLIMBS ARE HALF THE FUN

0 reply

davejeffers 2009
Oct 25, 2022

Climbed up Mont Ventoux yesterday, and it was the most satisfying climb I've ever done on a bike.

0 reply

kyleo65 Georgia // 2021
Oct 27, 2022

Climbing is Cheaper and better than Therapy ! I have days I do nothing but hill climb on purpose. I have zero stress in my mind and body as well as the endorphins kick in is wonderful !

0 reply

Twiddles California // 2011
Oct 25, 2022

Necessary evil is good description. Sometimes a booster when you make the hard climb. I hate it when designers intentionally create super steep climbs because they are trying to make a trail more cc though....

0 reply

noodlesatf Virginia // 2020
May 26, 2023

The climb is the work, and the descent is the reward. The reward is never as sweet without putting in the work first. As much as we like to complain about the work, it is more like cheerful grumbling, and the work is what gives us the sense of accomplishment. I specifically go out looking for big, tough climbs, just for that satisfaction I get from standing at the top, looking down at the valley where I started.

0 reply

Hap Proctor Florida // 2014
Oct 25, 2022

Tough technical climbing can get discouraging after awhile, but I enjoy it in small doses. A bit of stubbornness along with some fitness are the main requirements for long, non-technical climbs. I love sweet, flowy descents and look forward to technical DH sections, again in small doses. Some steep DH stuff is as hard on my body as uphill stuff.

0 reply

Varaxis New York // 2010
Oct 23, 2022

It's not that I hate climbing. I just find featureless trails boring no matter if they're flat, down, or up. The trails going up tend to have the least features. They need something to spice it up. If the climb is narrow enough to force me through twists and undulations, that sounds rad. If it's wide and steady, that sounds like something I want to get over with more quickly, or maybe some pleasant company to help make the time go by.

I'm not a conservative type who is simple enough to be satisfied by hardship, convinced that it makes me better in the end. I'm not after that character that seems tougher, thicker skinned, cooler under pressure, because I withstood worse than what some "pansy/wimpy/snowflaky" normie has ever experienced. I'm not one who says someone, who is out riding in terrible conditions with minimal preparation besides an iron-will, is a bad-ass.

I'll take my emtb, yet will still push my max heart rate. I like it better, since I get more air flow (from speed) to keep me from overheating. This is key, as I find the main difference between a featureless flat section and a featureless climb is the suffering from overheating. Merely dropping into a lower gear isn't a satisfying solution to the overheating, IMO, nor is loading up on hydration or decking myself out in high performance technical clothing.

-6 reply

Julio Rodriquez Tennessee // 2022
Oct 25, 2022

I live in the mountains and climbing is just how it is. I find it very satisfying after a particularity hard/steep climb. If your only into downhill Red Bull stuff then I can see why you wouldn’t like it. But that’s the great thing about cycling, there is something for everyone.

1 reply

Varaxis New York // 2010
Nov 4, 2022

There's an uphill fireroad section on a trail called SART near me (SoCal) which is a grind and mental strain. It curves and varies, but everything looks so generic that I don't know how far up I am until I see some identifiable landmark (e.g. water fall). It's especially worse if it's humid with gnat-like insects swarming about.

Having a pleasant view would count as a feature, making even a paved road climb not so featureless.

0 reply

Tagged: climbing, survey, tips

First published October 23, 2022 @ 3:09:00