Hill Climbing Technique

[albertaguy]

Make sure you're not running too much air in your rear tire as well, very noticable in soft stuff, I run around 12 for that. You can go lower but then you risk pinch flats getting to and from the hills on the trails. Too much air means digging down and not floating well, should be able to push your knobby into the tire a little bit with your thumbs.

[superslyko]

One of the great things about Motorcycle Riding.......... it's rarely the same thing twice.

Different hills require different techniques.

A long......... steep........ sand hill requires a different type of riding style than a wet.......... slippery........ root infested clay hill.

I would spend a day mastering one type of hill, the next day the same style will end me nowhere for a different type of hill.

[LeFrog]

Uh, the equation for momentum is momentum = MV, where M is mass, and V is velocity. If you double your velocity, you double your momentum.

Energy is a different animal, where Energy = (0.5)*m*V*V. Here, if you double velocity, you quadruple your energy.

You are right and I meant energy, kinetic energy to be exact, and your formula is when you express it in joules (reason why you divide by 2 is so for the derivation, and don't quiz me any further, I have forgotten pretty much everything once I passed my final -with an A).

[blitz11]

Units are really irrelevant as long as you're consistent. Joules, BTUs, Calories, calories (they are different), Kilowatt-hour, etc. They're all energy.

The 0.5 comes from integrating over time the momentum (assuming constant mass) to get energy. If you differentiate kinetic energy with respect to time (again, assuming constant mass), you get mv.

Joules just happens to be the unit of energy associated with the SI system.

I am glad you received that A. Good job.

[LeFrog]

Units are really irrelevant as long as you're consistent. Joules, BTUs, Calories, calories (they are different), Kilowatt-hour, etc. They're all energy.

The 0.5 comes from integrating over time the momentum (assuming constant mass) to get energy. If you differentiate kinetic energy with respect to time (again, assuming constant mass), you get mv.

Joules just happens to be the unit of energy associated with the SI system.

I am glad you received that A. Good job.

I don't know why people would talk about momentum more than energy when climbing a hill.

But bottom line is you need SPEED, because that is what you can give more or less of in that context (since your mass at that point is a constant you cannot really change unless you can dump a sand bag).

[northcountry]

LeFrog has it right. Steepness-condition of the hill will dictate gearing, a judgment call from experience. Pick your line as best you can and get it going fast, lean forward (less likely to loop). Will be smoother, more controllable and likely to experience the psysic phenomena of nirvana as you crest the hill 20' in the air. Then as you look at the $800 forks bent to hell- all worth while.

[nojack71]

I like to get my buttox on the back end of the seat to ensure weight is pushing back tire into soil.... That might make the difference!

[MrSmooth]

Try this thread, lots of good info there.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=563266

[mbogosia]

Well guys I have since made it up the hill. My main problem was not utilizing the clutch properly. If I just pull it in a hair about half way through the hill it continues to scream right up.

[BradThomas]

As you can see, this is a challenging section of hills, there is very minimal running start. It doesnt just go down to the base of the hill from where I took the picture. This is at carnegie ohv in CA if you are wondering, its carrol canyon off of carls climb(I think those are the right names)

[Veccster]

^^^ That looks insane! I would love to see closer pictures or even a helmet cam of that. Looks like some loose dirt too.

I have a problem with a hill near my house. It is only about 50 feet long but steep. It has plenty of runway but is mounded at the bottom. If I run at it too fast, I jump off the mound and compress into the hill (making it impossible to start climbing). If I go slow over the mound and then WOT, I usually do not have enough speed to make it.

When I successfully try the later, I usually make it. But if my timing on going WOT is off for even 1/2 second, I don't have enough to make it up. Plus it is very rough (small ruts) and speed makes it easier to stay balanced. I have tried absorbing the bump but it still throws me just enough that I compress my suspension upon landing and 'bounce'.

[Hpnotiq]

As you can see, this is a challenging section of hills, there is very minimal running start. It doesn't just go down to the base of the hill from where I took the picture. This is at carnegie ohv in CA if you are wondering, its carrol canyon off of carls climb(I think those are the right names)

Did the rider in this last pic, bottom half center, make it. Looks like he/her maybe stopped.

[BradThomas]

Did the rider in this last pic, bottom half center, make it. Looks like he/her maybe stopped.

Thats them turning around to go back down, they didnt make it that time. The part where the ride is, is VERY loose

[See-Are-Ef-Too-Thir-T-Ef]

God I love looking at those huge rolling hills in California. We have nothing like that in az, its all poor soil so it would wash out if they made a trail like that and wooded, so its switch backs. I would love to take a trip and try blasting up stuff like that.

[dirtworld]

haull ass and lean back

[NorCal]

haull ass and lean back

Wrong! Lol. I ride Carnegie all the time. That hill is one of my favorites. Here is the deal with that hill:

There is almost no run

The first section of this climb is quickly followed by a tight hairpin right hand turn (the photo doesn't show this)

If you don't hit the turn just right, forget it

When the traction is good, keeping the front end down is really hard. Your nuts have to be on the tank

When the traction is bad, you'll hit sections of loose dirt that causes a lot of wheel spin, then all of the sudden you'll hit sections of hard packed dirt that almost make your bike loop out if you have too much weight on the rear

Once you get past the hair pin turn, and through the loose stuff, the hill almost goes straight up. This is where you are wishing you carried more momentum through that first turn

That hill is so tricky. I ride with guys on CR500s that cannot do it. I can do it on my 450 on a good day. Technique is the key.

[BradThomas]

Wrong! Lol. I ride Carnegie all the time. That hill is one of my favorites. Here is the deal with that hill:

There is almost no run

The first section of this climb is quickly followed by a tight hairpin right hand turn (the photo doesn't show this)

If you don't hit the turn just right, forget it

When the traction is good, keeping the front end down is really hard. Your nuts have to be on the tank

When the traction is bad, you'll hit sections of loose dirt that causes a lot of wheel spin, then all of the sudden you'll hit sections of hard packed dirt that almost make your bike loop out if you have too much weight on the rear

Once you get past the hair pin turn, and through the loose stuff, the hill almost goes straight up. This is where you are wishing you carried more momentum through that first turn

That hill is so tricky. I ride with guys on CR500s that cannot do it. I can do it on my 450 on a good day. Technique is the key.

SOME ONE THAT KNOWS AND CAN APPRECIATE WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT! Thank you

[nap__kxf]

just hit it in the tallest gear you can and feather the clutch to keep the rpm's up and don't slow down, just power right up, and make sure your rear tire is still good...that helps.

[superslyko]

NorCal is right. But what he's not telling you is that is one of the EASY hills at Carnegie.

[Grahamco]

Good Lord! That's not a hill, thats a mountain! I wish we had crazy big stuff like that around here, holy crap man.