Mountain Biking - Hill climb question for the racers.

I was a course marshall for a race today and I found something very odd. I was positioned across a gravel road to point the racers on to the correct single track trail to take. Many of the racers after starting the turn and seeing the hill they were going to have to climb just clipped out and ran up the hill.

My question is why?

Do some racers just run the bike up the hill to save time and energy? Some you could tell just knew they didn't have what was required to make it up, but others made the turned and hopped off and had the bike on their shoulder in such a fast movement like it's something they practice doing. The climb all though steep and slightly technical, should not have been a problem for these racers, since this climb was only for the sport, expert, and pro groups.

I'm not really well-versed on racing, but I'll hazard a guess: they get off and run up because experience has taught them that while they're huffing up the hill on their bikes, their competition is out-pacing them by...getting off and running up.

My tongue is firmly in cheek with that answer, but while watching Stage 7 of Le Tour I noticed on a few occasions that fans were running alongside competitors, in some instances out-pacing them before leaving the road and rejoining the spectators.

-Rob

When I watched the worlds last year which I believe at the time was 2001 grouse I noticed that too. And it simply came to power. They could run faster then they could pedal up especially technical section which seemed to hurt a lot of riders. Only 3 riders that year rode up this one section in particular and they were the top three.

I also found that they avoided really technical stuff. Grouse offers a pretty brutal WC xc run with lots of stuff thrown in there for fun (a little drop at the end of a dropoff made a lot of riders walk or fall). I was surprised to see how many riders walked a lot sections. Just a matter of speed vs danger vs energy used. I know I can run up a technical section much better than I can ride it, but for me who doesn't race where is the fun in that :)

Interesting! I can see running if you expect the person in front of you to stall out while trying to ride up the hill. Besides stalling, people may also try to shift to their granny gear and either drop their chain or jam/suck/twist it, an effect I saw in my first MTB race.

However, having done a small amount of impromptu cyclocross in the woods around here, getting off and running with the bike on my shoulder is about the last thing I would choose to do if I were in the clear with no one too close ahead of me. It hurts! :p

LOL, that reminds me of the NORBA National course at Mt. Spokane, the year I rode it... my riding buddy and I dubbed one section The Hill Of Pain! :D And as I rode up, I would yell "PAIN FOR BREAKFAST! PAIN FOR LUNCH! PAIN FOR DINNER!", which I believe I got from a GT ad of that era when Juli Furtado was da queen :D

Sometimes it's quicker to run.

yes sometimes its quicker and easier to run/walk your bike. sometimes its also safer if its real hairy.

I always try to stay on the bike as long as possible. I just feel more efficient on the bike. The minute I am forced off to hike-a-bike I seem to go totally anaerobic.

A

Originally posted by Singlespeedster
I always try to stay on the bike as long as possible. I just feel more efficient on the bike. The minute I am forced off to hike-a-bike I seem to go totally anaerobic.

A


Agreed. I feel like I waste so much energy on the run ups. I'm a strong climber, so sometimes I can even pull ahead and make up time that way if the course is dry. But I only have one race under my belt to judge by. :o

When Im going up a hill,I just boot it on the last 10 meters before the hill,and put it in first gear to see if I can manage to ride up it along with the momentum.If that doesn`t work,i just go up as far as I can,then carry my bike the rest of the way up the hill.