Mountain Biking - Getting back on after a carry on uphill slope

(1) What is the best/fastest way to get going after a bike carry over boulders and the trail is still uphill but rideable.


(2) When should you carry and when should you push?

Yesterday i kept losing ground everytime after a carry, especially when it was uphill after the carry. I would catch up while riding but lose ground during and after carries.

(3) Should I run to train for carries?

Originally posted by Mzungu
(1) What is the best/fastest way to get going after a bike carry over boulders and the trail is still uphill but rideable.


Using a smaller gear would be my best guess.

Hi Eric, well you should obviously be in a very low gear.(duh)..put your strongest legs pedal in a posistion to push away (clipped in), don't try to hard to clip your left? foot in , get the momentum going first (then clip in), keep your butt perched on the nose of the saddle and don't ride straight up the trail..if you can ride "across it" to help get the flow happening again. I mostly believe that it is easier to ride than to walk/run !!:)

just run as far as u can up the hill, and when you find a sort of flatter spot in the trail, get back on and ride to the top.

Let me be more specific. If i have been carrying the bike and i want to get riding again but it is still uphill should i straddle the bike first and position th e pedal or should i put a foot on the pedal and while the bike is in motion and then flip the other leg over (before the bike stops and i fall over!)

I noticed i continually lost ground geting going again and would have to catch up.

I put one foot (my left) on the pedal then push several times with my right from the side of the bike to get some momentum. Then swing the right over and hope for the best :) Going across the trail (as someone already pointed out) if there is room is helpful as well... straddling the bike and starting from a dead stop sounds like it would be much more difficult...

Hi There,

There is an advanced technique whereby you actually jump onto the bike whilst running...they use this alot in cyclo-cross, and you need to be fairly confident to do the technique (it took me ages to build up my confidence).

Try on flat ground first...run along with your bike at a jogging pace, then with both hands on your grips jump up and over your saddle, aiming to land on the inside of your upper thigh onto the saddle with either your left leg or right leg.

Like I said, with practice you can do this on uphills of a slight gradient, and it looks pretty flash too.

Mine your soft and danglies though :D

Rich

Originally posted by Rich
Hi There,

There is an advanced technique whereby you actually jump onto the bike whilst running...they use this alot in cyclo-cross, and you need to be fairly confident to do the technique (it took me ages to build up my confidence).


Rich


Thanks Rich, i am going to try to learn that. Today i saw one of the guys who left me far behind as i was tr;ying to get on and he said he uses same technique.

Erik

No worries...good luck!

Rich :)

yeah, the cycle-cross technique works really well. With practice some guys can maintain a fast running pace...

it looks scary... but the key is DON'T land with the seat between your legs, but on your leg...

pretty well described above, but i'll add/re-iterate:

from a walk or run with hands on the grips from the left side of the bike, with your left leg on the ground, throw the right leg over the bar with the right upper thigh landing on the seat, then quickly find the pedals and crank, clipping in if possible, if not, crank to maintain speed and then clip in.

CYCLE-CROSS DISMOUNT:
there's also the cycle-cross dismount: while riding brake if necessary to about a run or walk pace and then coast, keep both hands on bar and left leg clipped in, bring right leg over bar and in FRONT of left foot which is still clipped in (so between the left foot and the bike frame) and then put the right foot down and take a step and simultaneuosly clip out of the left and then into your next step - with practice can be done to a full run speed -- -- the 'natural' tendancy is to try and put the right foot _behind_ the left, but this is less efficient and slower because as the bike moves forward as you step onto the right and then the right foot is behind you -- it would be like running and putting your foot behind the one that's already on the ground as you take your next stride -- the left foot should clip out easily after your weight is on the right foot b/c your body center will now be far to the left and there will be a twist between your foot and the pedal so it shoudl release... you can also prepare to dismount and bring the right foot into position and then coast until the point you want to dismount (say before a big log) and then put your foot down one or 2 steps before the obstacle to give you time to lift the bike up after you're running --- of course you need to make sure you plant your right foot well and don't loose your footing with the first step b/c that could be ugly...

anyway, when cycle-cross dismount and remount are combined you _can_ go over a big log or obstacle really quickly BUT it is tiring because it requires fast running and the jump for remount and the concentration... watch some cycle-cross racers sometime - it's really impressive .... if i'm not racing and i'm tired i dismount cycle-cross style and then stop, walk over obstacle, then at walking pace remount... not as fast, but still easier than the normal 'stop with feet straddling bike' lift leg over... then re-stradle bike, sit on seat and lift feet to pedals...

I tend to have to carry my bike more then walk it, however after a carry when going uphil I try to get the bike moving (by running with it) then left leg on (clip in on pedal) and flip the right over the bar onto the pedal. You end up in a standing position and if your cranks are in the right position (left pedal up) you will be pedaling using your weight while flipping your right leg over.

For the dismount I normally will bring the right leg over and step off (although I just realized I am doing it wrong... right leg behind left)

I have never tried actually jumping onto a bike, but my technique gets me going when I hit hills that are soft sand and hard to get a grip. (lots of soft sand on the trails I ride)

hope it helps :D

Originally posted by nathank
yeah, the cycle-cross technique works really well. With practice some guys can maintain a fast running pace...


David Baker (of Team GT fame) won a downhill race (before full suspension) by using this technique...a big puddle had formed at the bottom of the run, and every rider before had gone crashing through it, slowing momentum...all David did was to quickly dismount before the puddle, then jump back onto the bike afterwards!

I don't think that would happen these days :D

Rich

Originally posted by nathank
yeah, the cycle-cross technique works really well.

pretty well described above, but i'll add/re-iterate:



Hey Nathank and Rich that was helpful.

I am working on the mounting.

Related problem. Once I am on the bike I catch up and pass those who passed me on the bike-carry sections, so overall i was fitter but they smoked me on the carries and off bike sections.

Soooo.

More specific question: Do cyclocross and mtn bike racers do specific running (with bike) training or just plain running? So what should I do?

Erik (mzungu)

Running will give you more endurance.....there really shouldent be alot of running in a mountain bike race.