Elbow position on steep climbs

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

When I have to muscle up a very steep section this is what works well for me:

Imagine someone attached ropes to your elbows and pulling on them up so they are parallel to the chest line (or armpit to armpit line). Elbows are bent and are pointing up.

This prevents the front wheel from going up in the air and puts more weight slightly forward.

May 12, 2012 update:
Do NOT keep elbows in this extreme forward position when descending.
Correct descending  elbow position is as if doing a pushup or holding a basketball at chest level

Another picture of the toughest climb on Bridal Path

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!


This is the hardest climb for me.

I did it once using GRANNY gear up front and SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back ("my magic gear"). Seat post fully extended, climbing in sitting position.

"Magic gear" for climbing on Bridal Path

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

I discovered a gear combination that works practically for any kind of difficult Bridal Path terrain that requires any kind of climbing over obstacles.

It is GRANNY ring up front, SECOND BIGGEST gear in the back.

Here i one example of a little tricky rooty climb at the beginning of Suicide connector going East

Deceptively easy climb- Bridal Path going East

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!


This small climb is tricky as it involves several small turns and one needs to calculate them so pedals don't hit the side roots and the log.

Successful for me gear combination: GRANNY and SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back. Did it is sitting position.

I used to do it with the MIDDLE ring and the BIGGEST ring in the back but it is less smooth and most likely I will need to stand. Too much available torque (the use of the MIDDLE ring up front) I find on such stretch is not necessarily good.

Climb going towards Golf course (East)- Bridal Path

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!


It's all about gears!

I had hard time at the top of this climb turning right and going over some roots.

MIDDLE ring up front and BIGGEST in the back did not work well for me.

Successful gear combination: GRANNY and SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back.

I tried to stay to the left as much as possible before turning right and going over the roots. It worked.

I was sitting while climbing this part.

Scariest stretch on Bridal Path

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

This is where I flew over handlebar and hit the hip pointer. Result: huge painful hematoma.

Descending and making a relatively sharp turn is still the biggest weakness. So I walk biting putting a lid on the ego. Ego has no hips that may hurt after all...

Toughest climb

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!


If for the long time I can't climb a certain stretch, I am most likely use the wrong gears!

This is the steepest climb on Bridal Path that finally after many months I was able to do on Dec 31, 2011.

Some guy suggested this gear combination:

GRANNY up front and the SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back.

I climbed it mostly sitting and to my biggest surprise I did it.

Until this attempt I was using the MIDDLE ring up front and the BIGGEST one in the back, no way it was doable!

Bridal Path Gears

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

So far I have been using the following gear combinations on Bridal Path, Seymour, N. Vancouver:

1. Golf Course parking lot-> Horse Loop until the "T" intersection by the fence (before the uphill section)- GRANNY and BIGGEST RING in the back.

2. For the remaining sections (with some exceptions) -MIDDLE ring up front, THE BIGGEST ring in the back.

3. For "step-like" obstacles MIDDLE ring up front, THE SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back.

4. Very steep section going East not far from the "T" on the Hyannis side (I will post a separate post with the picture) GRANNY ring up front, THE SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back. I tried to climb while sitting.

5. I will try to post pictures with "tricky" sections and the gears used.

Remember the pedals!

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!


See more than "beating" an obstacle!

Today I was so focussed making it over a log or a root patch that I would lose awareness of what my pedals were up to. And they were hitting many things that they encountered (mainly nice rocks already scratched by other riders).

I call it riding in sync (thank you Assassin's Creed for inspiration with the term). Will your pedals hit something when you are laboring over an obstacle or on its approach to it or not? That is the question! Sometimes ratcheting back is a great way to avoid being "out of synch"

Riding in the rain

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

I rode today in wet rainy weather. And last time too and next time as well...
I can't even think what it would be like without the following things that are crucial for riding in wet conditions for me:

• Tubeless converted tires (Stan's rimstrips and sealant)
• 28 or so PSI tire pressure (I am 240 lb)
• March 4, 2012 correction: I ride with 20-22 PSI now
• Maxxis Minion EXO DHF 2.5 (both front and back)

Practically no side-slipping on wet roots! Very predictable lines and riding.

December 31, 2011 update:

I find myself riding with 20-22 PSI now as 28 seems way too much for such conditions. I even deflated the tires a bit to achieve the lowest possible pressure without hitting the rim.