Rear wheel spinning out when climbing - ideas/suggestions?
10-16-19, 09:16 AM
#1
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Rear wheel spinning out when climbing - ideas/suggestions?
This past weekend I was riding some technical single track. Talk about working on your bike skills. Anyway...
Some the sections had rock faces that needed to be climbed. I was finding that my rear wheel was spinning out, maybe half of the time. The rock faces were not wet (at least as far as I could tell) so I'm curious why my rear wheel was spinning out. Could it be I was in too low of a gear? Does temperature affect the bikes ability to climb up rocks?
Also, I was having a lot of what I am calling rear slide-outs. I'd be riding up over something - a root, a rock - and the rear wheel would slide over to the side and down. So long as I was pedaling I was able to keep the bike moving forward. Probably just bad route picking on my part.
Some the sections had rock faces that needed to be climbed. I was finding that my rear wheel was spinning out, maybe half of the time. The rock faces were not wet (at least as far as I could tell) so I'm curious why my rear wheel was spinning out. Could it be I was in too low of a gear? Does temperature affect the bikes ability to climb up rocks?
Also, I was having a lot of what I am calling rear slide-outs. I'd be riding up over something - a root, a rock - and the rear wheel would slide over to the side and down. So long as I was pedaling I was able to keep the bike moving forward. Probably just bad route picking on my part.
10-16-19, 12:54 PM
#2
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This past weekend I was riding some technical single track. Talk about working on your bike skills. Anyway...
Some the sections had rock faces that needed to be climbed. I was finding that my rear wheel was spinning out, maybe half of the time. The rock faces were not wet (at least as far as I could tell) so I'm curious why my rear wheel was spinning out. Could it be I was in too low of a gear? Does temperature affect the bikes ability to climb up rocks?
Also, I was having a lot of what I am calling rear slide-outs. I'd be riding up over something - a root, a rock - and the rear wheel would slide over to the side and down. So long as I was pedaling I was able to keep the bike moving forward. Probably just bad route picking on my part.
Some the sections had rock faces that needed to be climbed. I was finding that my rear wheel was spinning out, maybe half of the time. The rock faces were not wet (at least as far as I could tell) so I'm curious why my rear wheel was spinning out. Could it be I was in too low of a gear? Does temperature affect the bikes ability to climb up rocks?
Also, I was having a lot of what I am calling rear slide-outs. I'd be riding up over something - a root, a rock - and the rear wheel would slide over to the side and down. So long as I was pedaling I was able to keep the bike moving forward. Probably just bad route picking on my part.
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10-16-19, 12:57 PM
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And put more of your weight on the rear wheel.
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10-16-19, 03:59 PM
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Old tyre gotten hard?
Too much pressure?
Try a different tread pattern, or even a fatter tyre?
Sit down more while climbing?
If it's happening consistently, these are the things I'd try to see if they made any difference.
Is it a hardtail? Compared to a dual-suspension, traction won't always be as good, it might be fun to borrow one and ride it up the same sections back-to-back with a hardtail. I did this a *long* time ago and was pleasantly surprised at being able to go up stuff on a dualler that I couldn't on a hardtail.
Too much pressure?
Try a different tread pattern, or even a fatter tyre?
Sit down more while climbing?
If it's happening consistently, these are the things I'd try to see if they made any difference.
Is it a hardtail? Compared to a dual-suspension, traction won't always be as good, it might be fun to borrow one and ride it up the same sections back-to-back with a hardtail. I did this a *long* time ago and was pleasantly surprised at being able to go up stuff on a dualler that I couldn't on a hardtail.
10-16-19, 04:14 PM
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Thanks folks. I think their is too much air in my tyres. I think I had 30~35psi in there.
I'll also work on sitting more while climbing.
Cheers.
I'll also work on sitting more while climbing.
Cheers.
10-16-19, 07:08 PM
#7
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Rider weight, rim width, tire make and psi? Suspension set up correctly? I'm 230, running 2.5 front width tire, 2.4 rear, 29er. 30 mm id rims. 18 psi front, 20 psi rear most days. Tubeless.
10-16-19, 07:40 PM
#8
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This past weekend I was riding some technical single track. Talk about working on your bike skills. Anyway...
Some the sections had rock faces that needed to be climbed. I was finding that my rear wheel was spinning out, maybe half of the time. The rock faces were not wet (at least as far as I could tell) so I'm curious why my rear wheel was spinning out. Could it be I was in too low of a gear? Does temperature affect the bikes ability to climb up rocks?
Also, I was having a lot of what I am calling rear slide-outs. I'd be riding up over something - a root, a rock - and the rear wheel would slide over to the side and down. So long as I was pedaling I was able to keep the bike moving forward. Probably just bad route picking on my part.
Some the sections had rock faces that needed to be climbed. I was finding that my rear wheel was spinning out, maybe half of the time. The rock faces were not wet (at least as far as I could tell) so I'm curious why my rear wheel was spinning out. Could it be I was in too low of a gear? Does temperature affect the bikes ability to climb up rocks?
Also, I was having a lot of what I am calling rear slide-outs. I'd be riding up over something - a root, a rock - and the rear wheel would slide over to the side and down. So long as I was pedaling I was able to keep the bike moving forward. Probably just bad route picking on my part.
10-16-19, 07:44 PM
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I used to have that problem too until I switched up a wider traction tire on the rear. I run 2.35 Bontrager on the front which gives good stability and cornering and a 2.5 Delium on the rear which is seriously knobby. There are slopes of slick mud I can climb now with barely any tire slip that I would spin out prior to changing. Tire pressure is a definite factor also, especially in sand and scree/ 
10-16-19, 11:37 PM
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When I have to climb something steep and slick, I concentrate on spinning circles at a fairly high cadence. Staying in the saddle, of course.
That usually works.
That usually works.
10-17-19, 07:24 AM
#11
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Body weight distribution. With experience and saddle time, you'll learn right where you need to be and right when to be there. Good luck to you 
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10-18-19, 06:16 PM
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10-18-19, 08:27 PM
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This^^, too much weight lean forward. You can still have weight in the back in a standing climb, just takes practice. Could also be tires, but practice is free
10-25-19, 06:41 AM
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Weight the rear wheel and smooth your pedaling. Spin, do not hammer.
