You’re five miles into a technical climb, your lungs are screaming, and then you see it. A mess of tangled roots, loose shale, and a vertical pitch that looks more like a wall than a trail. These are the up the hill strands—those grueling, segmented sections of an ascent that force a rider to choose between technical finesse and raw power. Most people just call them "the suffer fest." But if you actually want to clear them without dabbing a foot, you have to understand the physics of the climb.
It isn’t just about having big quads. Honestly, I’ve seen marathon runners with massive aerobic engines get absolutely humbled by a 20-foot "strand" of limestone steps because they didn't know where to put their weight.
The Anatomy of Up the Hill Strands
What are we actually talking about here? In the world of trail building and mountain bike racing, "strands" often refer to the specific lines or braided paths that develop on steep inclines. Over time, water runoff and heavy tire use create these distinct channels.
Sometimes, a single climb will have three or four different strands. You've got the "easy" line that's twice as long because it switchbacks. Then you have the "pro" line—the direct up-the-hill strand that goes straight over the boulders. Choosing the wrong one is the fastest way to blow up your heart rate.
Think about the terrain at places like Moab or the Pisgah National Forest. These aren't smooth gravel paths. They are fractured.
The complexity of these uphill sections comes down to traction management. If you lean too far forward to keep the front wheel down, your back tire spins out on the loose dirt. If you sit too far back to gain traction, the front end loops out and you're doing an accidental wheely into a bush. It’s a delicate, annoying dance.
Why Your Gear Might Be Failing You
Let's talk about the mechanical side because your bike might be making these strands harder than they need to be. Most riders keep their tire pressure way too high. If you’re running 30 PSI on a technical climb, you’re basically riding on bouncy balls.
Lowering that pressure allows the tire to "conform" to the up the hill strands. It wraps around the roots.
Then there's the "granny gear" trap. You might think shifting into your easiest gear is the move. It’s usually not. In your easiest gear, the torque is so high that every pedal stroke snaps the rear tire loose. You want a gear that's "firm." Something that lets you put power down without the bike reacting like a caffeinated squirrel.
Pro Techniques for Technical Ascents
I spent a season watching pro enduro riders tackle the steepest pitches in the Rockies. They don't ride like us.
Instead of staying seated, they perform what’s called a "hover." They are millimeters off the saddle. This allows the bike to move underneath them. When the rear wheel hits a rock in the middle of an up the hill strand, the bike rises, but the rider's body stays level.
- The Lead-In: You need momentum before the pitch starts. If you start pedaling hard on the hill, you've already lost.
- Eye Contact: Don't look at your front tire. Look six feet ahead. Your brain needs to process the next "strand" of the climb before you're actually on it.
- The Lunge: When you hit a ledge, you have to throw your hips forward. It’s a violent, specific movement that unweights the rear wheel just enough to let it pop over the obstacle.
It’s exhausting.
But it works.
The Mental Game of the Climb
There is a psychological component to up the hill strands that people rarely discuss in coaching clinics. It’s the "quit point." When you see a particularly nasty section of trail, your brain immediately starts looking for reasons to unclip.
"My chain might snap."
"This is too steep for my tires."
"I'll just walk this bit."
Once that thought enters your head, your power output drops by 20%. You have to commit to the strand before you hit the base of the incline. World-class climbers like Nino Schurter talk about "attacking" the hill. They aren't just surviving it; they are imposing their will on the terrain. It sounds cheesy, but in the heat of a race, that mindset is the difference between a podium and a DNF.
Common Misconceptions About Uphill Traction
A lot of folks think that more travel—more suspension—makes climbing easier. It’s actually the opposite in many cases. A 170mm travel "enduro bro" bike will bob like a pogo stick when you're trying to hammer up a technical strand.
You want a platform that stays high in its travel.
Modern geometry has helped. We’re seeing steeper seat tube angles now. A 77 or 78-degree seat angle puts your weight directly over the bottom bracket. This makes those up the hill strands feel significantly less daunting because you aren't fighting the bike's tendency to sag into the rear shock.
Also, stop obsessing over weight. A 20-pound bike is great, but if the tires don't have side knobs, you’re going to slide off the side of the trail the moment it gets damp. Grip beats weight every single time on technical strands.
Training for the Vertical
If you want to get better at this, you can't just ride on flat bike paths. You need "over-threshold" intervals.
Find a hill that takes about 30 seconds to climb. It should be a nasty one with plenty of rocks. Climb it. Turn around. Do it again. Ten times.
This mimics the "strands" you find on real trails. It trains your body to recover while still moving. In a real-world scenario, you might have a 10-second technical strand followed by a 2-minute "recovery" climb that’s still at a 6% grade. If you haven't trained your heart to clear lactate while under load, you're toast.
- Core Strength: Your arms don't pull you up the hill; your core stabilizes the bike so your legs can do the work.
- Ankle Mobility: Being able to drop your heels even while pedaling helps maintain traction on the downstroke.
- Ratchet Pedaling: On tight up the hill strands, you can't always do a full pedal circle because you'll strike a rock. Learning to "ratchet"—back-pedaling a quarter turn and then snapping forward—is a mandatory skill.
The Impact of E-Bikes on Trail Strands
We have to mention the elephant in the room. E-MTBs have changed how up the hill strands are ridden and maintained. With 85Nm of torque, an e-bike can sail up lines that a human-powered rider couldn't dream of touching.
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This is creating new "power lines" on trails.
The downside? The increased torque can tear up the dirt faster, especially in wet conditions. If you're riding an e-bike, you have an even greater responsibility to stay on the established strand. Spinning your motor and digging a trench doesn't just ruin the trail for others; it leads to erosion that can close the trail entirely.
What to Do Next
If you’re struggling with technical uphill sections, start by checking your tire pressure. Drop it by 2-3 PSI and see how the bike feels on the roots. Next time you're out, don't avoid the "hard" line. Intentionally pick the messiest up the hill strands and practice your weight distribution.
Shift your weight forward until the back tire slips, then nudge it back until the front wheel lifts. Find that "goldilocks" zone in the middle. Once you find it, stay there.
Mastering these sections isn't about being the strongest rider in the group. It’s about being the smartest. Clean the climb, wait at the top for your friends, and try not to look too smug when they finally show up huffing and puffing.
Focus on your line choice, keep your chest low to the bars, and keep those pedals turning no matter what.