| Trail Skills |
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| Balance |
Balance is crucial in mountain biking, not just left-right
balance, but front to back balance. Weight over the rear wheel is what gives you traction: if your back tire is slipping, try moving back on the seat, or if you are standing, transfer more of your weight to the rear of the bike. If your front wheel comes off the ground, then you need to transfer more weight to it. |
| Climbing |
Most riders will do
at least some of their hardest climbs out of the saddle. It is necessary to rock the bike gently with each pedal stroke in order to keep the bike in a straight line. As your right pedal goes down, rock to the right, as your left pedal goes down, rock to the left, and so on. If you are climbing in the saddle, make sure and use a low enough gear that you are "spinning". Too high a gear is inefficient, and can cause pain or injury. |
| Descending | Stay back on the bike.
On steep descents, you may have to be behind your seat. Use your brakes before corners, not in them (see braking). Don't descend anything you are not sure of; walk if in doubt. |
| Cornering |
Learn the technique of
"counter steering". Brake before corners, not in them. Look where you want to go, not at what you don't want to hit. Bikes have a way of going wherever you look. Slow down to a safe speed, then accelerate out of corners. Don't skid, it looks fast, but it isn't. Lean into turns; you can "lead" with your inside knee to help with this. |
| Braking |
Most of your braking
force is in the front brake. Use both brakes simultaneously, and brake before corners, not in them. Do not lock your back brake to skid! It is destructive to the trail, and not as effective at slowing you down |
| Shifting |
You should always pick
a gear that allows you to "spin" your pedals at between 60 and 90 rpm. (note: racers may spin more). Try counting your revolutions for 10 seconds, then multiply by 6, or get a cyclometer with a cadence (RPM) function. Different shifters work differently, so get the salesperson who sold you your bike to show you how to select gears on your bike. The smallest chain ring (on the crankset, where the pedals are) is your lowest gear range, while the largest chainring is your highest gear range. The largest cog on the freewheel (on the back wheel) is your lowest gear, while the smallest cog is your highest gear. It is the combination of your chain ring (gear range) and cog (gear) that gives you the overall gear ratio you are in. Try shifting to a lower gear before you are in the middle of a steep hill. |
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