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RIDE 2015

Mountain biking tips

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• Purchase the right bike.

Mountain biking can be expensive. Be honest with yourself about your ability and goals before you start shopping. Used bikes can be an attractive option but can be a catch-22 for someone who is new to the sport. Often what you spend on a used bike, plus the cost to refurbish it to trail-worthy status, is no less expensive than a new bike. A good bike shop will also help ensure the bike fits you properly, which is half the battle.

• Look through obstacles.

Your bike goes where your eyes are. We’ve all heard it a hundred times, but it’s true, and yet getting your eyes past that rock or through that corner is still one of the hardest skills to master. Start with familiar sections of trail and do repeats through that corner or over that rock, always glancing quickly at the crux as you approach and then quickly looking out to your exit.

• Shifting.

It’s more than pushing the button or twisting the grip-shift. Timing is everything. If you’re diligent about looking ahead, you’ll have more time to prepare and time the shift. Do your best to avoid shifting under full load toward the bottom of your pedal stroke. Instead, time it as your foot comes over the top of the stroke right before you apply downward pressure. You’ll be less likely to mis-shift, derail your chain or, worse yet, break the chain.

• Braking.

Your brakes should be set up so your hands are relaxed on the grip with your index finger comfortably at the end of the brake lever. Your brakes should be “covered” at all times. That means always having that index finger, and index finger only, resting on the levers. Apply brakes early and evenly as you would driving your car in the snow.

• Drop your heels.

Think of your ankles as bonus suspension. When your hips are effectively over your ankles, you can absorb terrain with your feet. Active feet and ankles are the key to pumping and flowing, which saves energy. Who doesn’t want that?

• Stand tall.

It’s human nature to tense up and get in a defensive body position when you’re stressed or physically challenged. On the trail, this typically translates to flat feet or heels up, really low torso crouched over the top tube, and dropped elbows. Each of these things is problematic in of itself, but combining them can be downright catastrophic.

Next time you catch yourself, try standing up and flexing your weight through your heels and relaxing the death grip. This enables you to effectively move the bike around underneath you and handle the unexpected.

• Manage saddle height.

Dropper seat posts have made this so much easier. If you’ve yet to upgrade, make sure your bike has a quick-release seat collar that lets you put the seat up and down. It’s no secret it’s more efficient to climb with your legs near full extension, but leaving the seat up on the way down or in more technical terrain should be left up to the World Cup cross-country racers. Get it out of the way!

• Learn to ride flat pedals.

So often, riders are made to feel as though they’re not mountain bikers until they have clipless pedals on their bikes. Although they are efficient and often very light, they can be a handicap. Certain shoe pedal combinations can limit your range of motion and make certain skills, such as cornering and keeping your heels down, more challenging. And then there’s the old adage, “If you can’t execute the maneuver on flat pedals, you can’t execute the maneuver.” Clipless pedals allow “cheating” to an extent, so do yourself a favor and swap them out for flats at regular intervals. They’ll keep you honest!

• Ride other disciplines.

Certain skills are best learned in specific environments. Don’t pigeonhole yourself. Ride a road bike to develop cadence and round pedal strokes, ride the pump track to get lighter on the bike and flow, and get to the bike park and ride some downhill to sharpen your reflexes and fine-tune body position.

• Get out of your comfort zone.

As you’re learning and building fundamental skills, having a zone you like to ride is important. Once you’ve mastered the basics, find a riding buddy who pushes you. More importantly, throw your bike on the car and ride new places. Riding the same rat track all summer long is boring, and complacency is more dangerous than you think.

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