国产吃瓜黑料

GET MORE WITH OUTSIDE+

Enjoy 35% off GOES, your essential outdoor guide

UPGRADE TODAY

Since 2001, professional coach Candace Shadley and her Trek Dirt Series team have taught more than 10,000 riders鈥攂oth men and women鈥攖o become better mountain bikers. Whether you want to rip berms, air Whistler Bike Park jumps, or roll a dirt track for the first time, these nine tips will help you get more comfortable on the bike.
Since 2001, professional coach Candace Shadley and her team have taught more than 10,000 riders鈥攂oth men and women鈥攖o become better mountain bikers. Whether you want to rip berms, air Whistler Bike Park jumps, or roll a dirt track for the first time, these nine tips will help you get more comfortable on the bike.

9 Tips to Becoming a Better Mountain Biker

Published: 
Berne Broudy
Since 2001, professional coach Candace Shadley and her Trek Dirt Series team have taught more than 10,000 riders鈥攂oth men and women鈥攖o become better mountain bikers. Whether you want to rip berms, air Whistler Bike Park jumps, or roll a dirt track for the first time, these nine tips will help you get more comfortable on the bike.

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up! .

Trek Dirt Series

Since 2001, professional coach Candace Shadley and her team have taught more than 10,000 riders鈥攂oth men and women鈥攖o become better mountain bikers. Whether you want to rip berms, air Whistler Bike Park jumps, or roll a dirt track for the first time, these nine tips will help you get more comfortable on the bike.

#1 Be Strong and Flexible

When you鈥檙e climbing or pedaling a smooth trail, you often want to stay in the saddle. But when you鈥檙e riding technical terrain, especially descending, stand on your pedals with a slight bend in your knees, waist, and elbows. It鈥檚 an athletic stance that helps absorb bumps in the trail. And it creates a frame to prevent you from getting pushed around in the process.

When you鈥檙e climbing or pedaling a smooth trail, you often want to stay in the saddle. But when you鈥檙e riding technical terrain, especially descending, stand on your pedals with a slight bend in your knees, waist, and elbows. It鈥檚 an athletic stance that helps absorb bumps in the trail. And it creates a frame to prevent you from getting pushed around in the process.
When you鈥檙e climbing or pedaling a smooth trail, you often want to stay in the saddle. But when you鈥檙e riding technical terrain, especially descending, stand on your pedals with a slight bend in your knees, waist, and elbows. It鈥檚 an athletic stance that helps absorb bumps in the trail. And it creates a frame to prevent you from getting pushed around in the process. (Courtesy of Justa Jeskova)

#2 Tune Your Fore-Aft and Lateral Balance

When you鈥檙e riding up steep inclines, down rock faces, and through corners, it鈥檚 important to move on your bike. Shift your weight forward while climbing to keep the front wheel tracking. Shift your weight back while descending to keep your bike balanced and to keep from being pitched over the handlebars. In tight switchbacks, shift your weight to the outside to counteract the pull to the inside.

When you鈥檙e riding up steep inclines, down rock faces, and through corners, it鈥檚 important to move on your bike. Shift your weight forward while climbing to keep the front wheel tracking. Shift your weight back while descending to keep your bike balanced and to keep from being pitched over the handlebars. In tight switchbacks, shift your weight to the outside to counteract the pull to the inside.
When you鈥檙e riding up steep inclines, down rock faces, and through corners, it鈥檚 important to move on your bike. Shift your weight forward while climbing to keep the front wheel tracking. Shift your weight back while descending to keep your bike balanced and to keep from being pitched over the handlebars. In tight switchbacks, shift your weight to the outside to counteract the pull to the inside. (Courtesy of Logan Swayze)

#3 Weight and Unweight

To roll a log, pump through a trail, or air off a ledge, weight and unweight your bike. Sometimes it鈥檚 one wheel at a time. Other times it happens simultaneously. In either case, compressing and releasing, plus creating and managing pressure, will make your riding more dynamic and fluid.

To roll a log, pump through a trail, or air off a ledge, weight and unweight your bike. Sometimes it鈥檚 one wheel at a time. Other times it happens simultaneously. In either case, compressing and releasing, plus creating and managing pressure, will make your riding more dynamic and fluid.
To roll a log, pump through a trail, or air off a ledge, weight and unweight your bike. Sometimes it鈥檚 one wheel at a time. Other times it happens simultaneously. In either case, compressing and releasing, plus creating and managing pressure, will make your riding more dynamic and fluid. (Courtesy of Logan Swayze)

#4 Use Both Brakes

Use your brakes like dimmers not light switches鈥攆eather them, don鈥檛 slam them. This will help you control your speed while riding down the trail and stop efficiently and effectively when you want to.

Use your brakes like dimmers not light switches鈥攆eather them, don鈥檛 slam them. This will help you control your speed while riding down the trail and stop efficiently and effectively when you want to.
Use your brakes like dimmers not light switches鈥攆eather them, don鈥檛 slam them. This will help you control your speed while riding down the trail and stop efficiently and effectively when you want to. (Courtesy of Anne Keller)

#5 Ride the Right Bike

Know where and how you ride, and where and how you want to ride in the future. With the help of a specialty retailer, find a bike that fits your style and the terrain where you live.

Know where and how you ride, and where and how you want to ride in the future. With the help of a specialty retailer, find a bike that fits your style and the terrain where you live.
Know where and how you ride, and where and how you want to ride in the future. With the help of a specialty retailer, find a bike that fits your style and the terrain where you live. (Courtesy of Anne Keller)

#6 Progression Is King

Success breeds confidence, and confidence breeds success. It鈥檚 tempting to take a huge leap in one day, but you鈥檒l go further by taking small steps. Move from a little drop to a big one gradually, and you鈥檒l be less likely to get injured in the move.

Success breeds confidence, and confidence breeds success. It鈥檚 tempting to take a huge leap in one day, but you鈥檒l go further by taking small steps. Move from a little drop to a big one gradually, and you鈥檒l be less likely to get injured in the move.
Success breeds confidence, and confidence breeds success. It鈥檚 tempting to take a huge leap in one day, but you鈥檒l go further by taking small steps. Move from a little drop to a big one gradually, and you鈥檒l be less likely to get injured in the move. (Courtesy of Logan Swayze)

#7 Think Positive

If you ride a skinny elevated bridge and think you鈥檙e going to fall off, guess what? You鈥檙e likely going to fall off. You鈥檒l be stiff looking to the side with your weight back, and that鈥檚 not a recipe for success. If you think you can ride the bridge, you鈥檒l likely be looking ahead, staying athletic and balanced on your bike. That鈥檚 how to master a feature.

Dirt Series Lost Lake Whistler cross country mountain biking mtb women xc
If you ride a skinny elevated bridge and think you鈥檙e going to fall off, guess what? You鈥檙e likely going to fall off. You鈥檒l be stiff looking to the side with your weight back, and that鈥檚 not a recipe for success. If you think you can ride the bridge, you鈥檒l likely be looking ahead, staying athletic and balanced on your bike. That鈥檚 how to master a feature. (Courtesy of Justa Jeskova)

#8 Look Ahead

鈥淚t鈥檚 the key to everything you do: ride the trail with your eyes before you roll it. You go where you look, so look where you want to go,鈥 says Shadley. And don鈥檛 just look with your eyes鈥攜our head, torso, hips and knees should all point where you鈥檙e headed.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the key to everything you do: ride the trail with your eyes before you roll it. You go where you look, so look where you want to go,鈥 says Shadley. And don鈥檛 just look with your eyes鈥攜our head, torso, hips and knees should all point where you鈥檙e headed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the key to everything you do: ride the trail with your eyes before you roll it. You go where you look, so look where you want to go,鈥 says Shadley. And don鈥檛 just look with your eyes鈥攜our head, torso, hips and knees should all point where you鈥檙e headed. (Courtesy of Anne Keller)

#9 Remember Your Successes

Acknowledge the miles you鈥檝e covered, the technical challenges you鈥檝e overcome, and the great elements of every ride, and you鈥檒l be anxious to hit the dirt and up the ante.

Want to bring all these tips together? Take a lesson. Having someone assess your riding and give advice specific to your needs will go miles toward making you a better rider. It will also make your time on the bike that much more fun.

Acknowledge the miles you鈥檝e covered, the technical challenges you鈥檝e overcome, and the great elements of every ride, and you鈥檒l be anxious to hit the dirt and up the ante. Want to bring all these tips together? Take a lesson. Having someone assess your riding and give advice specific to your needs will go miles toward making you a better rider. It will also make your time on the bike that much more fun.
Acknowledge the miles you鈥檝e covered, the technical challenges you鈥檝e overcome, and the great elements of every ride, and you鈥檒l be anxious to hit the dirt and up the ante.

Want to bring all these tips together? Take a lesson. Having someone assess your riding and give advice specific to your needs will go miles toward making you a better rider. It will also make your time on the bike that much more fun. (Courtesy of Logan Swayze)
Filed to:

Popular on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online