MTB - Technique Advice
Discussion
Just looking for some advice regarding MTB technique please.
I'm a keen road cyclist and yesterday was invited on an 'away day' to Thetford forest, where we had the option of go-ape or mountain biking. After quickly establishing that my colleagues weren't at all interested in any sort of cycling, I left them to monkey about in the trees and set off on my hired bike. £9 for the day. Not bad.
I know nothing about MTB. I learnt some key things quite quickly:
1) Beware of tree stumps cut off low to the ground
2) Gloves and long sleeves are sensible attire
3) I didn't have the spare set of clothes I needed for the journey home
I'm hooked. Loved the technical nature of the riding and the variety of terrain - banked track, gravel, jumps, massive drop off into pits and climbing out the other side. I gave most of the black diamond pit features a good go, but on more than one occasion fell off on the ascent out the other side and needed to push the bike.
I couldn't help but think that I was only a few cm or seconds from a big crash on quite a few occasions and only got out injury free by chance, other than a shin gash where I missed the pedal.
What sort of basic billy beginner things should I be thinking about when I go back for more (I loved it)?
Down hill, do you put your weight forward or back? In turns, lock and slide the back wheel to help or simply lean and go? What about on rutted paths or paths with lots of roots - loose or firm grip on the bars? Out the saddle or on it - I spent the majority standing up.
I was simply aware I got through on pure chance alone and could have easily ended up in a crumpled heap with a broken shoulder 10km from home on my own....
Any advice would be well received!
Ps - I was on a Forme. As a benchmark, is this a decent bike that I was given/good example of what to expect for a first MTB bike?
I'm a keen road cyclist and yesterday was invited on an 'away day' to Thetford forest, where we had the option of go-ape or mountain biking. After quickly establishing that my colleagues weren't at all interested in any sort of cycling, I left them to monkey about in the trees and set off on my hired bike. £9 for the day. Not bad.
I know nothing about MTB. I learnt some key things quite quickly:
1) Beware of tree stumps cut off low to the ground
2) Gloves and long sleeves are sensible attire
3) I didn't have the spare set of clothes I needed for the journey home
I'm hooked. Loved the technical nature of the riding and the variety of terrain - banked track, gravel, jumps, massive drop off into pits and climbing out the other side. I gave most of the black diamond pit features a good go, but on more than one occasion fell off on the ascent out the other side and needed to push the bike.
I couldn't help but think that I was only a few cm or seconds from a big crash on quite a few occasions and only got out injury free by chance, other than a shin gash where I missed the pedal.
What sort of basic billy beginner things should I be thinking about when I go back for more (I loved it)?
Down hill, do you put your weight forward or back? In turns, lock and slide the back wheel to help or simply lean and go? What about on rutted paths or paths with lots of roots - loose or firm grip on the bars? Out the saddle or on it - I spent the majority standing up.
I was simply aware I got through on pure chance alone and could have easily ended up in a crumpled heap with a broken shoulder 10km from home on my own....
Any advice would be well received!
Ps - I was on a Forme. As a benchmark, is this a decent bike that I was given/good example of what to expect for a first MTB bike?
Sounds like you had fun! The nearly dying thing is normal, it's part of the fun! Seriously you were probably miles away from the limit but as a beginner don't know where the limit is yet. Beginners tend to do take obstacles too slowly which makes them worse.
Technique size weight back on the downhills and no skidding. The lack of a dropper post would have limited how far back you could get, they improve confidence no end.
I don't know that bike but it looks very much XC orientated which should suit a road background.
Technique size weight back on the downhills and no skidding. The lack of a dropper post would have limited how far back you could get, they improve confidence no end.
I don't know that bike but it looks very much XC orientated which should suit a road background.
Thetford is my localish ride, it's ok there but is quite flat. If you watch a few videos on youtube about MTB riding basics you'll get a few pointers from those. You should pick it up pretty quickly.
Don't skid on the trails! it'll make you unpopular as it rips them up making them s
tty to ride. The Bike Art hire bikes are pretty good, only the pedals I thought were iffy.
Don't skid on the trails! it'll make you unpopular as it rips them up making them s
tty to ride. The Bike Art hire bikes are pretty good, only the pedals I thought were iffy. Do more. Have more fun!
As has been said, going too slowly is an easy mistake to make. Enough speed helps you over obstacles, rather than bouncing back.
If you see something on the trail that worries you, don't look at it! You tend to aim your bike where you're looking, so focus on where you want to go to avoid a trail feature instead. Also, look as far down the trail as you can.
With regards to body position, the perceived wisdom used to be getting your weight as far back as you could, but is now to keep your legs straight, drop your heels, and keep your torso low.
There are loads of tutorials on Youtube. IMB and GMBN are pretty good places to start on there.
As has been said, going too slowly is an easy mistake to make. Enough speed helps you over obstacles, rather than bouncing back.
If you see something on the trail that worries you, don't look at it! You tend to aim your bike where you're looking, so focus on where you want to go to avoid a trail feature instead. Also, look as far down the trail as you can.
With regards to body position, the perceived wisdom used to be getting your weight as far back as you could, but is now to keep your legs straight, drop your heels, and keep your torso low.
There are loads of tutorials on Youtube. IMB and GMBN are pretty good places to start on there.
Get yourself on a skills course. It's the best thing you'll ever pay for or do on a bike if you want to improve your skills. Check your local area for a coach (1 to1 is best but $$$) and check online reviews. UK Bike Skills with Tony D is very very good if you want to progress further once you've got the basics sorted.
Edited by Piha on Sunday 23 July 17:00
If you want to ride an MTB, rather than sit on it, then here's a second vote for doing specific skills course, and another vote for, imo, the best in the business, Tony Doyle at UkBikeSkills!
MTB requires a basic foundation of critical skills, and yes you can learn them from You-tube etc, but taking a skills course is a push in the right direction straight away ;-)
MTB requires a basic foundation of critical skills, and yes you can learn them from You-tube etc, but taking a skills course is a push in the right direction straight away ;-)
Max_Torque said:
If you want to ride an MTB, rather than sit on it, then here's a second vote for doing specific skills course, and another vote for, imo, the best in the business, Tony Doyle at UkBikeSkills!
3rd vote for Tony Doyle. Despite only riding MTB I probably gained more confidence in 1 day with him than the last 25yrs. Best £250 upgrade I ever spent 
Thanks for the advice regarding coaching - much like track day tuition, I've learnt that you go so much quicker with a few lessons than by spending loads on fancy upgrades!
I'll give Tony a look.
Agree that overall thetford was a little flat, but still good fun for a first go. Regarding the pedals, I did take back the first hire bike (a cube) they gave me and swapped it as my shoes were rubbing on the chain stays. Second had much better pedals.
I'll give Tony a look.
Agree that overall thetford was a little flat, but still good fun for a first go. Regarding the pedals, I did take back the first hire bike (a cube) they gave me and swapped it as my shoes were rubbing on the chain stays. Second had much better pedals.
Another thing apart from Speed is your friend and Look where you want to go not where you are,
Always ride with people better than you, group rides with better skills who are willing to be patient are a fantastic learning curve.
Tom Dowie at chicksands is also a good teacher, far far cheaper than Tony too.
Always ride with people better than you, group rides with better skills who are willing to be patient are a fantastic learning curve.
Tom Dowie at chicksands is also a good teacher, far far cheaper than Tony too.
I bought a Voodoo Bizango from Halfords a couple of weeks ago but am yet to try it off road. I'm used to a 110kg enduro bike with 300mm suspension travel front and back with the added bonus of lifting the front wheel with a twist if the wrist that I'll happy throw down big hills and 6ft drop offs but for some reason the thought of doing a 2ft drop on a 13kg hard tail scares me. I might try and get out for an hour in the morning on it but I think my fitness is going to be holding me back for a while on the way up the hills.
But whether it's a MTB or a enduro bike, being at the top of a mountain away from normality sitting on a log taking a breather is definately one of life's pleasures.
But whether it's a MTB or a enduro bike, being at the top of a mountain away from normality sitting on a log taking a breather is definately one of life's pleasures.
WestyCarl said:
Max_Torque said:
If you want to ride an MTB, rather than sit on it, then here's a second vote for doing specific skills course, and another vote for, imo, the best in the business, Tony Doyle at UkBikeSkills!
3rd vote for Tony Doyle. Despite only riding MTB I probably gained more confidence in 1 day with him than the last 25yrs. Best £250 upgrade I ever spent The great things about Tony is he only tells you 4 things - but they are all you ever need to know to ride anything from blue trails to 20ft ladder drops.
Tri_Doc said:
1) Beware of tree stumps cut off low to the ground
2) Gloves and long sleeves are sensible attire
3) I didn't have the spare set of clothes I needed for the journey home
I couldn't help but think that I was only a few cm or seconds from a big crash on quite a few occasions and only got out injury free by chance, other than a shin gash where I missed the pedal.
What sort of basic billy beginner things should I be thinking about when I go back for more (I loved it)?
Down hill, do you put your weight forward or back? In turns, lock and slide the back wheel to help or simply lean and go? What about on rutted paths or paths with lots of roots - loose or firm grip on the bars? Out the saddle or on it - I spent the majority standing up.
I was simply aware I got through on pure chance alone and could have easily ended up in a crumpled heap with a broken shoulder 10km from home on my own....
1) Yes, they're a terrible feature and I've no idea why there is so many of them at cycle centres, if I had to guess that how FC / NRW leave them and the builders haven't the time/resources to shift them.2) Gloves and long sleeves are sensible attire
3) I didn't have the spare set of clothes I needed for the journey home
I couldn't help but think that I was only a few cm or seconds from a big crash on quite a few occasions and only got out injury free by chance, other than a shin gash where I missed the pedal.
What sort of basic billy beginner things should I be thinking about when I go back for more (I loved it)?
Down hill, do you put your weight forward or back? In turns, lock and slide the back wheel to help or simply lean and go? What about on rutted paths or paths with lots of roots - loose or firm grip on the bars? Out the saddle or on it - I spent the majority standing up.
I was simply aware I got through on pure chance alone and could have easily ended up in a crumpled heap with a broken shoulder 10km from home on my own....
2) Glove yes, some people don't like them and ride without, but gravel rash on your hands really sucks and makes life a frustrating pain for a week afterwards. Love sleeves can go either way - they can stop your arms getting cut up with brambles, but they also get caught on brambles.
3) This varies from rider to rider and tends to rest of how much or little they care about the seats in their car. In summer, I keep an old towel to sit on, on the way home. In winter I ratty old pair of tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie, loose stuff is easier to pull on when you're cold and wet.
"Riding to the scene of the accident" is a riding style many enjoy
if you can do it with confidence the greatest thing in MTBing is usually not far away 'flow'.Downhill - once you're up to speed you'll be moving around your weight to balance yourself and bike, but as a rule rearward is better, it will allow the front wheel to cover square edged hits easier rather than the alternative, which is a hard stop and OTB crash.
A locked wheel has a lot less grip than a turning one, there are a few occasions when you might want a 'cutty' which is a sharp change in direction with a locked wheel, but it's an advanced move.
Loose grip on the bars always if you can, if you grip too hard you'll get lots of arm pump and sore hands which is fatiguing and makes the rider jittery.
Roots are one of the toughest things to ride well, especially when it's wet and doubly so if they're 'polished' I.E. the bark has been worn off and it's a light brown colour, no grip at all. It's best to hit them square on (if you can) and without any braking, even mild braking - if they're on a steep section brake before and brake afterwards if you can.
Ideally you want to be out of the saddle if you’re doing anything but climbing on even ground. It doesn’t matter if you’re on a hard trail or a 10” travel downhill bike, they do not work well unless you’re doing your bit with your body weight and soaking up hits with your thighs. You might notice most riders use a dropper post these days to drop the seat level for extra clearance when they’re descending.
Whilst I agree with everyone else, a skills course is the best upgrade you will ever buy, it might be worth spending the next couple of months getting your eye in, then build on those basic skills with a course in Spring.
Thetford is my Local Trail center and it is a very good place to start and find your feet - don't be fooled by the gradings though, the Red route is fairly tame (albeit fun) compared to other trail centers around the country, they have just down-graded the Beater trail to a blue from a red but that again has some fun features in it, there is also many miles of unmarked trails to explore..
As an alternative to tuition, joining a club may be beneficial, I don't know where you are based but Kings Lynn MTB club are a friendly club (MTB Specific) and there are some coaches / experienced riders that will give you pointers etc.
There are also many other group rides organised around Thetford that cater for all abilities.
Blatant plug but I have this for sale at the minute;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162566092609?ssPageName=...
As an alternative to tuition, joining a club may be beneficial, I don't know where you are based but Kings Lynn MTB club are a friendly club (MTB Specific) and there are some coaches / experienced riders that will give you pointers etc.
There are also many other group rides organised around Thetford that cater for all abilities.
Blatant plug but I have this for sale at the minute;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162566092609?ssPageName=...
Just ride, no better way of learning than just cracking on and doing it!
The more you ride the more confident you get and I've always maintained that a good percentage of riding a mtb is confidence. As others have said, a lot of new riders tend to hit stuff too slow and then panic and lock up when things start getting out of their comfort zone. Your classic dead sailor whilst hitting a jump is the perfect example of this.
The more you ride the more confident you get and I've always maintained that a good percentage of riding a mtb is confidence. As others have said, a lot of new riders tend to hit stuff too slow and then panic and lock up when things start getting out of their comfort zone. Your classic dead sailor whilst hitting a jump is the perfect example of this.
Tri_Doc said:
I'm hooked.
Not surprised. It's brilliant, not least because of the environment, nature vs busy roads.As for protection, I don't actually cycle off-road without knee pads and elbow pads. They actually give you so much confidence.
The main issue when you start off-road is tension. It's normal to be very tense and apprehensive faced with new challenges...and obstacles.
Problem is, tension is the enemy as not only your limbs don't absorb the energy when you're tense but you don't move around the bike as you should.
bobbo89 said:
Just ride, no better way of learning than just cracking on and doing it!
The more you ride the more confident you get and I've always maintained that a good percentage of riding a mtb is confidence. As others have said, a lot of new riders tend to hit stuff too slow and then panic and lock up when things start getting out of their comfort zone. Your classic dead sailor whilst hitting a jump is the perfect example of this.
Sorry, but imo, decent tuition early on is WAY better than working it out for yourself! (especially for less 'natural' riders (or old gits like me... ;-)The more you ride the more confident you get and I've always maintained that a good percentage of riding a mtb is confidence. As others have said, a lot of new riders tend to hit stuff too slow and then panic and lock up when things start getting out of their comfort zone. Your classic dead sailor whilst hitting a jump is the perfect example of this.
And imo, going fast is NOT a good idea for someone with poor technique. Yeah, you might just clear a few jumps or drops compared to going a bit slower, but when you mess it up, and you will, going fast is suddenly NOT your friend......
Max_Torque said:
Sorry, but imo, decent tuition early on is WAY better than working it out for yourself! (especially for less 'natural' riders (or old gits like me... ;-)
And imo, going fast is NOT a good idea for someone with poor technique. Yeah, you might just clear a few jumps or drops compared to going a bit slower, but when you mess it up, and you will, going fast is suddenly NOT your friend......
I suppose I did learn as fearless teenager with very little self preservation but I stand by what I say, confidence is key! And imo, going fast is NOT a good idea for someone with poor technique. Yeah, you might just clear a few jumps or drops compared to going a bit slower, but when you mess it up, and you will, going fast is suddenly NOT your friend......
Someone suggested above to maybe start riding with a few guys who are more experienced which is a good idea. You can watch them, follow their lines and ask for pointers as you go.
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