Mountain Bike Skills

Me, airing off of a root. Photo: Summer.

At first, the thought of riding a bike off road may seem pretty much like a no-brainer.  Just push the pedals, and away you go, right? 

After the first time most of us tried to ride singletrack, we realized that there was a whole lot more to this whole mountain biking thing that meets the eye.  Just riding up a hill with some rocks and roots was a challenge, not to mention those crazies in the movies jumping 20 feet in the air!

Over the course of this series, I will attempt to shed light on some of the various skills required to become a capable mountain biker.  Some of these may be aimed at beginners just getting into the sport  of mountain biking, and some will be more advanced techniques that intermediates need to master.  By no means am I the best mountain biker out there, and I will be the first to say that I'm not a serious freerider who is doing big drops and jumps.  But after riding long and hard for 5 years and being tutored by some amazing riders, I have picked up a lot of tricks along the way, and am I very capable all-mountain type rider.

So read on if you want to become a better mountain biker:

• Looking Down the Trail -- The most fundamental of all mountain bike skills.  Many other skills build off of this crucial base.
• Mountain Bike Shifting Techniques for Beginners -- One of the first things you need to know when you hop on a mountain bike is how to shift the gears correctly.
• The Trick to Getting Over Obstacles on a Mountain Bike -- Ever have a hard time clearing small-medium sized logs, large roots, rocks, ledges, or curbs? Read on and learn the one trick to begin to take those suckers down!
• The Secret to Riding Switchbacks on a Mountain Bike -- Switchbacks can be incredibly challenging, especially if there are a few roots or rocks thrown in.  Click on the link to learn the necessary skills to conquer these sharp turns!
• Advanced Switchback Technique -- This skill tip intended for intermediate to advanced riders only!
• 7 Tactics for Tackling that Next Steep Hill --  Become a better climber on your  mountain bike.
• Ratcheting the Pedals -- How to stay on the bike when you can't make full pedal strokes because of obstacles.
• How to Switch to Clipless Mountain Bike Pedals -- In order to keep progressing as cross country mountain biker you are eventually going to need to make the switch from flat pedals to clipless pedals. Here's how.
• Riding Through the Mud --Make sure you know how to handle your bike when the going gets muddy!

Your Turn:
 Has this series helped you grow your mountain biking skills in some way, or are you a more experienced biker with advice to share? I'd love to hear from both of you below!

These skill posts will be published intermittently, and I will update this post with a link every time a new one comes out.