Pedals, which kind?
If your new to mountain biking, you will eventually see all types of pedals from large ones, to very small ones that look funny. If you are riding just a few times a month, you may want to consider riding 'flat' pedals as they are the easiest to ride and the dismount off of the bike is quick and easy. They are on most department store and entry level bikes at your local bike store.
Once you start moving up to medium level mountain bikes, they may not come with pedals as you will need to choose your own based on the type of riding that you will be doing.
Flats: These can be used on all types of mountain bikes and all types of riding - Easy trail riding, Cross Country (XC), All Mountain, Downhill and Free ride. If your bike came stock with a flat pedal, it may break due to stress if you start jumping, taking drops higher than 2 feet and ride aggressive All Mountain. Stock flat pedals were only provided to pedal with on flat terrain, not for jumping or drops.
Heavy duty flats: For All Mountain, Downhill, Free ride. These are specifically built to take the force of jumping and drops on a mtb. The axle is build heavy duty and the surrounding metal is thicker providing a solid base and ability to take significant shock. Studs are also typically built into the pedal to minimize shoe slippage.
Clipless: Typically for trail riding and XC riders and XC racing. (They are called Clip-less because bike pedals a few decades ago had a clip on the pedals that you would put your shoe into, these do not). This is the most popular choice for general XC trail riders that are solid intermediate level riders. It will take a little time to learn to ride while clipped in 100% of the time, but once you get used to it, it will be second nature to un-clip when needed on downhill technical sections. Most XC racers/riders also choose these types of pedals because they are light weight and are ~30% more efficient while climbing and that is where races are usually won.
Clipless partial platform: These are clipless pedals, but unlike the Crank Brothers 'Egg beaters', they have a small platform which feels like you have a pedal under your foot. At least a partial pedal rather than just supported by the clip-in itself.
Clipless platform: Good choice for those that want the climbing efficiency of being clipped in, but the freedom and ability to remove your foot on technical sections of the trail. The Shimano PD-A530 will default to the flat side when spun around. Just flip it over 180* and you will be able to clip in for a climb.
Shoes for Clipless:
On your first ride try to find a big empty parking lot to ride in and try out the pedals. Practice clipping in and out from both sides of the pedals. Most people will find that they can clip in and out on one side better than the other. It's OK at first but you will want to use both sides effectively when you need to. When you are on a single track trail and need to stop, you will want to clip out towards the mountain side (up slope), not the down side as the trail may fall away and when you place your foot out, you may fall over and possible down the mountain side.
Do not look down at your pedal when clipping back in. You can't see the bottom of your foot, so get into the habit of keeping your eye on the trail ahead. The cleat is under the ball of your foot and once you get your shoe on the pedal, just move it around a little and you will eventually clip in. Practice makes perfect, soon it will be second nature.
You only have to unclip one pedal when you are at an intersection. Get used to leaving the other shoe clipped in. It means one less pedal to worry about. When you start uphill from a stopped position, have your clipped in foot at about the 1 o'clock position so that your first stroke is a downward one that will give you the most power.
Lose weight with the Acai berry
Once you start moving up to medium level mountain bikes, they may not come with pedals as you will need to choose your own based on the type of riding that you will be doing.
Types of pedals:
Flats: These can be used on all types of mountain bikes and all types of riding - Easy trail riding, Cross Country (XC), All Mountain, Downhill and Free ride. If your bike came stock with a flat pedal, it may break due to stress if you start jumping, taking drops higher than 2 feet and ride aggressive All Mountain. Stock flat pedals were only provided to pedal with on flat terrain, not for jumping or drops.
 |
Diamondback Sound Pedal (Black Alloy, 9/16 - Inch, Pack of 2) |
Heavy duty flats: For All Mountain, Downhill, Free ride. These are specifically built to take the force of jumping and drops on a mtb. The axle is build heavy duty and the surrounding metal is thicker providing a solid base and ability to take significant shock. Studs are also typically built into the pedal to minimize shoe slippage.
Clipless: Typically for trail riding and XC riders and XC racing. (They are called Clip-less because bike pedals a few decades ago had a clip on the pedals that you would put your shoe into, these do not). This is the most popular choice for general XC trail riders that are solid intermediate level riders. It will take a little time to learn to ride while clipped in 100% of the time, but once you get used to it, it will be second nature to un-clip when needed on downhill technical sections. Most XC racers/riders also choose these types of pedals because they are light weight and are ~30% more efficient while climbing and that is where races are usually won.
 |
Crank Brothers Egg Beater SL Bicycle Pedal (Silver) |
 |
Shimano PD-M770 Deore XT SPD Mountain Bike Pedals |
Clipless partial platform: These are clipless pedals, but unlike the Crank Brothers 'Egg beaters', they have a small platform which feels like you have a pedal under your foot. At least a partial pedal rather than just supported by the clip-in itself.
 |
Crank Brothers Candy SL Pedals Black |
Clipless platform: Good choice for those that want the climbing efficiency of being clipped in, but the freedom and ability to remove your foot on technical sections of the trail. The Shimano PD-A530 will default to the flat side when spun around. Just flip it over 180* and you will be able to clip in for a climb.
 |
Shimano PD-A530 Sport Dual-sided Pedal - Platform & Cleat sides ! w/SM-SH51 Cleats. |
Shoes for Flat Pedals:
 |
FiveTen Men's Impact 2 Low Bike Shoe,Black,11.5 M US |
Shoes for Clipless:
 |
Shimano SH-M086L MTB Sport Shoe-41 |
Tips for riders that are new to clipless pedals:
Set your pedals so they release your shoe easier if they have that setting (tension). Some pedals come with 2 sets of cleats, one that will clipout at a 15* angle and another around 30*. Place in the cleat that is easier to clip out of.On your first ride try to find a big empty parking lot to ride in and try out the pedals. Practice clipping in and out from both sides of the pedals. Most people will find that they can clip in and out on one side better than the other. It's OK at first but you will want to use both sides effectively when you need to. When you are on a single track trail and need to stop, you will want to clip out towards the mountain side (up slope), not the down side as the trail may fall away and when you place your foot out, you may fall over and possible down the mountain side.
Do not look down at your pedal when clipping back in. You can't see the bottom of your foot, so get into the habit of keeping your eye on the trail ahead. The cleat is under the ball of your foot and once you get your shoe on the pedal, just move it around a little and you will eventually clip in. Practice makes perfect, soon it will be second nature.
You only have to unclip one pedal when you are at an intersection. Get used to leaving the other shoe clipped in. It means one less pedal to worry about. When you start uphill from a stopped position, have your clipped in foot at about the 1 o'clock position so that your first stroke is a downward one that will give you the most power.
Lose weight with the Acai berry
Resurface rotors, improve braking and stopping power
Here is a video on resurfacing your mtb rotors to improve braking power. It's relatively easy and all you need is a inexpensive tool from your local bike store, sandpaper and blue loctite.
How frequently do you need to resurface? It depends on how often you ride... If your an avid rider, maybe once a year...
How frequently do you need to resurface? It depends on how often you ride... If your an avid rider, maybe once a year...
New to the sport? Why your crashing...
Most people that are new to Mountain biking crash on the trail, especially if the trail is filled with obstacles like roots, rocks and ruts. There are a lot of factors that a rider must take into consideration while Mtb,ing, even if they know the trail as the environment and conditions change with the weather.
Skills / Techniques
Beginners and novice riders often fall because they do not posses the skills needed for Mountain biking. I know that quite a few people must think 'I know how to ride a bike', purchase a Mtb and head off on the trail. At first, they may roll the trail with no problems, then they pick up speed and crash on a turn due to poor technique and skills. If they continue with the sport without adding the correct skills, they will continue to fall. (And get cuts, bruises, scraps, lacerations or even a broken bone. The trip to the emergency room is one that you'll want to forget).
If so (and I'm sure you do), would you say that your riding technique would be different for the bikes that they go on?
If your riding a trial with no major obstacles, I would say that the majority of the falls are will be on the turns. Most beginner and novice Mtb'ers do not add enough weight on the front tire which is VERY important in this sport. Another technique is staying over you bike to add weight over the tires. (Not leaning into the turn)
A typical scenario would be like this:
Your heading downhill and there is a left hand turn coming up, you apply the brakes and if you have a front shock, it compresses due to the weight transfer to the front of the bike due to braking. You naturally and instinctively counter the movement forward and shift your weight to the rear of the bike as you head into the turn. Now your front tire starts the slide to the right (hopefully there is no ledge), you panic and hit the brakes hard and both tires may start locking up. (Your front tire will slide when there is NOT enough of YOUR weight applied to it) It's too late at this point as your bike has slid out from under you and your down...
So what is the correct way to corner on a Mtb? Well it takes judgment, technique and experience.
Judgment - Takes into consideration a safe speed to rail the turn based on the conditions. Your looking ahead and take into consideration the type of turn, banked, flat, sharp, un-uniform, leaves, gravel, sand, wet, damp, etc... Based on what you see, you scrub off enough speed before you initiate the turn.
Technique - Heading into the turn, you set up wide, hit the inside (apex) and end wide. Your in the attack position and ready to load the front tire with additional weight if necessary. You will place your outside leg down based on the speed that your carrying through the turn. This is usually done on faster turns, but can be applied to most turns. You body weight is over both tires and not leaning into the turn. If it is a left handed turn, you don't want to lean to the left unless you have a bank to work with.
Experience - You have prior experience dealing with certain situations on the trail and apply the correct and necessary techniques before, during and after the turn. Weight shift, balance, steering, weight over your tires.
Obstacles
Other areas where beginners and novice riders fall are obstacles, the usual suspects are rocks, roots, logs and ruts. The type of bike that you have will also enable you to 'float' the objects. Downhill bikes will be able to roll over (float) most obstacles on the trail as they have a long travel (160mm+) double crown fork up front and up to 8 inch travel spring in the back.
Downhill bikes for trail riding is overkill as they also weight ~45 pounds which make them much tougher to climb. Most weekend warrior Mtb'ers will have either a hardtail or a cross country (4" travel) type of bike.
With obstacles like rocks, you will want to choose your line through them for the smoothest path. There are a lot of variables to consider when descending like size, spacing and quantity (rock garden?). Look to the sides of the trail when it is filled with rocks as there may be a smoother path.
Logs - If they are small, you can just roll over them. Make a habit of attacking them at 90*, do not attempt to roll over them at an angle as your tire can easily slip on them. If the log is as high as your bottom bracket, a bash guard helps. You will want to lift up on the handlebars and wheelie over the log and allow your rear tire to follow. Sit back and behind your seat before your front tire hits the ground.
Roots - You will want to attack them at 90* if possible to avoid your tire from slipping while rolling over them.
Ruts - There are so many variables, size, width, length, depths, quantity. In general, you'll want to avoid getting your tire in them as it will force you to steer within them. Take the line around them or jump (bunnyhop) them when possible.
Riding too fast for your skill level:
Many new riders will just ride a trail with too much speed. (When learning something new, you don't know what you don't know). Maybe to keep up with a friend that is faster, or maybe just for that adrenaline rush. If they hit an obstacle the wrong way, it can send you flying at 35mph. With so many trees/rocks on the trail, you'll be lucky to miss one.
Bike Setup
Is your bike setup for the trail that your riding? Did you check your front/back tire pressure? Shock pressure and settings (rebound, compression)? What type of tires are you running? Are they optimal for the trails/conditions in your area? Width of your tires F/B? Seat height on the descent?
If your bike is not setup optimally for the trails that you are riding, it just adds another small factor to the crash equation. When you are in a specific situation on the trail and add up the minor mistakes made, it could end up in a crash. If you have your bike setup optimally, you may be able to get yourself out of that precarious situation as your equipment may save you.
Have fun
There are a lot of things to consider when riding on the trails. If your new to the sport and really enjoy it, you may want to get yourself of protective armor for your knees and elbows. If your not racing or getting paid for riding, you don't need to set new speed records so just go out and have fun. It's OK to walk a section of the trail that is steep with obstacles. You may want to do it because other have and in time, you may be able to do it as well.
Equipment starts to become a factor when the terrain start getting rough, even for experienced riders. That $200 department store Mtb may have real trouble getting down some technical trails...
Focus on a certain technique when your out on the trails next time. Be aggressive on the trails. Some of the best riders on a Mtb are the down-hillers, look at photo's of them and you will see that they are always in a aggressive attack position. If you want to become a good rider, you'll need to add aggression on the trails. Most of all, enjoy the outdoors, scenery and get yourself a great workout at the same time!
Skills / Techniques
Beginners and novice riders often fall because they do not posses the skills needed for Mountain biking. I know that quite a few people must think 'I know how to ride a bike', purchase a Mtb and head off on the trail. At first, they may roll the trail with no problems, then they pick up speed and crash on a turn due to poor technique and skills. If they continue with the sport without adding the correct skills, they will continue to fall. (And get cuts, bruises, scraps, lacerations or even a broken bone. The trip to the emergency room is one that you'll want to forget).
Do you see a difference between the two tires below?
If your riding a trial with no major obstacles, I would say that the majority of the falls are will be on the turns. Most beginner and novice Mtb'ers do not add enough weight on the front tire which is VERY important in this sport. Another technique is staying over you bike to add weight over the tires. (Not leaning into the turn)
A typical scenario would be like this:
Your heading downhill and there is a left hand turn coming up, you apply the brakes and if you have a front shock, it compresses due to the weight transfer to the front of the bike due to braking. You naturally and instinctively counter the movement forward and shift your weight to the rear of the bike as you head into the turn. Now your front tire starts the slide to the right (hopefully there is no ledge), you panic and hit the brakes hard and both tires may start locking up. (Your front tire will slide when there is NOT enough of YOUR weight applied to it) It's too late at this point as your bike has slid out from under you and your down...
Ouch!
So what is the correct way to corner on a Mtb? Well it takes judgment, technique and experience.
Judgment - Takes into consideration a safe speed to rail the turn based on the conditions. Your looking ahead and take into consideration the type of turn, banked, flat, sharp, un-uniform, leaves, gravel, sand, wet, damp, etc... Based on what you see, you scrub off enough speed before you initiate the turn.
Technique - Heading into the turn, you set up wide, hit the inside (apex) and end wide. Your in the attack position and ready to load the front tire with additional weight if necessary. You will place your outside leg down based on the speed that your carrying through the turn. This is usually done on faster turns, but can be applied to most turns. You body weight is over both tires and not leaning into the turn. If it is a left handed turn, you don't want to lean to the left unless you have a bank to work with.
Experience - You have prior experience dealing with certain situations on the trail and apply the correct and necessary techniques before, during and after the turn. Weight shift, balance, steering, weight over your tires.
Obstacles
Other areas where beginners and novice riders fall are obstacles, the usual suspects are rocks, roots, logs and ruts. The type of bike that you have will also enable you to 'float' the objects. Downhill bikes will be able to roll over (float) most obstacles on the trail as they have a long travel (160mm+) double crown fork up front and up to 8 inch travel spring in the back.
Santa Cruz V10
With obstacles like rocks, you will want to choose your line through them for the smoothest path. There are a lot of variables to consider when descending like size, spacing and quantity (rock garden?). Look to the sides of the trail when it is filled with rocks as there may be a smoother path.
Logs - If they are small, you can just roll over them. Make a habit of attacking them at 90*, do not attempt to roll over them at an angle as your tire can easily slip on them. If the log is as high as your bottom bracket, a bash guard helps. You will want to lift up on the handlebars and wheelie over the log and allow your rear tire to follow. Sit back and behind your seat before your front tire hits the ground.
Roots - You will want to attack them at 90* if possible to avoid your tire from slipping while rolling over them.
Ruts - There are so many variables, size, width, length, depths, quantity. In general, you'll want to avoid getting your tire in them as it will force you to steer within them. Take the line around them or jump (bunnyhop) them when possible.
Riding too fast for your skill level:
Many new riders will just ride a trail with too much speed. (When learning something new, you don't know what you don't know). Maybe to keep up with a friend that is faster, or maybe just for that adrenaline rush. If they hit an obstacle the wrong way, it can send you flying at 35mph. With so many trees/rocks on the trail, you'll be lucky to miss one.
Bike Setup
Is your bike setup for the trail that your riding? Did you check your front/back tire pressure? Shock pressure and settings (rebound, compression)? What type of tires are you running? Are they optimal for the trails/conditions in your area? Width of your tires F/B? Seat height on the descent?
If your bike is not setup optimally for the trails that you are riding, it just adds another small factor to the crash equation. When you are in a specific situation on the trail and add up the minor mistakes made, it could end up in a crash. If you have your bike setup optimally, you may be able to get yourself out of that precarious situation as your equipment may save you.
Have fun
There are a lot of things to consider when riding on the trails. If your new to the sport and really enjoy it, you may want to get yourself of protective armor for your knees and elbows. If your not racing or getting paid for riding, you don't need to set new speed records so just go out and have fun. It's OK to walk a section of the trail that is steep with obstacles. You may want to do it because other have and in time, you may be able to do it as well.
Equipment starts to become a factor when the terrain start getting rough, even for experienced riders. That $200 department store Mtb may have real trouble getting down some technical trails...
Focus on a certain technique when your out on the trails next time. Be aggressive on the trails. Some of the best riders on a Mtb are the down-hillers, look at photo's of them and you will see that they are always in a aggressive attack position. If you want to become a good rider, you'll need to add aggression on the trails. Most of all, enjoy the outdoors, scenery and get yourself a great workout at the same time!
Flume trail Lake Tahoe, CA
Why Mountain biking is harder than Road biking
The title may be a bit misleading as the word 'harder' can be interpreted in different ways. I am writing this article with the perspective that it is harder to learn and be a 'good' mountain biker than to be a 'good' road biker. (The amount of time needed to be an accomplished mountain biker is much longer compared to road biking).
In road biking, you are generally working with a flat surface which make life a lot easier, and a lot smoother!. Once you have the basic turning technique down, you really need to work on conditioning your cardiovascular system to ride longer and more efficiently. Aside from entering a turn 'outside - inside - outside', you really do not have to learn any other significant skills. Most of the time you will be sitting on the bike grinding an uphill road or on a descent that requires an equal weight distribution across both tires.
In mountain biking, you are faced with many factors that you need to take into consideration while riding a trail, especially if it is one that you have never rode before.
One of the main differences between the two types of biking is an uneven surface. As you roll over an uneven surface, you will need to adjust your weight forward and backwards to maintain attack position.
There are obstacles of various sizes and shapes and you will need to determine what speed will be best to roll over or jump the object and what technique you may need to implement. On a trail, the usual suspects are tree roots, rocks and ruts. This is all within a few seconds of seeing the obstacle and your experience and judgment can be the difference between continuing down the trail or rolling down the side of a hill with a broken wrist.
What type of trail are you riding? Is it sandy? Loose dirt? Compact dirt? Gravel? Pebbles? Lots of fallen leaves, branches, sticks, twigs? You should take into consideration all of the above trail conditions and apply the appropriate speed and techniques.
How are the conditions? Is it damp? Muddy? Dry powder? Just after a rain? Is there morning dew on the trail? Misty? Even if you are familiar with your local trail, it changes as the weather and season changes.
Is your equipment setup correctly for the trail that your riding? Is your front / back tire pressure optimized for the trail? How about the tire that you are running? Does it have enough grip to take that turn at 35mph?
These are the reasons why I believe it is much harder to become a 'good' mountain biker than a 'good' road biker. On that note, will it be hard for you to become a good mountain biker? It depends on what level you would like to get to. If you are a cross country racer, maybe your goal will be to finish in the top 10 in the beginning class. Maybe one of your goals is to ride a technical trail all the way down without dabbing? It may be just keeping up with your friends.
These are all factors you need to interpret while riding down the trail which makes it much more difficult than Road biking. I will go on to say that if you are new to mountain biking and do not receive any type of advice or assistance, you will learn by trial and error and may have quite a few bumps, bruises, scrapes and maybe a laceration here or there. Hopefully you will not break any bones...
Keep riding and you will get better each time as you will gain more and more experience on the trail. Learn to become agile on your bike and flow with the trail. If you have a full suspension bike, allow the front and rear shocks to do most of the work. Try to work on one technique each time you go out, like going around a switch back faster or timing that small drop for that perfect two wheel landing.
Ride safely and I'll see you on the trails...
In road biking, you are generally working with a flat surface which make life a lot easier, and a lot smoother!. Once you have the basic turning technique down, you really need to work on conditioning your cardiovascular system to ride longer and more efficiently. Aside from entering a turn 'outside - inside - outside', you really do not have to learn any other significant skills. Most of the time you will be sitting on the bike grinding an uphill road or on a descent that requires an equal weight distribution across both tires.
In mountain biking, you are faced with many factors that you need to take into consideration while riding a trail, especially if it is one that you have never rode before.
One of the main differences between the two types of biking is an uneven surface. As you roll over an uneven surface, you will need to adjust your weight forward and backwards to maintain attack position.
There are obstacles of various sizes and shapes and you will need to determine what speed will be best to roll over or jump the object and what technique you may need to implement. On a trail, the usual suspects are tree roots, rocks and ruts. This is all within a few seconds of seeing the obstacle and your experience and judgment can be the difference between continuing down the trail or rolling down the side of a hill with a broken wrist.
What type of trail are you riding? Is it sandy? Loose dirt? Compact dirt? Gravel? Pebbles? Lots of fallen leaves, branches, sticks, twigs? You should take into consideration all of the above trail conditions and apply the appropriate speed and techniques.
How are the conditions? Is it damp? Muddy? Dry powder? Just after a rain? Is there morning dew on the trail? Misty? Even if you are familiar with your local trail, it changes as the weather and season changes.
Is your equipment setup correctly for the trail that your riding? Is your front / back tire pressure optimized for the trail? How about the tire that you are running? Does it have enough grip to take that turn at 35mph?
These are the reasons why I believe it is much harder to become a 'good' mountain biker than a 'good' road biker. On that note, will it be hard for you to become a good mountain biker? It depends on what level you would like to get to. If you are a cross country racer, maybe your goal will be to finish in the top 10 in the beginning class. Maybe one of your goals is to ride a technical trail all the way down without dabbing? It may be just keeping up with your friends.
These are all factors you need to interpret while riding down the trail which makes it much more difficult than Road biking. I will go on to say that if you are new to mountain biking and do not receive any type of advice or assistance, you will learn by trial and error and may have quite a few bumps, bruises, scrapes and maybe a laceration here or there. Hopefully you will not break any bones...
Keep riding and you will get better each time as you will gain more and more experience on the trail. Learn to become agile on your bike and flow with the trail. If you have a full suspension bike, allow the front and rear shocks to do most of the work. Try to work on one technique each time you go out, like going around a switch back faster or timing that small drop for that perfect two wheel landing.
Ride safely and I'll see you on the trails...
International Mountain Biking Association
Check out the IMBA or International Mountain Biking Association when you have a chance at IMBA.com
They are a vast resource for the sport of Mountain biking and trail building in all areas of the world.
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) was founded in 1988 by a group of California mountain bike clubs concerned about the closure of trails to cyclists. These pioneering clubs believed that mountain biker-education programs and innovative trail management solutions should be developed and promoted. While this first wave of threatened trail access was concentrated in California, IMBA's pioneers saw that crowded trails and trail-user conflict were fast becoming worldwide recreation issues. This is why they chose "International Mountain Bicycling Association" as the organization's name.
IMBA's mission has always been to protect, create, and enhance quality trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide. In addition, we actively promote responsible mountain biking, support volunteer trailwork, assist land managers with trail management issues, and improve relations among trail user groups.
IMBA has members in all 50 United States and 40 other countries. IMBA members annually contribute more than one million hours to trailwork projects on public land. To date, these volunteers have created more than 5,000 (8,000 km) miles of new trails worldwide.
IMBA continues to bring out the best in mountain biking through education, trail construction, volunteer support, management advice, cash and grants for trail improvement, and worldwide leadership. IMBA gives mountain bikers a national and international voice that is heard and respected by federal land managers, environmental groups, the mainstream media, and other trail users. IMBA works closely with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Parks Canada and the U.K. Forestry Commission.
The IMBA also has their 'rules of the trails' which all mountain bikers should strive to follow when riding.
Plan Ahead
Know your equipment, your ability, and the area in which you are riding and prepare accordingly. Be self-sufficient at all times. Wear a helmet, keep your bike in good condition, and carry necessary supplies for changes in weather or other conditions. A well executed trip is a satisfaction to you and not a burden or offense to others.
Leave No Trace
Be sensitive to the earth beneath you. Even on open trails you should not ride under conditions where you will leave evidence of your passing, such as on certain soils shortly after a rain or thaw. Observe th e different types of soil and trail construction. Practice low impact cycling. Ride don't slide. Stay on the trail and don't create new trails. Don't cut around obstacles; carry over them. Don't ride through streams. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in.
Always Yield Trail
Make your approach known well in advance. A friendly greeting (or bell) is considerate and works well; don't startle others. Show your respect when passing others by slowing to a walk or even stopping. Anticipate that other trail users may be around the corner or in blind spots.
Never Spook Animals
All animals are startled by an unannounced approach, a sudden movement, or a loud noise. This con be dangerous for you, for others, and for the animals. Give animals extra room and time to adjust to you. In passing, use care and follow the directions of horseback riders (ask if uncertain). Running cattle and disturbing wild animals is a serious offense. Leave gates as you found them or as marked.
Control Your Bicycle
Inattention for even a second con cause problems. Obey all speed laws.
Ride Open Trails Only
Respect trail and road closures (ask if not sure), avoid all possible trespass on private land, obtain permits and authorization as may be required.
They are a vast resource for the sport of Mountain biking and trail building in all areas of the world.
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) was founded in 1988 by a group of California mountain bike clubs concerned about the closure of trails to cyclists. These pioneering clubs believed that mountain biker-education programs and innovative trail management solutions should be developed and promoted. While this first wave of threatened trail access was concentrated in California, IMBA's pioneers saw that crowded trails and trail-user conflict were fast becoming worldwide recreation issues. This is why they chose "International Mountain Bicycling Association" as the organization's name.
IMBA's mission has always been to protect, create, and enhance quality trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide. In addition, we actively promote responsible mountain biking, support volunteer trailwork, assist land managers with trail management issues, and improve relations among trail user groups.
IMBA has members in all 50 United States and 40 other countries. IMBA members annually contribute more than one million hours to trailwork projects on public land. To date, these volunteers have created more than 5,000 (8,000 km) miles of new trails worldwide.
IMBA continues to bring out the best in mountain biking through education, trail construction, volunteer support, management advice, cash and grants for trail improvement, and worldwide leadership. IMBA gives mountain bikers a national and international voice that is heard and respected by federal land managers, environmental groups, the mainstream media, and other trail users. IMBA works closely with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Parks Canada and the U.K. Forestry Commission.
The IMBA also has their 'rules of the trails' which all mountain bikers should strive to follow when riding.
Plan Ahead
Know your equipment, your ability, and the area in which you are riding and prepare accordingly. Be self-sufficient at all times. Wear a helmet, keep your bike in good condition, and carry necessary supplies for changes in weather or other conditions. A well executed trip is a satisfaction to you and not a burden or offense to others.
Leave No Trace
Be sensitive to the earth beneath you. Even on open trails you should not ride under conditions where you will leave evidence of your passing, such as on certain soils shortly after a rain or thaw. Observe th e different types of soil and trail construction. Practice low impact cycling. Ride don't slide. Stay on the trail and don't create new trails. Don't cut around obstacles; carry over them. Don't ride through streams. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in.
Always Yield Trail
Make your approach known well in advance. A friendly greeting (or bell) is considerate and works well; don't startle others. Show your respect when passing others by slowing to a walk or even stopping. Anticipate that other trail users may be around the corner or in blind spots.
Never Spook Animals
All animals are startled by an unannounced approach, a sudden movement, or a loud noise. This con be dangerous for you, for others, and for the animals. Give animals extra room and time to adjust to you. In passing, use care and follow the directions of horseback riders (ask if uncertain). Running cattle and disturbing wild animals is a serious offense. Leave gates as you found them or as marked.
Control Your Bicycle
Inattention for even a second con cause problems. Obey all speed laws.
Ride Open Trails Only
Respect trail and road closures (ask if not sure), avoid all possible trespass on private land, obtain permits and authorization as may be required.
Essential skills needed for mountain biking
Here are a few essential skills needed for general mountain biking. You probably have a few of them down, so just work one that you may need practice on.
Looking ahead: This is the single most important skill in mountain biking. Most new people to the sport only look a few feet ahead which can be disastrous in this sport. There are so many obstacles on a mountain biking trail that can and will throw your balance off and can send you down before you know it. Like diving, your looking way down the road, you do not look near the hood of your car. The faster you go, the farther down the trail you should look, your peripheral vision will assimilate the object near you and with experience, you will naturally pick the best line.
Staying loose: Depending upon the bike that you have, you will need to use part of your body to absorb some of the trails obstacles, dips, bumps and transitions. Have a firm grip on the bars and loosen up your body when on the descent, flow with the trail and allow your bikes suspension to do most of the work and you'll provide rest. In mountain biking, you want to have agility as you weight is constantly shifting front to back and left to right. Be loose and fluid.
Use the front brake: Most people that are new to mountain biking use the back brake more than the front. While this will work, it is not the most efficient way to brake a bike or car for that matter. If you look at most cars and motorcycles, you will notice that they have a larger rotor on the front then on the rear. A larger rotor has more efficient stopping power over a smaller rotor.
When you start applying brake pressure to your bike (or any vehicle) the bulk of the weight shifts towards the front of the bike. That is where you need most of your braking power, where most of the weight is. One thing a lot of new bikers are worried about when applying a lot of pressure to the front brakes is going over the handlebars. The way to make sure that you do not do this is to shift your weight to the back of the bike if you are braking hard. You will also want to brake when you are on a straight line and before a turn, not on the turn.
In general, you can initiate braking by applying the rear brake then squeezing the front until you get the desired braking power. Counter the weight shift by slightly leaning your weight to the rear of the bike. Practice!
Shifting: You will want to anticipate that uphill climb by shifting into a gear before the ascent that will enable you to pedal through. When you are climbing and need to shift, there is a lot of chain tension between the front and back which places a lot of stress on the derailleur makes it difficult to shift. You will also have increased chain wear by forcing a shift while pedaling uphill. Ideally, you will want your chain to be in a straight line from the chain ring up front to the rear cassette. Your chain will last longer as you will not have as much wear due to cross chain friction.
Elbows out: Most people that are new to mountain biking are riding them just like the road bike that they had in high school. If you want to ride aggressively on your local trail, you need to be in the attack position. This is where you are off of the seat and your weight is dividied 50/50 between the front and rear tires. The position allows you to move your weight to the front or back in a split second when needed. In this position, your elbows are pointing outwards, not back and near your body. If you have ever done a bench press, could you press a lot of weight with your elbows in?
Bunny hop: You can practice this in your front yard or near the trail-head. It is a must have skill for mountain biking as you can jump small objects on the trail without running over them. A fallen tree branch or a small section of rocks can be bunny hopped to get around the obstacle.
Clipping in: In general, most riders have trail bikes or cross country bikes with clip in pedals. You will want to practice clipping in without looking down. If you un-clip for a technical section, you should be able to clip in right away and continue on. Some pedals come with two sets of clips, one that is easy to clip out (15*) and another that is a bit harder (30* heel angle). You will want to use the 15* if your new to clipless.
Breathing: For those uphill climbs, most riders will just breath a little harder than usual due to the exercise. One thing that you can do on those climbs is to exhale as much as you can (carbon dioxide) from your lungs so you can bring in more oxygen. The more oxygen you can take in will allow more to your blood-stream and to your working muscles which will enable you to be more efficient.
Looking ahead: This is the single most important skill in mountain biking. Most new people to the sport only look a few feet ahead which can be disastrous in this sport. There are so many obstacles on a mountain biking trail that can and will throw your balance off and can send you down before you know it. Like diving, your looking way down the road, you do not look near the hood of your car. The faster you go, the farther down the trail you should look, your peripheral vision will assimilate the object near you and with experience, you will naturally pick the best line.
Staying loose: Depending upon the bike that you have, you will need to use part of your body to absorb some of the trails obstacles, dips, bumps and transitions. Have a firm grip on the bars and loosen up your body when on the descent, flow with the trail and allow your bikes suspension to do most of the work and you'll provide rest. In mountain biking, you want to have agility as you weight is constantly shifting front to back and left to right. Be loose and fluid.
Use the front brake: Most people that are new to mountain biking use the back brake more than the front. While this will work, it is not the most efficient way to brake a bike or car for that matter. If you look at most cars and motorcycles, you will notice that they have a larger rotor on the front then on the rear. A larger rotor has more efficient stopping power over a smaller rotor.
When you start applying brake pressure to your bike (or any vehicle) the bulk of the weight shifts towards the front of the bike. That is where you need most of your braking power, where most of the weight is. One thing a lot of new bikers are worried about when applying a lot of pressure to the front brakes is going over the handlebars. The way to make sure that you do not do this is to shift your weight to the back of the bike if you are braking hard. You will also want to brake when you are on a straight line and before a turn, not on the turn.
In general, you can initiate braking by applying the rear brake then squeezing the front until you get the desired braking power. Counter the weight shift by slightly leaning your weight to the rear of the bike. Practice!
Shifting: You will want to anticipate that uphill climb by shifting into a gear before the ascent that will enable you to pedal through. When you are climbing and need to shift, there is a lot of chain tension between the front and back which places a lot of stress on the derailleur makes it difficult to shift. You will also have increased chain wear by forcing a shift while pedaling uphill. Ideally, you will want your chain to be in a straight line from the chain ring up front to the rear cassette. Your chain will last longer as you will not have as much wear due to cross chain friction.
Elbows out: Most people that are new to mountain biking are riding them just like the road bike that they had in high school. If you want to ride aggressively on your local trail, you need to be in the attack position. This is where you are off of the seat and your weight is dividied 50/50 between the front and rear tires. The position allows you to move your weight to the front or back in a split second when needed. In this position, your elbows are pointing outwards, not back and near your body. If you have ever done a bench press, could you press a lot of weight with your elbows in?
Bunny hop: You can practice this in your front yard or near the trail-head. It is a must have skill for mountain biking as you can jump small objects on the trail without running over them. A fallen tree branch or a small section of rocks can be bunny hopped to get around the obstacle.
Clipping in: In general, most riders have trail bikes or cross country bikes with clip in pedals. You will want to practice clipping in without looking down. If you un-clip for a technical section, you should be able to clip in right away and continue on. Some pedals come with two sets of clips, one that is easy to clip out (15*) and another that is a bit harder (30* heel angle). You will want to use the 15* if your new to clipless.
Breathing: For those uphill climbs, most riders will just breath a little harder than usual due to the exercise. One thing that you can do on those climbs is to exhale as much as you can (carbon dioxide) from your lungs so you can bring in more oxygen. The more oxygen you can take in will allow more to your blood-stream and to your working muscles which will enable you to be more efficient.
NorCal MTB invites you to improve your bike skills
If you are new to Mountain biking, you have probably found out that it is much different than riding that road bike that you may have done when you were growing up or when you were in high school. Most people fall when learning this sport and want to improve their skills so they can enjoy their ride and the outdoors.
At NorCalMTB, we have a few videos on the essential and fundamental skills that you need in order to Mountain bike safely. Review the technique in the video and try to implement them on the trails. Soon you will master these essential skills and bike with confidence knowing that you can handle the terrain and control your bike.
NorCal MTB Goals for new riders
At NorCalMTB, we have a few videos on the essential and fundamental skills that you need in order to Mountain bike safely. Review the technique in the video and try to implement them on the trails. Soon you will master these essential skills and bike with confidence knowing that you can handle the terrain and control your bike.
NorCal MTB Goals for new riders
- Help new riders learn fundamental mountain biking skills needed for general trail riding.
- Minimize falling due to lack of experience and skill-set on a mountain bike.
- Obtain intermediate level riding skills and have the confidence on the trails so you can enjoy the outdoors, wildlife, scenery, fresh air and get a great workout at the same time.
Learn the fundamentals of Mountain Biking at NorCal MTB
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