MOUNTAIN BIKE SKILLS

Climbing
When climbing up a hill, you have to have a positive attitude. You have to think that you are going to make it up that hill and conquer the beast. Besides having a good attitude, you have to have the correct position. This position is when you have your nose close to your stem. You are slid up towards the front of your saddle, in an easy gear, and you are gripping bar ends (if you have them). You should also by now have taken a sip of water. This will help you on the climb. Although there has been much debate as to whether to stand or sit on a climb, sitting, according to the lab rats, is the most efficient. This is because your bike is supporting your weight. However, by standing you will get more power. When riding on a trail that has many hills, alternate, standing and sitting.

Descending
Although riding uphill can be a severe battle with gravity, another battle is coming back down. Riding down a hill can be dangerous if not done correctly. The first thing you must do is to stand up and get your butt off the saddle. Try to squeeze the nose of the saddle (seat) between your thighs. This will give you better steering ability to corner). Don't grip your handlebar with enough force to make sawdust out of a baseball bat. Grip your handlebar lightly, but tight enough to maintain control. While on a super steep decent use three fingers on each brake, and slide you weight way back over your rear wheel to counteract the effects of gravity.

Braking
It is common for a beginner to not understand the proper way to brake while on a mountain bike. To establish one rule, DON'T SKID! It isn't good for the environment, can wear out tires, and you don't have as much as control as when you brake properly. It is crucial that you take advantage of your front brake. It is a very weird feeling, but you will have more control, and will stop faster. Many pros have different combinations for the number of fingers on each brake. Some use two on the rear, and two on the front, but as conditions get muddy, or steep, you should experiment with the combinations.

Turning
When you first learned how to ride a bike, you had to try to keep balance. That is exactly what you have to do on a mountain bike. You have to learn how much you can lean without tipping over. Try this on some soft grass. You should eventually be able to hit a turn from the outside, then swing to the inside, and exit the turn on the outside. Try to teach your body to lean rather than turn the handle bar. You will be able to carry more speed through a turn.

Clearing Small Obstacles
You may have trouble when you get to a section and it is tight quarters. For example, two trees that are close together. The fear is that you will smash your fingers. The trick to this is to slow down to almost stopping. Rotate one side of the handle bar around the tree, then quickly swing the other out. This requires a good sense of balance. Also, bar ends will help as a guide to push the tree out, almost like a plow.

The "Bunny Hop"
Every person who gets a bike has probably wanted to know how to bunny hop. This is easy if you practice. One book says to first do a wheelie. This is just picking up your front tire. Next, shift your weight forward while the front wheel is in the air. Imagine that you are rotating the bike on an axis, the handle bars. Picture yourself that you are rotating around the bars. Clipless pedals, or toe clips help out a lot with this.

Clipless Pedals

While still many people use traditional toe clips, clipless pedals have their advantages. First off, they enable you to produce more power. There is less energy wasted. You can only use bike specific shoes made for the cleats that attach to the pedal. You should purchase a very stiff soled shoe, but it should not be uncomfortable to wear. Test out shoes and pedals in the shop, because they are your contact point for power on the bike.

These pedals require a lot of practice. They usually have a tensioning system, so you can make the release harder or easier. To get out, twist your foot away from your bike. Remember, you should practice before you ride.