Considering that
mountain bikers are faced with rabid Grizzlies,
ten-foot rattlers, Earth First! boobytraps
and 2000 feet of trailside cliff, it's almost comical that sand is what
frightens us most.
All rules governing bike handling, tire traction and riding technique seem to disappear at the
sight of a stretch of deep sand. What to do? Read on, because we are going to show you how to fly
across sand at full clip and in complete control. These are the ten rules of riding sand.
STEP ONE:
COP AN ATTITUDE
In sand it feels like the bike takes on a mind of its own and steers wherever it wants.
This is normal! Good sand riders flow with this feeling and head into a loose trap confident, on the gas and
with an "I'm going to make it" attitude. Remember that the better you can ride sand, the better you
will be able to
control the bike in all other types of technical conditions.
STEP TWO: STAY ON THE PEDALS
The secret of riding sand is to stay on the top of the granules and
float your way across the surface. Spin a light gear and maintain the same clip as on hard ground.
Continue this tempo across the entire stretch of sand. If you torque a big gear, the rear knobby will
dig down and spin out. If you stop pedaling, the bike will sink and stop.
STEP THREE: STAY CENTERED
Stay seated unless you hit the section of granular powder at speed.
If you enter at a rapid rate, stand up and get your weight over the back as you enter. When the bike
begins to slow, center your body and gently sit and start pedaling a light gear. Keep your body firmly
planted in the saddle and maneuver the bike by making shifts in body weight at the hips. Standing up
while pedaling through sand torques the rear knobby, heightens the pendulous effect of the floppy-
feeling handling and will bury the tires.
STEP FOUR: RELAX
Confident riders are relaxed
riders. Don't fight the bar as the front tire hunts for the path of least resistance. Ease your grip on
the bar and keep your arms limber. Let the front tire find its own way while generally keeping the bar
straight with a light grip. Control the direction of the bike by using your hips to pivot on a seated
posterior.
STEP FIVE: LEAN, DON'T TURN
How do you turn in sand? Very gently. Cocking
the front wheel by turning the bar will bury the front tire and halt progress. Instead, keep a loose
grip on the bar, hinge at the hips and lean the bike slightly without turning the bar. Maintain a quick,
80-plus cadence and use appropriate body shifts with the upper torso to stay in control.
STEP
SIX: KEEP IT AFLOAT
What do you do if the front tire crabs and starts to bury? Keep pedaling
lightly and forcefully, then shift rearward while pulling up and straightening the wheel. As soon as
you regain composure, quickly settle back into a seated, center-of-the-bike position.
STEP
SEVEN: STAY OFF THE BRAKES
Sand already offers so much resistance that using the brakes is
counterproductive. Suddenly disrupting the spinning wheels will instantly throw off any semblance
of control that you have. If you are heading into a sandwash with too much speed, size it up and
scrub the speed before entering.
STEP EIGHT: LOOK AHEAD
Stay on the lookout for
harder sections of ground and smoother sections of sand. Aim towards wide, packed down paths but
avoid deep, V-cut grooves. Deep grooves in sand offer even more resistance against the tire.
Without taking the long way through, stick to the firmest and smoothest spots that you can find.
STEP NINE: TIRE SETUP
If local conditions are sandy, give yourself a break and
use a tire that is better suited to the soft. Gradual rear tread radiuses and square profile front
tread work best. Pick tire widths of at least 1.9 inches in the rear and two inches up front.
Wider, light-duty downhill tires will float better in sand, but consider that this tread doesn't
pedal very easily across packed terrain.
STEP TEN: LIGHT ON OIL
Sand is gritty
and can quickly wear out bearings, pivots, brake pads and the chain. When a day of sand riding
is over, do your bike a favor and wash it. Refrain from overlubing the chain or any other
components when preparing the bike for sand. Oil is a magnet for sand and with sloppy
application, the excess will soon pack with granules.
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