How to Improve Your Mountain Biking
Mountain biking is an exhilarating sport that combines physical fitness, technical skill, and a love for the outdoors. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced rider, there are always ways to improve. This guide provides tips tailored toward all skill levels, helping you enhance your biking experience and performance.
Improving Stability, Balance, and Power
Physical fitness plays a significant role in mountain biking. Incorporate strength training for your core and upper body, improve your balance and stability, and maintain cardiovascular fitness to handle long rides and challenging trails.
The big problem with this is that mountain biking workouts can be hard to find and you might not even know where to start. The Spider Mountain team is here to help! @EpicMTBAdventures has created a 3-Day MTB Workout Plan to help improve all of these areas and give you the tools your body needs to thrive when it comes to leveling up your MTB skills.
Tackling Technical Terrain
Stay tuned! Video coming soon!
Walk the Walk
Familiarize yourself with the ground and any large features on it. Rocks? Roots? Dry? Muddy? Hero dirt? If you can dig into it on foot, then expect your tire to do the same. What’s the optimal way to ride in these conditions?
Line Choice
Recognize which lines are available. What are the differences between the A, B, and C lines? With the information from your walk and your current knowledge, you should be able to put together which line to use for cruising, training, and racing.
Confidence
The biggest key to tackling technical terrain is confidence. Having confidence will help you to execute what you already have learned. We all differ when it comes to confidence, and there are generally two types of people in situations that push us past our normal boundaries:
- The Over-thinker:
- This person comes in and slams on the brakes, pondering all the options over and over. If this is you, it’s probably not the time to be doing this section. You want to know exactly what is best and have the confidence to do that.
- The best help to get through this is friends (preferably those who are better than you). Watching them go through the section can help you visualize where to go, how it is done, and the speed needed. You can also follow them through and use their line if you are familiar with doing this.
- The Sender:
- This person goes for it right away but realizes they got lucky after the execution, which is common among beginners.
- What to do: Find sections that push you slightly but not too much. This helps you gain the technical skills needed to keep progressing; otherwise, it will eventually bite back.
How To Ride Them
- Body Position:
- You want your body in the attack position.
- Heels dropped
- Weight back
- Arms and legs in a bent position, absorbing all the bumps
- Head up, looking toward where you are going
- You want your body in the attack position.
- Brakes:
- Don’t be too grabby, use 1 finger, especially with the front brake. Steeper trails will result in a loss of control if you grab too much of the front brake. Brake before the chatter with both brakes to come in at a good speed. Use both brakes slightly, smoothly, and evenly during terrain to control speed before you hit a steeper drop. When hitting a drop, release the brakes.
- Weight:
- Come into the terrain with weight loaded and centered over the bottom bracket of bicycle. As you come through the drop of the section, lift the weight off the bike. Release tension slightly from the suspension to prevent getting sucked into holes. The bike will dance across the bumps when you do this. Use your arms and legs along with bike suspension to absorb the landing of any drop. Always look up at the next obstacle.
- Speed:
- Carrying some speed through the section will help avoid getting stuck in holes and assists maintaining consistent speed while pumping weight into the bike.
The MTB Essentials
To elevate your biking skills to the next level, it all begins with the right gear. Having the proper equipment can significantly impact your bike’s setup, ensuring a safe and smooth ride while preparing you for any unexpected challenges. At Spider Mountain and Austin Bike Farm, we’re committed to equipping you with the mountain biking essentials to help you tackle every trail with confidence.
Essential Gear
Helmet: Specifically with mips! Mips is extra protection and helps to spread out the impact of a fall. This here is by far our first priority when it comes to biking because safety comes first.
Tire Kit: A typical tire kit includes several essential items. First, a multi-tool to help you remove various bolts on your bike. Second, a CO2 cartridge for quickly inflating your tire while on the trail. Lastly, a tire patch to seal up any punctures or holes in your tires.
Water Bottle and Holder: Mountain biking is a physical sport, and staying hydrated is crucial, especially in places like Texas. Be sure to equip your bike with a water bottle and a secure holder to keep hydration within easy reach.
Pedals: Platform pedals are often the best choice for beginners. While some riders may prefer different styles, platform pedals make it easier to dismount the bike. Look for pedals with metal spikes for better grip and control while riding.
Grease: A simple yet effective way to keep your bike performing at its best is by applying grease. Any part of the bike where metal parts move against each other requires proper lubrication to ensure smooth operation and longevity.
Shock Pump: A shock pump is used to inflate your bike’s suspension, which plays a crucial role in mountain biking and can greatly affect your ride quality. We recommend beginning with the suspension settings recommended by the manufacturer, then adjusting to find what best suits your riding style.
Bike Finder: Mountain bikes are a significant investment, and we want to ease the worry of losing yours. The bike finder featured in our video not only tracks your bike’s location but also includes an alarm that activates if someone tampers with it while locked. We highly recommend giving it a look.
Tire Pump: A bike pump is essential for inflating and adjusting the air pressure in your tires. It also measures PSI, allowing you to set the perfect tire pressure for your preferred riding style.
Spider 12-Month Pass: Last on the list is a season pass to Spider Mountain. This pass offers a full year of riding at Texas’ only lift-served bike park, helping you save money while enjoying unlimited access. Join our community by following the link below and start using your pass today!
Longer Ride Gear
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