Mountain Biking For Beginners

bike races

Mountain biking is an exciting sport that can be enjoyed by anyone who knows how to ride a bike. It does have some danger associated with it compared to the average bike ride. Therefore, you should master these basic skills before you hit the trails or the dirt. Practice your beginning skills at a school yard, bike path, local park, or around the neighborhood. If you can, try to find a location with a steep hill.

Get a feel for your pedals

Practice moving your foot away from the pedal, first while sitting on your bike with one foot on the ground. Next up, release and replace your foot placement when pedaling around for a while. Those with toe clip and clipless type foot pedals will want to spend a bit more time practicing. Just remember that this is not a bike race competition.

Sit and spin for position

Simply sit on your bike and pedal around. You should keep your arms slightly bent. You should also adjust your seat height so your leg is 70 to 90 percent extended at the bottom of every stroke on the pedal. Keep your body relaxed, as there will never be a position where you should have either your knees or your elbows locked.

Shifting gears

Get a feel for shifting gears with your cycling bikes. The higher gears are harder to pedal and will go faster while the lower gears are easier to pedal and will help you ascend hills. When approaching a more steeper hill, it is best to shift gears before reaching the hill rather than while you are on it.

Coasting

You should spend a bit of time coasting while standing on your pedals, without actually sitting on the seat. Keep your arms bent but don't lock your knees. Now attempt to shift your body towards the rear of the bike.

Pedal while standing

You should get as comfortable as you can with pedaling while standing on your bike. Try lifting yourself off the seat while standing on the pedals, then crank them around. Try this on lower gears while on a hill, and higher gears on flat ground.

Dropping down a curb

Try finding a curb where you can easily get to the upper portion of it. Practice at a moderate speed, standing and coasting right off the curb from the upper level to the lower level. Try this at different speeds until it becomes second nature.

Once you practice these techniques and get the hang of them, you'll be able to hit the trails feeling comfortable on your mountain bike. This will all become second nature once you are used to it.