If you’re new to men’s mountain biking, then uphill tails, as well as descending, may feel like a nerve-wracking experience for you. We asked some professionals to share their bike handling secrets, so you can have more fun!
- Part 1: Look Where You Are Going
- Part 2: Stand Up When the Going Gets Rough
- Part 3: Find Your Gravity Center
- Part 4:Keep Your Body Relaxed and Stay Loose
- Part 5: Buy Mountain Bike That Fits you
- Part 6: Brake Before Arriving at the Corners
- Part 7: Try Dropping Your Tire Pressure
- Part 8: Tune Your Suspension System
- Part 9: Lower Your Saddle for Downhill Trails
- Part 10: Don’t Think About Crashing All The Time
Part 1: Look Where You Are Going
It happens a lot that when you are biking, a tree or a rock catches your eye. You stare at it, thinking that you don’t want to hit it. As a result of these thoughts, you ride straight into it unintentionally.
One of the best tips ever is to look where you want to go and focus on the exact path you want your mountain bike to follow. Although it’s tempting to stare down at your front wheel, you still want to look a few bike lengths ahead to expect what’s coming. You should keep looking past what’s right in front of you and projecting yourself down the path before you get there.
Part 2: Stand Up When the Going Gets Rough
You may want to chill on the saddle when you have a good suspension on your bike and let the fork and shock do the work. But when the going gets rough, you should stand. Remember that in men’s mountain biking, your legs are better suspension than just the mountain bike alone.
So, bend your knees and elbows a little. That way, you’ll be ready to react to whatever the trail brings in for you.
Mountain biking tops mens call it the “Ready Position”. This position is somehow like when you’re on defense in basketball and you’re ready for anything.
Part 3: Find Your Gravity Center
This may be a tricky one and it can take a little time to find out how best to distribute your weight on the MBT. In most cases, the sharper the descent, the farther back you want to be. On the sharpest parts, you may be behind the saddle, standing over the back wheel.
However, everyone’s different and your posture may not be textbook. Try moving around on your mountain bike until you find the positions that fit you the best.
It will become second nature over time to shift your balance as the MBT follows the terrain. You should feel the flow of the trail and the bike if you want the mountain bike to become a natural extension of you.
Part 4: Keep Your Body Relaxed and Stay Loose
Mountain biking tops mens have a skill for staying on their bikes no matter what comes their way. It may seem like a superhero thing, but one way they do it is by keeping their bodies relaxed and staying loose. The bike is going to move under you, and you should get used to that.
It’s pretty normal for your wheels to slide in dusty situations or over loose gravel and to jump around when it hits rocks and roots in the trail.
As long as you stay relaxed and cool, it doesn’t have to be a problem and it’s like skiing in powder. Although men’s mountain biking can be a little challenging, if you feel like you’re fighting your MBT, just relax and let it flow.
Part 5: Buy Mountain Bike That Fits you
Best riders believe choosing good mountain bikes that fit you is one of the most significant things you can do to improve your handling and speed. If you’re struggling to ride a cheap mens mountain bike that’s too big or too small, it’s never going to feel right.
A mountain bike that is too big will feel cumbersome through the corners. Also, if your MBT is too small, it may feel hard to control, especially at higher speeds. There are many good websites providing information on men’s mountain biking, and buying guides on good mountain bikes. You can even use this information to find a great cheap mens mountain bike online.
However, if you are not into online shopping, a good bike shop can easily help you sort out your fit and make the necessary adjustments — such as saddle and handlebar position — so that the bike works for you.
Part 6: Brake Before Arriving at the Corners
Your MBT wheels aren’t especially good at multitasking.
Your bike’s tires can turn or they can brake. Attempting to do both at the same time while at speed usually doesn’t end well.
“Your wheels just have so much traction, so you have to brake while the MBT is going straight and then go through the corner either coasting or accelerating.
In most cases, it’s better to brake too much before arriving at the corner than too little. If you go in too fast at the corners, you’re just going to crash anyway.
Part 7: Try Dropping Your Tire Pressure
Tire pressure has an amazing and important effect on how your mountain bike rides. When your tire pressure is too high in mountain biking, it feels like the bike is bouncing off obstacles or sliding out from under you.
Having a lower tire pressure gives you more traction, and because traction is the magic component for both cornering and braking; this tiny change could make your next ride faster and the descents easier. Try to drop your tire pressure by 5-10psi before you start your next journey.
Part 8: Tune Your Suspension System
Having your suspension system dialed in can make the difference between floating over obstacles and bouncing off them. Setting up your suspension system usually means determining the ideal air pressure according to your weight and setting the rebound speed.
A good mountain bike shop can teach you the primary things in short order or failing that. There are many resources online. These days, no producer makes a bad MBT, if you have it set up correctly.
Part 9: Lower Your Saddle for Downhill Trails
Even if you have a suitable bike, you have to lower your saddle for the descents. A lower saddle brings down your gravity center, which usually makes your mountain bike feel more stable. In addition, it allows you to shift your weight farther back over the rear tire on sharper parts. Professional riders suggest that you lower your saddle for descents to make the bike more comfortable.
Part 10: Don’t Think About Crashing All The Time
Although men’s mountain biking is a little bit challenging, you shouldn’t spend your whole ride worried about crashing. This way you’re not going to have much fun.
On the other hand, it’s an unavoidable part of riding mountain bikes. You may try wearing pads to protect your knees and elbows and it’s completely okay to put on pads.
The top down hill racers wear special attire and full armor to protect against injury and there’s nothing that says you can not follow their example.
