Three Mountain Biking Skills You’ll Want to Have

Look at that view.

If you’ve considered mountain biking as a great way to get outdoors on the weekends while staying in shape, you’ve made a good decision. But after you’ve made that decision, it’s time to develop a new hobby, and that means developing certain strategies and skills that will be vital to your success as a mountain biker. Let’s take a look at the three skills and strategies you’ll want to use when you’re out there on – or off – the road.

Skill #1: Basic safety rules.

Before you even think about anything else, you’ll want to make sure that you’re properly padded and protected. Make putting on a helmet the most essential part of your routine: if you put it on every time you get on the bike, you’ll feel naked without it. That’s what you want. Other pads to protect your knees and elbows will be necessary if you are going to be tackling some difficult terrain. When it comes to your vital skills, making sure that you’re safe when mountain biking comes at the top of the list.

Skill #2: Maintaining control.

Maintaining control over your bike isn’t only a matter of keeping your hands on the steering; it’s also about keeping your wits about you. The most important things to do in a crisis situation are relax and focus. Keeping calm but also focused on your goal will help you to maintain control of the situation without letting it control you. When biking, control can escape in a matter of an instant; when crisis hits, you need to be ready for it right away. Make sure you try to maintain control as much as possible so that it is a habit that sticks with you.

Skill #3: Judging terrain.

Mountain biking will mean you’ll face difficult and unpredictable terrain. You can’t be sure about how your bike will respond until you actually hit it, which is why it’s so important that you continually judge the terrain around you in order to be prepared for what’s coming. While you want to make sure you’re focused on what you’re doing, you’ll also want to make sure you know where you’re heading as much as is safely possible so that you can prepare yourself for changes in incline and soil quality.

Once you master these skills, you’ll be able to execute some of the fundamentals of mountain biking. Remember that good habits come when they are continually reinforced through experience and awareness.

Photo Credits: publicenergy

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Originally posted 2009-08-04 05:38:57.

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