5 primary mountain bike skills every beginner should learn

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5 Primary mountain bike skills every beginner should learn

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Post on 21-Jul-2016

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Those riders who like to ride on hills, and mountain will tell you that a bike’s gears are a very important feature

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5 Primary mountain bike skills every beginner

should learn

Braking Safely

Try applying brakes evenly on the front and rear levers when you want to slow down a little.

Apply more front brake than back brake when trying to slow down drastically - remain in a straight line when doing so!

Apply more rear brake than front brake when trying to get your bike to turn sharper at a slower speed -especially on a 29er...

Riding down slopes

Slow down, and roll over the top of the slope

Apply more rear brake than front brake, but avoid skidding or sliding down the hill

Lean back!! This prevents you from going over the handlebars

As you reach the bottom of the slope, bend your elbows and knees as you enter flat ground

That Frame Doesn't Fit!

The vast majority of frames should have stemsbetween 80mm and 110mm We don't even sell130mm or 140mm stems. If you need a stem thatlong your top tube is too short. By using a super-long stem you are also putting too much weightforward and compromising the bikes handling.Very short stems may be useful on city bikes, buteven those are a compromise.

15 to 30mm of seat post setback is all anyoneshould ever require, even with a Brooks saddle.Needing more means that either the top tube istoo short or, more likely, the seat tube angle is toosteep. There are those folks who convincethemselves that having their seat way behind theBB allows them to apply more power. But that sortof turns your bike into a semi-recumbent. You endup loosing the ability to spin.

An extra-long seat post on a conventional level-top-tube frame indicates a seat tube that's tooshort. I'm still in the "fist-full of post" school of fit.

Perfect your mountain bike cornering technique

As you approach the corner, brake to the required speed. Even go slower than normal to get the technique right.

Release the brakes completely, and put your outside foot down to the 6 o'clock position.

Pvertical ush firmly down on the outside pedal, and keep your body as you lean the bike into the corner.

Twist your body, as if screwing yourself downward into the bike - make your belly button face the exit of the corner.

Bend your knees, really screwing yourself down into the bike hard.

As you exit the corner, reverse downward screw and slightly lean back and push the bike away from you, levelling both pedals.

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