I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I was a fortunate beginning mountain biker. I had a great teacher: he was patient and willing to explain everything to me. Everything.
But maybe you don’t have someone right beside you to tell you some of these things… so I’ll be there for you. Here are 10 not-so-obvious tips that you, as a beginning biker, need to know:
1. Don’t wear underwear under your spandex mountain bike shorts.
I thought I was the only person who had ever done this. It turns out that several other people that I know tried the same thing. Nope. No undies. Just the shorts. Trust me: you’ll be much more comfortable this way. Same thing goes if you’re wearing baggy shorts with a liner.
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2. There’s this stuff called Chamois butter… and it’s awesome.
Get some. You can find it at any bike shop and probably even at your local pharmacy (although Vaseline will work too). Use this before long rides, or even short rides if you’re just starting out. Just use it around your nether-regions to prevent chafing. You will be very glad that you discovered this stuff.
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3. Don’t try to get on the seat before you pedal, or try to rest with your butt on the seat.
This (above) is uncomfortable and looks like you don’t know what you’re doing. Plus, you’ll discover it’s very difficult to start pedaling like this, or stop and rest like this for long.
I have pictures of me from my first ride standing like this. Soon though, the BF explained to me a better way to stand and get started pedaling.
This is much more comfortable. To get to this position when you’re coming to a stop: have your pedals at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions. Slow down and put the foot at 6 on the ground. Step forward and down with the 12 foot once your other foot is secure. This way, you’ll step down in front of your seat.
When you get ready to start again, adjust your pedals so that one is at about 10 o’clock. Put your foot on the pedal and leave the other on the ground. Gently push off with the ground foot at the same time you push forward with the pedal foot and up onto your seat . You’ll get a little momentum and balance yourself this way. Then you can easily get your other foot on the pedal and start moving.
4. Keep your fingers on your handlebars–not your brake levers.
If you keep your fingers out like this (and I know it’s easy to do because we all get nervous and want to be able to slow down immediately), you’ll go over a tiny tiny drop and flinch. When you do, you’ll end up grabbing your front brake and fly right over your handlebars.
You don’t want that.
Keep your hands lightly on your handlebars. I can get my finger out and over my brake lever in a split second. I still feel secure, and I know I’m not going to endo from accidentally grabbing my front brake.
5. Nobody else is thinking about the fact that you’re: going slow, walking, or examining a drop.
I know it seems like everyone is. All those strangers riding that drop as you carefully walk around it? They don’t care that you’re walking it. Probably they all walked things at some point in their bike lives. We all have. I still do. There’s no shame in it.
One day you’ll get tired of walking it and you’ll have enough confidence to ride it. No one expects that to be right away.
On the same note, this is your ride. Go at your own pace.
I can remember going out on a mountain bike ride very early in my bike life with some guy friends from work. I wasn’t fast, I didn’t ride lots of technical features, and I was sure I’d slow them all down. In the end, it didn’t matter. I was riding for me. I rode at my own pace and caught up to them at certain rest stops. We all had a great time, and I learned that I didn’t have to try to keep up. I could ride and rest when I wanted. You can too.
6. Watch other people.
The easiest way to learn how to ride up or down a feature is to watch other people do it. You can follow a friend who is a better rider down a drop, follow them up a drop, or just watch them a few times. You can ask them to show you their line, or to ride it again so you can follow (at a safe distance). Many times this has been the way I learned to ride features, including this most recent one:
I got my friend to show me exactly where she went down the drop. Once she did and I was sure of the path I wanted to take, I rode it. For years, though, I applied tip #5 and walked it, without shame!
7. If you ever decide to get clipless pedals, know that the clips can be adjusted so that it’s easier or harder to get your feet out of the pedals.
If you think it’s too hard to get your feet out of clipless mountain bike pedals, have someone adjust them for you. If you think your feet are popping out too easily (like every time you go over a drop) tighten the clips a little to hold your feet in more securely.
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8.Sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement.
In the past 4 days of mountain biking, I’ve experienced rocks, wind, and the need to duck around tree limbs. Sunglasses double as eye protection when you’re out on the trails. In fact, mountain biking is what forced me to finally get prescription sunglasses. I had to have something to wear when I rode! They don’t just protect you from the sun, but also from scratched corneas.
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9. Shift before the hill.
Look ahead and see the hill coming. Shift into an appropriate gear for the hill and start pedaling up. If you can still pedal comfortably, it’s ok to shift; if you are struggling to keep the pedals turning, don’t try to shift into an easier gear. If you do, you might break your chain.
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10. Gravity is your friend.
Going fast can be scary. I know. I’ve been there; I still don’t like to go fast, but I’ve gotten much better at it over the years. Sometimes, though, a little speed is necessary. If you’re out at 18 Road on Kessel Run, you’ll want some speed to get up to the top of some of those berms with enough momentum left over to get you down the other side. If you’re rolling down a drop, sometimes going too slow can cause you to get stuck on a rock you might otherwise just roll right over. Keep up a little speed. No one is saying you have to break a Strava record, but you shouldn’t be outpaced by a turtle, either.
Mountain biking is a great sport. It gets you outdoors, forces you to focus your mind on something other than work or politics, and gets you in great shape. These are just a few tips to help your biking experience be even more awesome.
Your turn: What’s the one bike rule/tip you wish you’d known sooner?
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45 Comments
May 29, 2014
May 29, 2014
#8 Essential for night riding (clear lenses of course). Lights attract bugs which always go for your eyes. More important, it's protection from branch whacks which you're less likely to see at night.
Nov 28, 2017
May 29, 2014
Great article! Thanks for posting it.
May 29, 2014
And one huge safety tip: NEVER ever adjust your shock (or anything else) while going downhill. Always keep both hands on the handlebars (plus brakes when necessary!) when going downhill at all times. Point in case: http://salidacitizen.com/2013/09/fundraiser-to-help-with-medical-expense-of-ramsey-lama/ .. BTW this guy is (nearly?) back on his bike last I heard, but he is very, very lucky. :-)
May 29, 2014
How about "When you fall, and you will, roll with it and don't try to stop with your hands." Hands break and wrists sprain, but elbows and shoulders are much more durable.
May 29, 2014
Jun 12, 2014
May 28, 2014
-try to learn to keep your feet parallel on the pedals when not pedaling...especially when coasting downhill. if you get in the habit of putting one foot down, then you will eventually strike a rock or root and fall down. yikes.
-learn to lean back and squat down when you are going downhill or over technical features. keeping your center of balance low and back will make you more stable, and you can ride faster with confidence.
-i personally recommend riding with your index fingers ON the brakes. learn to feather them (barely press them). don't just use your back brake...you will slide and skid more and lose control. the front brake has a lot more power and will slow you faster, and you will only go over the bars if you are going down something steep and grab the front brake hard (but not if you are leaning back^). if you are scared of this anyway, then do what I just said not to: use just the back brake until you learn to feather it well, then do both
-do what she said: keep your hands light on the bars, and keep your feet heavy on the pedals. if you hold onto the bars tightly, you will get fatigued early and crash
-steer with your belly button. pretend your belly button is a flashlight illuminating the trail. if you point your belly button where you want to go, your hips and shoulders will follow. trust me.
-more importantly...look where you want to go, not where you don't. if you stare down a rock or cactus you want to avoid, chances are you will run right into it.
-if you think you are going to crash, you probably will. like she said, there is no shame in walking, but if you know for sure you are about to go down, disconnect from the bike--jump away from it--and try to crash without the bike getting in your way. don't hang on and try to ride it out. your bike will be fine, and most of the time, you can walk out a crash or tuck and roll a little bit with some light scrapes. if you crash with the bike, it usually hurts a lot worse. i wish i knew THAT when I was first learning--because it still haunts me...as I sit here and type with a broken finger :)
May 28, 2014
I just try to avoid crashing all together LOL. Doesn't always work out, but, what can you do.
Also, keep the cranks level - another thing I have to remind my wife of. Watching her go around a corner with that inside pedal less than inch off the ground is scary! She's slowly breaking that habit though, thankfully.
May 28, 2014
May 28, 2014
May 28, 2014
May 30, 2014
I think the 12 and 6 description is backwards though. I would say, just before stopping, smothly transfer weight from seat to bottom pedal, then step top foot down as you stop.
May 28, 2014
Those of us that grew up always riding, little things like that come natural, we've never even thought about it. For people who get into it later in life, it's not as easy.
May 30, 2014
May 28, 2014
Aug 18, 2014
It wasnt untill I went over the bars and busted my lip and nose requiring surgery and a three week recover that I put my pride behind and walked. If I dont feel confortable , I dont do it. I short walk is much healthier than busted body parts and no riding at all.
May 29, 2014
Aug 18, 2014
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Aug 20, 2014
Jan 2, 2020
May 30, 2014
And, to the earlier discussion about pedals. I love my crank bros and they are easy in and out for beginners. I have never had any problem at all with them. I have had them on two bikes so far.
May 29, 2014
May 28, 2014
There is a bit of etiquette when walking but it's pretty simple: try to get out of the way in case someone comes up behind you. And if someone is coming toward you, remember the rider going up has the right of way.
Dec 7, 2014
May 28, 2014
But then of course, a corollary to this would be to upgrade to tubeless so you don't have to worry about pinch flatting! For more upgrade tips, check out this article: http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/10-upgrades-for-less-than-100-that-will-radically-improve-your-mountain-bikes-performance/
May 28, 2014
May 28, 2014
May 29, 2014
Jun 14, 2014
Dec 28, 2020
If any beginners are looking for a broader introduction to the sport, check out Beginner Mountain Biker: Your Intro Guide.
There's plenty to learn, and this comment thread has awesome advice!
May 29, 2014
May 28, 2014
Not all clipless pedals have tension adjustment. (Crank Bros, for example)
May 29, 2014
May 28, 2014
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