May 29, 2015

In this video, Johan­na Wein­trager, our lead instruc­tor from British Colum­bia, takes us through moun­tain bike tips and trail skills required to have a fun, safe and enjoy­able ride. Johan­na demon­strates the impor­tance of planes of bal­ance, body posi­tion and line of sight when moun­tain bik­ing. Use Johanna’s tips and tricks out on the trail and stay tuned for more episodes.

EPISODE 1 — MOUNTAIN BIKE TIPS: THE BASICS

1. Hand Position

While rid­ing, ensure you have the prop­er hand posi­tion. Wrap your hands around the edge of you han­dle­bars and have your point­er fin­ger in posi­tion to reach the brakes.

2. Line of Sight

Know what’s com­ing next on the trail! Make sure you scan 5–10ft ahead to get ready for turns, logs, or rocky ter­rain. Be pre­pared for what’s com­ing next, so you can adjust your body position.

3. Neutral Position

In the stand­ing neu­tral posi­tion, have your ped­als lev­el, eyes look­ing ahead, point­er fin­gers hov­er­ing over the brakes, apply equal pres­sure on both wheels and have a slight bend in your arms and legs.

4. Ready Position

In the ready posi­tion, low­er your body posi­tion (still keep­ing your but just off the seat), widen your knees and arms allow­ing you to move your bike freely in all positions.