Balancing Act- Ten Tips for Never Tipping

Written by Murray Priestley


To maintain one’s balance is most vital skill in mountain biking. A scrupulous sense of balance is imperative to head anywhere in Trails. There are various different types of terrains in trails; you have to be able to uphold your balance in all terrains. Each of your moves in a trail depends on your ability to preserve your balance. Luckily, you can practice balancing anywhere and anytime. All you need is certain exercises that are specifically aimed at improving your balance.

Here are a few such exercises…

* Start at a very slight slope, point your bike downwards and move as slowly as possible.

* Make a figure ‘8’, progressing in a constantly tauter and slower formation.

* Paint an enormously long line on a flat surface and slowly roll over it.

A regular practice ofrepparttar above mentioned exercises would give would perk up your balance to a great deal bestowing you a confidence, which would be a great help when learning to maintain balance in trails.

Here are a few tips to help you with balancing while mountain biking…

1. The Platform: Maintaining your feet level, i.e., at 3 and 9 o'clock position is your platform position. You are well balanced in platform position and it isrepparttar 144282 best position while biking unless you have to traverse a tight corner. So try to be inrepparttar 144283 position as long as plausible.

2. Once you’re in a platform position,repparttar 144284 position ofrepparttar 144285 rest of your body parts relevant to balancing should be: hands grippingrepparttar 144286 handlebars (but not very tightly), your back should be bent at an angle of 45 degrees, your elbows bent at an angle of 90 degrees, while your knees at 30-50 degrees. Your head should be straight, eyes looking ahead and your chin parallel to top tube.

Tips on a Comfortable, Efficient Position on the Bike

Written by Murray Priestley


Good positioning onrepparttar bike is very important for efficient mountain biking. The height ofrepparttar 144281 seat should allow you to have your foot atrepparttar 144282 lowest point inrepparttar 144283 pedal stroke. Still, it should leave some roam for a slight bend in your knee. Your hips will rock when you pedal if you extend your legs fully. However, ifrepparttar 144284 bend in knee is too much,repparttar 144285 full pedal power will not get torepparttar 144286 pedals. You runrepparttar 144287 risk of leg cramps and discomfort with incorrect positioning onrepparttar 144288 bike.

When you have your foot and pedal inrepparttar 144289 "3 o’clock" position, your knee should be directly overrepparttar 144290 pedal. For that, you will need to adjust your seat position by moving it forward or backward.

The width ofrepparttar 144291 handlebars in your bike should be approximately equal to your shoulder width. Its position should be atrepparttar 144292 same level asrepparttar 144293 seat.

A slight bend in your elbows will help you absorb shock while riding. A change in stem length may also be helpful. You will have a wide variety of stem sizes in your local cycle shop.

Keepingrepparttar 144294 hands straight and changing hand positions occasionally help avoid hand numbness over long rides. The grip should be firm, but relaxed. For additional positioning options, you can have a set of bar-ends.

You should position yourself onrepparttar 144295 seat on a comfortable saddle well behindrepparttar 144296 cranks. The position should be so that it does not numbrepparttar 144297 plumbing or crushrepparttar 144298 folds. Your body weight should be on your butt while riding, not your hands.

There should be a noticeable bend in your elbow as you riderepparttar 144299 brake hoods. This will keep your forearm more horizontal than your upper arm. Your position onrepparttar 144300 bike should give your body a good amount of flexibility. You should be able to makerepparttar 144301 necessary body movements without a strain while onrepparttar 144302 move. You can pushrepparttar 144303 seat a little back and keeprepparttar 144304 bars much higher. This will allow you to grabrepparttar 144305 tops (the straight section ofrepparttar 144306 bar next torepparttar 144307 stem) gently without "falling into" them.

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