Beginner Mountain Biker Mistakes
There are many beginner mountain bike mistakes that are easy to make. In fact, you can make mistakes no matter how experienced you are. This is why I recently took some mountain bike lessons. But there are some common beginner mountain biker mistakes that you can avoid.
Doing so will speed up your progression and keep you safe while riding. So, in this article, I’ll highlight typical beginner mountain biker mistakes so you can hit the ground running and get a head start.
1. Losing Control When Braking
You need to learn respect for your mountain bike’s brakes. Grabbing a fistful of front brake will cause you to go over the handlebars as the back wheel shoots up into the air.
So, to avoid this frankly horrible experience, you must learn how to modulate your brakes. Modulating is simply adjusting how hard you pull on the brake levers depending on grip, the terrain, if you are cornering, etc.
2. Not Adjusting Your Body Position
It’s essential to think about your body position when riding. Where you position yourself on the bike makes a huge difference to your bike’s handling. For example, if you’re riding down a steep slope with your weight in the center of the bike, your weight will shift forward, especially when you brake.
This can cause the back wheel to lift or at least lose traction; both are scary. Therefore, easing off the brakes and shifting your weight over the back wheel to suit the slope. Doing this will allow you to commit to riding down the slope with more momentum, making your bike feel more planted with you in control
3. Not Adjusting Your Seat Height
Dropper seat posts are brilliant inventions. Pop it up for climbing and slip it down and out of the way for descents. If you don’t drop your seat post to ride down a steep slope, it can prevent you from shifting your weight back. Your seat can also give you a little bump unexpectedly, sending you forward over the bars.
If your bike doesn’t have a dropper seat post, it’s worth fitting it with a quick-release clamp. This will allow you to slide your seat up and down without an Allen key.
4. Feet Coming Off Your Pedals
One of the most common beginner mountain biker mistakes is when your feet bounce off the pedals. You’ll experience this if you wear the wrong footwear or have bad pedals.
Good mountain bike shoes have grippy soles that stick to the pins on your pedals. Mountain bike pedals with long pins and a large platform provides lots of grip, keeping your feet in place, even in wet weather and on bumpy terrain.
If you don’t have mountain bike shoes, a good pair of skate shoes will do. As long as the soles are flat, you’ll have sufficient grip for riding the trails. Avoid shoes with thick soles, such as hiking shoes. These are tough but isolate you from valuable feedback from the pedals.
After all this, your feet may still come off the pedals; if so, it’s down to your technique. For example, if you place all your weight on the front of your foot with your toes pointing down, your foot will slip off the pedal. Therefore, riding jumps, and technical sections with your heels down is best.
5. Front Wheel Washes Out
Even if you get away with it, it’s horrible when your front wheel washes out on a corner. Your front wheel can wash out for a few reasons:
Tires: If your front wheel washes out, you may want to choose a grippier one. But choosing a rear tire that breaks away easier can also help, as the back skids around the corner. But before you buy new tires, check your tire pressures; if your front one is too hard, the grip may be compromised.
Suspension setup: If you ride a full-suspension bike, ensure your shock and fork are balanced. By this, I mean set the sag correctly so the suspension works according to your weight and in unison.
Handlebar height and position: You can adjust your handlebar height to help you balance on your bike. Additionally, choosing a different length stem moves your weight forward or backward, allowing you to balance your weight.
6. Being Too Stiff
Riding with a stiff body is incredibly hard to remedy, and everyone does it. You tend to stiffen up when you’re scared or tired, which affects your flow and control.
You should always look ahead and plan your next move to stop yourself from stiffening up. Doing this lets you know what’s coming so you can stay supple to ride confidently and cope with whatever is coming.
7. Losing Momentum On Climbs
You lose momentum when climbing when you’re in the wrong gear. It is vital to look ahead to select the correct gear for the climb. Good mountain bikers shift gears all the time, so they are in the right gear nice and early, allowing them to keep up their momentum and consistent cadence. When shifting gears, it’s essential to ease off the power by about 20% so your shifts are smooth without putting excess force on your drivetrain.
Final Thoughts On Beginner Mountain Biker Mistakes
You’ll always make mistakes when mountain biking, and there are many more you’ll come across than I’ve listed here. But it’s good to be aware of these beginner mountain biker mistakes so you can do your best to avoid them, making you a better rider.
What other Beginner Mountain Biker Mistakes are there? Please share them in the comments section below.
