1. Take it to the Limit
Trials mountain biking is the most extreme of all the cycling sports. Riders take their bikes over, around and on things that most same people would never consider. Trials competitors spend enormous amounts of time training and perfecting their technique before every hitting an actual trials meet. Trials competitions are mostly popular in Europe and Japan, but are increasingly showing up during extreme sports events in the United States.
2. Overcoming Physics
A number of basic techniques are used in trial mountain bike competitions, but increasingly riders combine a number of the tricks and come up with more imaginative ways to doing them. You never know what you might see at an extreme trials contest. Some basic moves include standing the bike up on the real wheels, jumping over objects, bunny hopping, riding up on top of an object and pivoting.
3. Making it Jump
A bunny hop entails lifting both wheels off the ground to skip over a log or rocks that might be in your path. Push your weight down first and then pop yourself up. Your momentum will keep you moving forward as you jump over the rock and keep on going. To jump in place, you will need to use your arms more to lift your bike, since you won't have the forward momentum going on. With good fat tires, you can get some bouncing action to extend your jumps.
4. Listen to Your Body, not Your Ego
Trials bikers live for the dangerous risks. However, you should never attempt a new trick until you are confident that you are ready for it. Tension creates stiff joints and more injuries when, not if, you fall. One of the first skills needed by a dirt jumper is the ability to fly away from your bike mid-air when you feel that the trick has been compromised. It is not a sign of weakness to let go if it doesn't feel right. You can always pick up your bike and try it again.
5. Get in Shape
Mountain biking is one of the worst sports to address lack of range of motion. Overuse of muscle groups, especially on the back and wrists, creates stiffness that leads to injuries if a biker doesn't balance his workouts with cross training that gives other body parts a workout. Floor exercises are a good compliment for bikers because you can bend and twist the body in alternate positions from those in which you ride. Crunches and twisting should be an integral part of any riders training regimen. Sports such as swimming provide an alternate resistance needed by the arms and legs as well.
Member Comments