Mountain Biking Terrains
In Mountain Bike trailing, you will encounter different kinds of terrain that could be unpredictable. This may be due to the geography of the area you are riding in, or it may be due to the weather. It is essential that you would basically know what to do. This section will discuss the basic skills needed to overcome different types of terrain.
Hard-trails are almost like pave roads. This is the least complex terrain to bike in. Hard-trails have few debris and obstacles. However, be cautious because hard-trails could become slippery when wet.
Rocky-terrain is a little bit trickier. Because of loose rocks, grip or traction may be not that good. The trick is to stay relax and learn to shift your weight when needed. Remember, the faster you go through rocky-terrain, the more comfortable it is. Of course, you will have to choose your line and commit to it.
When going down on rocky-terrain, you will want to stay as low as possible on the bike while staying out of the saddle to gain maximum control of your Mountain Bike. Be sure not use such a light gear to avoid slippage of the rear wheel which will result to lose of traction.
When riding on trails, you have to keep in mind that there is no way to get away from Mud. Muddy trails will always be part of Mountain Biking. If it rained the night or day before your planned ride, be ready to encounter mud. It is essential that you do the necessary precautions when riding just in case you run into mud.
- Water-proof your bike. Lubricate the chain and derailleurs with water proof lubricants.
- If your bike is equipped with disc brakes that would be really good, if not, bring a brush or rug to clean off mud that could hinder the performance of your brakes.
- Fit Mountain Bike tires that are specifically for mud. Narrow tyres (1.7"- 1.9"), with a widely spaced studs ('open tread') increase the clearance on your bike (the gap between the frame and the tyres) and will pick up less mud so you will be less likely to clog up and be slowed or even brought to a halt. Also reduce the pressure in your tyres a little. This will provide a larger 'foot print' for better traction - but it may not so suitable on other parts of the trail.
- When using clipless pedal, be sure to adjust the tension the lightest setting so it would be easy to disengage your feet when needed. Or else, we all know what could happen, Urghh!
- At the end of the ride, wash your Mountain Bike, just like you will be taking a bath after a ride.
Crossing over Sand will depend on the length of the sand patch. Short sand patches are passable. As long as you keep your speed up upon crossing the sand patch. However, when crossing long patches of sand, it would be better to just carry your bike over for you are bound to sink no matter how good a Mountain Bike rider you are. Wet or damp sand are not a problem to cross since sand becomes compact and smooth when moist.
In the winter, you might encounter snow or ice on your trails. Depending on the type of snow (old, fresh, compact or loose), you need to adjust your techniques.
- Fresh loose snow is alright as your tyres will sink into the snow and have a grip, although deep snow will act like mud again. The snow will hide obstacles, such as, ice, rocks and logs. Keep a good look ahead when you are riding, as they are often camouflaged but still visible.
- Compact snow is a different story. As your tyres cannot get a purchase on hard packed snow, they have little traction. Try to ride smoothly and avoid sudden actions.
- If you can avoid riding on ice then do so.
In most cases, riders are caught by surprise when they encounter ice. On winter days, look out for shaded areas or hollows and for rutted tracks where the sun will not have warmed the road or trail surface and any lying water or frost may still be frozen.
Be careful with riding on ice, as brakes are ineffective. Do not use your front brake at all as this may result in your front wheel sliding out. You need to relax and ride as smoothly as possible. Sudden actions will only result in your wheels slipping.
If you would like to read more on different snow types, please go to our special section Snow Types - From Powder to Ice on ABC-of-Snowboarding.com.
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