RIDE WITH CONTROL
Mountain Bike Rider|February 2022
Get the basics right and your skillset can grow on solid foundations. Here’s how to set up your body and your bike
Andy Barlow
RIDE WITH CONTROL

Winter is in full swing now and you’re most likely finding that all of your local trails are becoming more difficult as the weather does its worst. The ground is soft, slippery roots and rocks are everywhere, and wear and tear on your body and bike is amplified. These all mean your technique and consequently your confidence suffers. What better opportunity to work on your technique? If you spend a little time now ironing out some bad habits, or working on deliberate techniques to make things easier, then, as the weather gets better in a few months you’ll be able to hit the dry trails with more confidence and control. Whether you are relatively new to the sport, or have been riding for years, this is how to improve in the off-season.

ADOPT THE DELIBERATE SHAPE

It’s called many things: your attack position; your ready position; your reset position. They all refer to the same confident stance that experienced riders make. Why does it work though? And how do you know if you’re making the correct shape while you are riding? One thing to remember here is that the shape is constantly moving in reaction to what’s happening on the trail, so everything that we mention is a starting position. It works because as soon as you need to react to something, the ability to do so is maximised. Once things calm down again though, you can make a quick assessment to gauge how you’ve come out the other side. Here’s a checklist of the key components to help you get it dialled.

THE COACH

ANDY BARLOW

This story is from the February 2022 edition of Mountain Bike Rider.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2022 edition of Mountain Bike Rider.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDERView All
Best places to ride with your kids
Mountain Bike Rider

Best places to ride with your kids

Five top venues to keep the nippers entertained this summer

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2023
CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2
Mountain Bike Rider

CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2

It’s got more suspension tunes than a Hitchcock movie, but will this Moterra thrill us or chill us?

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2023
100% GLENDALE GLASSES
Mountain Bike Rider

100% GLENDALE GLASSES

When it comes to eyewear, having a large lens not only offers a lot more protection from trail splatter, it puts the frames further out from your field of view, allowing you to focus on the terrain in front of you. The Glendale is absolutely vast, and actually has a lens size akin to a full downhill goggle, so you literally can’t see the top or sides of the frame.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE
Mountain Bike Rider

DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE

DMR's new Stage 2 MTB Rail is one of those new/old products. The shape and construction are identical to the existing Oi Oi saddle, but the company has wrapped it in a new skin and added some harder-wearing reinforcement to the edges. It's also toned down the lairy graphics; this saddle only comes in plain black.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN
Mountain Bike Rider

STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN

Has tech taken the hard work and fun out of mountain biking, or should we embrace evolution and roll with it?

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2023
STORM FORCE
Mountain Bike Rider

STORM FORCE

Manon Carpenter may have retired from downhill competition, but her new role as a trail advocate is achieving results far beyond the race track

time-read
8 mins  |
September 2023
SWEAT AND SLATE
Mountain Bike Rider

SWEAT AND SLATE

We ride 140 miles through Snowdonia on Cycling UK's newest and gnarliest long-distance trail

time-read
9 mins  |
September 2023
HEAD SPACE
Mountain Bike Rider

HEAD SPACE

New guidance reveals how to spot concussion, and how best to treat it

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2023
LATE SUMMER LOVIN'
Mountain Bike Rider

LATE SUMMER LOVIN'

Classic UK holiday hotspots that really shine when the crowds have gone

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
HOT STUFF
Mountain Bike Rider

HOT STUFF

WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2023