Mountain biking in Santa Monica’s mountains is among the best ways to explore this area of California while enjoying all the social and health benefits the activity offers. Fortunately, you don’t need to visit the beautiful MTB trails of the Santa Monica Mountains to enjoy the fresh air and great exercise or the long downhill stretches. However, mountain biking requires more skills than regular road cycling.
Here are essential mountain biking techniques that will help any beginner get started.
Body Position
Your body position is key to successful mountain biking. Mountain biking trails include roots, rocks, sand, mud and ruts. The variable terrain and obstacles are part of the entertainment, but the experience can be unnerving for beginners.
The correct body position will help you push through tricky sections on your trail. The two main body positions include:
Neutral Position
When riding non-technical trail sections, you’ll want to maintain a neutral position on your bike. That keeps you rolling comfortably and efficiently while helping you quickly transition to the ready position when you get to a technical surface.
The neutral position includes:
- Evenly weighted level pedals
- A slight bend on your elbows and knees
- Index fingers placed on the brakes 100% of the time
- Eyes looking forward 15-20 feet ahead to the direction you plan to go
Ready Position
When your trail gets rocky or steep, it’s time to get into the ready/ attack position. This position gets you physically and mentally ready to take on technical terrains on your trail, and it includes:
- Evenly weighted level pedals
- The rear end off your seat and the hips shifted back
- Deep bend on your elbows and knees
- Your back is flat, almost parallel to the ground
- Eyes looking forward 15-20 feet to where you’re going and not where you don’t
- Index fingers should be on the brake levers all the time
Adjusting your seat position
Properly positioning your seat will help you sit in the right position for descending and climbing.
- Climbing
For ascending/ climbing, position the seat for maximum pedaling efficiency. With your foot placed at the pedal stroke’s bottom, you’ll notice a slight bend in your leg, reaching 80-90% of full leg extension. That will help you pedal powerfully and efficiently using your leg muscles.
- Descending
When descending, drop your bike’s seat two or three inches from the height you use when climbing hills. Lowering your seat brings down the center of gravity and gives you better control when riding through steep descents. However, experiment with different heights and see what works best.
Picking a line
Most beginners make the mistake of concentrating on trails they want to avoid instead of focusing on where they want to go. Choose a path and commit to getting over and around tricky spots of your trail, depending on your mountain biking skills level. For instance, a log that might stop a cyclist might be a fun bunnyhop for others.
To find your ideal line, scan for hazards ahead of time by looking 15-20 feet down your trail and moving your eyes back to the tire. This up-and-back action will allow your eyes to record a lot of information and notice hazards ahead of time to adjust your balance.
Braking
Braking seems simple as you only need to squeeze the levers, and your bike will slow down. However, learning more about braking will go a long way in making your mountain biking experience more secure and comfortable.
How to brake
Braking in mountain biking should be controlled and consistent. Most of your braking power will come from the front brake, but an emergency front brake will throw you over the bars. Instead, apply the brakes lightly and do it evenly on your back and front, but don’t do it suddenly to avoid skidding.
When brake, get ready by slightly moving your hips backward, dropping down your heels and maintaining a slight bend on your elbows and knees. That body position will help maintain control and avoid staying too forward on the bike seat.
If your bike uses disc brakes, keep your index fingers on the brake levers and the other fingers on your handlebar grips. That will give you sufficient braking control and power while riding. However, use two fingers on your brake levers if your bike has rim brakes, as they require more force.
When to Brake
Brake before hitting a turn and let your momentum push you through. That will allow you to focus on your riding technique on the turn and push through with enough speed. Momentum is also great when getting over obstacles along the trail.
Most beginners often slow down when approaching obstacles, which may negatively impact their momentum. However, controlled momentum will help you push through these tricky terrains on your trail.
Shifting
Since mountain biking involves ups and downs, it’s important to learn how to shift gears properly. Proper gear shifting habits will help your bike reduce wear and tear, especially your front cassette, chain and rear cogs. It also helps you power yourself efficiently down and up hills.
Shift often
Beginners in mountain biking should frequently practice shifting gears. That builds muscle memory and allows you to shift gears intuitively up or down without thinking about shifting to an easy or a more complex gear.
Shift early
Don’t wait to start that big hill to shift the gear. Always shift your gear early before hitting the steep terrain. That allows you to maintain a steady cycling cadence, maximizing your power. It also helps you avoid awkward shifting with a load that’s hard on the gears and might pop off your chain.
It is also important to avoid cross chaining, which often occurs when the chain is awkwardly stretched across the big chain ring on the front to the small cog in the rear or vice-versa. That holds true for triple or double chain-ring setups.
Hiking the Bike
When you’re in a tight spot, don’t fight your bike. Instead, please do your best to continue riding and remember there’s no shame in walking it out. Some trails also contain mandatory hike-a-bike sections.
Trail Etiquette
Mountain biking in Santa Monica often happens on roads and trails shared with other users like hikers and joggers. Always be responsible and courteous when riding your bike. Also, only ride on trails open for biking and observe these essential rules:
- Always give right-of-way to cyclists riding uphill. Stop and lift your bike out of the trail on a single track.
- Let other road users know when you’re coming. You can give a friendly greeting.
- Slow down when approaching horses or hikers and give them space.