Mountain Bikes
The proverb “practice makes perfect” allegedly began as “use makes perfect” as early as the 16th century. I don’t know if this is really true but I think what matters more is that the saying itself is true. This holds for almost anything we do, including mountain biking. And since nobody came into this world on a mountain bike, everybody needs a little practice before hitting the trails.
Before mounting your bike, be sure your are wearing your protective gears –helmet, glasses, gloves, and probably shin guards and knee pads if you plan on running serious down hill rides and extremely rugged terrain– properly and securely.
If you are new to toe clips or cleats, it is best to practice placing and releasing your foot from them. Compared to platform pedals, these may require different feet movements to disengage.
Take the bike for a short spin. Your posture should be such that your arms bend slightly while gripping the handlebar. Your legs should never be fully stretched even when the pedal is at its lowest. At most, they should only straighten from 70 – 90°.
Practice shifting gears. Remember that the right shifter moves the rear derailleur while the left moves the front. The biggest ring in the crankset combined with the smallest in the rear cassette is most difficult to pedal but it is the quickest. Conversely, having the chain in the smallest ring in the crankset and in the biggest sprocket in the cassette is easiest to pedal but will considerably slow your pace. This is intended for climbing steep hills.
When riding uphill and the going gets tough, stand on the pedals. Pull the handlebars towards you and at the same shift your weight forward to counterbalance any upward tendency. Practice this on the flats before actually trying it out on hills.
When coasting downhill, shift your weight backwards. With your pedals in a horizontal orientation, that is, in 3 and 9 o’clock, stand on them. Keep both arms and feet bent slightly with your seat between your legs. This is also the preferred position when running over obstacles and obstructions.
Once you are comfortable doing all these, you can now run into the hills and enjoy your bike and the sights.