If you’re a mountain biker, you likely got into the sport to enjoy time on trails, out in nature and off the road. Mountain biking is meant to be free and adventurous, not data-driven, and restrictive. When it comes to doing intervals on the trail, it can be tricky. Off-road terrain is so variable it can be hard to execute the same workouts you read about or see your road-cycling friends doing. Doing serious workouts was likely the last thing on your mind. But it is possible to do fun (and structured) workouts on the mountain bike to get fitter, stronger and ultimately, enjoy yo ..read more

Mountain biking has always pushed the limits of technology in terms of suspension and frame designs but the use of data has, at least historically, been limited compared to road cycling. This is likely due to the harsh conditions, variable pedaling motions and the full-body demands of the sport. Despite these challenges, there are simple metrics you can track and adjust in your training that relate very closely to your mountain biking performance. The time you spend offroad, how much you climb and short-term power are easy to track and also to adjust in your training to see improvements in you ..read more

With terrain that can be unpredictable and constantly changing, mountain biking has certain challenges you don’t get on the road. For example, learning to perfect your shifting, handle corners, brake and balance on a mountain bike requires time and practice as does dealing with really technical terrain. Loose rocks, a steep descent or a narrow trail with tight turns all qualify as technical terrain and can be scary if you aren’t confident in your bike-handling. While it takes time and experience to become comfortable dealing with these situations, there are some things you can do to stay safe ..read more

With terrain that can be unpredictable and constantly changing, mountain biking has certain challenges you don’t get on the road. For example, learning to perfect your shifting, handle corners and brake on a mountain bike requires time and practice as does improving your balance. The key to conquering a technical section of trail or bombing down a fast singletrack is balance. By mastering this basic mountain bike skill, you’ll become more confident and comfortable, and you’ll achieve better bike-handling to help you stay upright and safe. Follow these tips, exercises and drills to improve you ..read more

With terrain that can be unpredictable and constantly changing, mountain biking has certain challenges you don’t get on the road. For example, learning to perfect your shifting and handle corners on a mountain bike requires time and practice as does braking. Braking might seem as simple as pulling the brake levers, but using correct braking technique is an important mountain bike skill that can be difficult to master. From maintaining your momentum to staying upright and avoiding an unnecessary accident, here are the basics of how to brake on a mountain bike: 1 PRACTICE YOUR BRAKE POSITION ..read more

With terrain that can be unpredictable and constantly changing, mountain biking has certain challenges you don’t get on the road. For example, learning to perfect your shifting on a mountain bike requires time and practice as does handling corners. Whether it’s riding switchbacks or taking a sharp corner on a descent, good technique helps you build confidence so you know you can handle whatever lies ahead. Aside from making you faster and improving overall performance, learning how to maintain your momentum in corners can help prevent injury by avoiding dangerous scenarios that can often lead ..read more

With terrain that can be unpredictable and constantly changing, mountain biking has certain challenges you don’t get on the road. For example, learning to perfect your shifting on a mountain bike can be difficult and requires time and practice. Whether you’re making the switch from the road to the trail or are new to cycling altogether, these basic tips help you develop a comfortable pedaling rhythm and make your shifts as efficient as possible so you can maintain your forward momentum. Unlike the shift levers on road bikes, most mountain bikes either have grip shifters or thumb triggers. Wh ..read more

Mountain biking can mean different things to different people. While one person may do long rides on gravel roads and double track, another may use a chair lift to get to the top of a mountain so they can descend technical trails to the bottom. Despite these striking differences in technical and physical demands, it is intriguing how a strong rider in any off-road discipline must still have the technical skill, ride off-road frequently and work to increase their fitness to thrive in their own version of mountain biking. DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKING These athletes ride mostly downhill because they ..read more

Being able to hop your bike off the ground to get over logs, potholes, cyclocross barriers or onto curbs is a skill most cyclists want to improve. Bunny hops are fun, they make riding safer and they boost your speed. Many riders struggle with this skill and default to avoiding logs, rocks and any situation that will expose their bunny-hop inability. If you would like to improve your hops try these three drills: 1OFF-BIKE DRILL Before you even get on your bike, stand facing the back of the bike, with your front tire between your legs and your hands on your handlebars. Practice doing little ho ..read more