Tips – Riding Through Tricky Terrain Part 2

So in my last blog I talked to you about riding over tricky rocks and through ruts. I figured I’d stay on the same subject matter and talk a little more about different terrain and how to handle it.

There are so many different kinds of terrain and dirt. Generally on the west coast where I am from we have a lot of dry and dusty trails. And we don’t have a lot of roots. On the east coast though, the terrain changes quite a bit. You usually have a lot of mud, roots, and a ton of trees to wrangle with. I have to say that I’m envious of all the trees, but not all the bugs you get with those trees. Both of these types of terrain can be challenging and fun to ride in and believe me I know. I’ve raced on both the east and west coasts for the past 12 years and have had my ups and downs in each of them.

First let’s start with the dry and dusty terrain. I grew up riding and racing in Big Bear, California. The ground up there is pretty hard with a thin layer of silt and a lot of little loose rocks on top. When you are descending and coming into a turn you have to be really careful with your front brake. Use both of your brakes while still going in a straight line, but as soon as you start your turn you need let off your front brake or your front wheel will start to slide on all of those loose rocks. When you let off of your front brake, your tire is rolling instead of sliding and when that happens your tire can then grab the dirt and hold you upright. Make sense? As you hit the apex (middle) of the turn you want to let go of both your brakes and shoot out of the turn.

Now in the dusty conditions your bike should slide in a fairly straight line if you happen to get on your brakes and begin sliding. Just remember to stay loose and don’t tense up. Also, you might want to play with your tire pressure. If there aren’t a lot of bigger rocks or boulders then you might want to take some air out so that you have a little better traction. The higher tire pressure you have the more your tires want to slide around because the air pushes the tire into a more round shape, which means less rubber touching the dirt. If you take a little air out then the more square the tire is and more rubber touching the dirt. Always remember to take a pump and tube though just in case!

Muddy terrain is similar and yet quite different than dusty conditions. What I mean is that they can both be a little unnerving and unpredictable at first. You know what they say…practice makes perfect.

So when it comes to muddy conditions, sometimes you can feel more like the passenger than the driver of your own bike. What is important to remember is to try and stay as light on your bike as possible. What I mean by that is just staying loose on your bike and kind of letting it go where is wants to. If you are entering a long muddy or rooty section it is important to look ahead and spot where you want to go. Once you do that then you sort of gently caress your bike in that direction with small subtle moves. If you try to get too aggressive you might slip and fall over, which is usually no big deal because it’s just mud. Let your bike move around underneath you. It’s okay if it wants to go a little to the left just so long as you’re still on the trail. Also, remember to lean back a little and let off the brakes as much as you feel comfortable with. The more momentum you have through muddy ruts the better.

When going into a rooty section always remember that the faster you go through it the easier it will be. Yeah, I know. Easier said than done, but when you think about it if there are a bunch of roots ahead of you and you start to pull on your brakes those roots are going to want to grab at your wheel and pull you back. Also, if you happen to pull your brakes over a set of roots that are maybe pointing diagonal or parallel with your wheels then there is a higher chance of your tires slipping on those roots. It all goes back to your tires wanting to grab when they are rolling. When you pull the brakes and your tires stop rolling and start sliding that’s when you can start to get discombobulated. So if you let off of your brakes a bit and roll you’ll be better off.

It’s okay to feel uncomfortable in terrain you’ve never ridden before. Don’t let it discourage you. As long as you realize that there are many types of terrain and if you’ve never ridden muddy roots before then it may take some getting used to. But remember when your friend from Vermont comes to visit you in California you’ll show them what’s up!

Happy Trails,
Tara