In part III of this three-part series, we will discuss some common pitfalls rider have and how to overcome them.  Following is five common issues, and what to do about them. 1)   Problem: You feel like you are going to die on a climb. Solution: Tweak your form.  Lighten your grip on the bars. Open [...]

Q: How can I become a better mountain bike rider and carve up the turns? A: To rail any corner, there are essentially four steps involved in the turn.  They are: 1)   Set-up the turn: Picking the best line is crucial to any turn and begins well before the turn.  Look at the lines that [...]

Q: How can I improve my braking to become a better mountain bike rider? A: Do you brake for no reason?  Have you done a panic stop, or lost all of your momentum because of an assumed threat?  Fear is the biggest culprit of SLS (Speed Loss Syndrome), which is an acronym I just made [...]

Q: What are some riding skills I can implement immediately to be a better rider my next time at the trails? A: Constantly honing your riding skills is an often overlooked part of mountain bike trail riding.  Riders tend to fixate on details (such as tires and bike weight) when they should be focusing on [...]