That’s the position im in when im taking the piss out of doddy/that mbuk style of mtber.

Funnily enough, it works. What I described comes straight from this fella:
Shaums March

He’s coached quite a few successful World Cup riders in his time.

It’s worth noting that a “Photo” can be deceiving!

How “stuck out your elbows are” depends rather on the angle from which you take the photo. The classic “close to the ground” pic in MBUK is always going to make your elbows look more sticky-outy!

Also, a photo is a single instant in time. It tells you nothing about where the riders body mass sits on AVERAGE, only where it was at the moment the photo was taken. Hence, you will see someone with their chin on the stem at the apex of a corner, but 0.5s later, stood up tall, straight armed, when pumping out away from the same berm!

tymbian from the second photo you posted it looks like you are standing a bit too much upright. Some of that might down you being stationary?

As others have said, try dipping your heels a little that should bring your hips backwards a bit. Bending the knees a little bit and possibly also have your back a bit lower too but that might automatically happen by bending the knees.

As said before you need to be able to react in all directions. It looks like your arms and legs are a little bit too extended so while you will be able absorb bumps you don’t look like you will be able to extend into dips very well. Which it what you ere complaining about in the first place?

Is it just your hands that are hurting or your arms and shoulders too? If just your hands then I’d look at your grips or bar placement. Usually for me anyway if I’ve got too much weight over the front my whole upper body starts to hurt as its not just the hands that are taking the strain.

Also, try raising the front of your brake levers / shifters a bit to rotate your hands backwards, which will both help you stay “behind the bike” and naturally bring your torso downwards a bit.

Also, try raising the front of your brake levers / shifters a bit to rotate your hands backwards, which will both help you stay “behind the bike” and naturally bring your torso downwards a bit.

Not unless he is planning to ride full time downhill on his back wheel.

Can’t see the bars, but rotating them back a little in the stem (you’ll need to reposition brake levers & shifters) make a subtle but significant adjustment to weighting and position.

From the sound of things, you might do a lot worse than switching to a shorter stem – 60mm isn’t, well, enduro really.

Someone has emptied their moon cup all over your bike.

i didn’t NEED to Google what a moon cup is at work 😯

i just could help myself!

http://www.pinkbike.com/u/mtbstrengthcoach/blog/Shoe-Pedal-and-Foot-Placement-Tips-for-Flat-Pedals.html

@ jairaj. .standing a bit tall as leaning on my elbow, when needed I can go lower and I move about on the bike adjusting to the trail. I do feel I’m pitched forward to reach the bars hence the hand pain ( I think )

Maybe I should try a shorter stem. Say 40 mm and go from their ‘re bar height.

I really think people are over thinking this. Seriously.

DH riding style: Moto vs. MTB

Theres a few different ways to ride a mountain bike “correctly”, ride whichever way suits you and set your bike up accordingly. I ride more of a moto style, with flats and so tend to run my rear shock firmer, my font fork a bit softer and my bars a little taller than some.

Is it just me or does that bike look waay to small for that bloke?

Funnily enough, it works. What I described comes straight from this fella:
Shaums March

He’s coached quite a few successful World Cup riders in his time.
And funnily enough, his mantra re bars position is ‘go low to be pro’, so he’d probably tell you yours are fine.

In the Alps this year, it was “Moto” style all the way. Leg out, let rip, with your knackers touching the stem!! 😉

It could be that you may need to improve your flexibility and core strength. Your back is very straight, far from the bars and that’s why your arms are fully stretched. If you bend your back forwards you’ll be closer to the bars and your arms slightly bent, more in an attack position. You need your core muscles to support this posture and avoid fatiguing your arms too much.

Maybe someone else can correct me

Hand pain will be down to poor core strength, maybe a bit tense too.

I thought that when I saw the photo but it doesn’t ride like it.

@ jairaj. .standing a bit tall as leaning on my elbow, when needed I can go lower and I move about on the bike adjusting to the trail. I do feel I’m pitched forward to reach the bars hence the hand pain ( I think )

Maybe I should try a shorter stem. Say 40 mm and go from their ‘re bar height.

My personal hunch is that the bike length is about right for you, judging by those photos. The bars really do look way to low, try an inch or inch and a half more rise.

Whats your inseam length vs your height? I have very long legs in comparison to my total height so I find medium frames tend to be about the right in terms of length but not in terms of seat tube length.

@ Tom_w1987
Build wise I’d say normal length arms n legs. If buying trousers I’d buy a R regular or a 32inch leg.

At a glance I think your legs are way too straight and your back is way too upright. If I sit up like that the handlebar is literally at my fingertips.

You’ve already said you are more upright in the photos than you are when riding, but to my eyes that is nowhere near an ‘attack’ position.

I would be looking at that before changing stems etc.

Tom_W1987 – Member
http://www.leelikesbikes.com/dh-riding-style-moto-vs-mtb.html

Theres a few different ways to ride a mountain bike “correctly”, ride whichever way suits you and set your bike up accordingly. I ride more of a moto style, with flats and so tend to run my rear shock firmer, my font fork a bit softer and my bars a little taller than some.

For me it’s this. ^

Many years of racing motocross has my natural position being the motocross attack position. (Arms at approx 45 degrees above horizontal and elbows slightly bent to allow the bike to move with the terrain)
I also get some lower back pain so I really don’t like being. stretched out on a bike.

It appears curent mtb geometry for ‘enduro’ style bikes is forcing you to be more stretched out again.

I’d suggest locking your forks out. This will effectively raise your bars, since you won’t lose ‘x’ mm due to the suspension sag. Obviously it’s not a long term solution, but it’ll give you a good idea as to whether you’d want higher bars or not.

Ingesting thread. It’s very hard to know what your body is doing on the heart of the moment.

Any way I’m adding to thread to book Mark it

In general I think my own position falls down on two fronts.

Firstly amazingly unsupportive forks that seem to collapse when I stand up. But still not reach any where near full travel on bumps.

The May bars are also a disaster. I’m sure they put your arms in the wrong positron stood up.

Luckily I live in the flat south

For me it’s this. ^

Many years of racing motocross has my natural position being the motocross attack position. (Arms at approx 45 degrees above horizontal and elbows slightly bent to allow the bike to move with the terrain)
I also get some lower back pain so I really don’t like being. stretched out on a bike.

It appears curent mtb geometry for ‘enduro’ style bikes is forcing you to be more stretched out again.

Looking forward to Brants 650b codeine because of this, his bikes are shorter and more suited to this style. You could always run a 10-30mm stem though and bring the reach down to an acceptable length. You’ll know that moto riders uses exceptionally short stems and I reckon long top tubes mated to very very short stems will suit moto style riders more than people with an mtb style.

It might seem a bit “Slow and Steady” but the video in this link is quite useful and the key word is “Stability”:

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/how-to-ride-better-zep-mountain-bike-camps-2010.html

To the extent I’ve thought about it, I always imagined this position:

But adapted to the relevant contact points.

Just avoid the poo stance.