In sailing they are:
1) course
2) sail set
3) trim - fore and aft
4) balance - side to side
5) centreboard
These are the basics that beginners are taught, but they still apply to pro racers as they all effect speed and handling.
Bike Forum
What are the 5 essential MTB skills?
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Posted 9 months ago #
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1. Balance
2. Fitness
3. Skill
4. Map reading
5. CakePosted 9 months ago # -
Ok let's have a stab at this in no particular order:
Stand on the pedals
Look up to where you want to go
Brake in straight lines
Lean the bike not the body
Speed will carry you throughPosted 9 months ago # -
Don't forget your bike
Posted 9 months ago # -
Ask Jedi.
Oh, and there are 8!
Posted 9 months ago # -
Drinking.
Eating.
Arguing.
Eating.
iDieting.Posted 9 months ago # -
I'd elect not being scared to fall off as pretty good skill
Posted 9 months ago # -
eating cake.
wearing armour outside the cafe.
constantly altering your shock/fork.
dropping your seat for anything that's not uphill fireroad.and the most important one of all skidding in the carpark
Posted 9 months ago # -
being able to get on the bike (some amateurs struggle...)
being able to get off the bike (some pros struggle...)
being able to pedal
being able to steer
being able to brakeor the STW version
Grass-appraisal
flaming
trolling
eating cake
drinking beerPosted 9 months ago # -
I'd say
Looking ahead/line choice
Weight distribution
Energy Management
Speed control
CakeOff for a ride now, so I'll check.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Colour co-ordinate components.
The ability to blame your equipment for your own Inadequacies.
Being able to double the size of any obstacle when recounting the ride.
Being an expert in engineering/metalurgy/physics when asked technical questions.
A sixth sense to know the best place to stop on a trail to cause maximum annoyance to other users.Posted 9 months ago # -
Ability to move around on the bike
Gear changing and selection
Mental control (line selection and that)
Endurance fitness (Fuel and water intake)
Mechanical abilityPosted 9 months ago # -
Wind
Water
Earth
Fire
HeartPosted 9 months ago # -
CONFIDENCE
CONFIDENCE
CONFIDENCE
CONFIDENCE
CONFIDENCE.......it is essential and will get you through most things on an MTB, BMX etc
Posted 9 months ago # -
Experience
Fitness
Line choice
Confidence
More fitnessPosted 9 months ago # -
1. brute force.
2. ignorance.
3. .........
4. .........
5. matching lycra?
Posted 9 months ago # -
how you have your feet
where you look
how you have your body set
how you add and control speed.thats the physical oh and smile
Posted 9 months ago # -
misunderstanding
moaning
fannying around
sneering
bickeringPosted 9 months ago # -
having fun
Posted 9 months ago # -
Falling off is a true skill
Posted 9 months ago # -
cake
bacon butties
tea
excuses
soilPosted 9 months ago # -
1. Leaning your bike against your audi in a trail centre carpark
2. Referring to your bike as a 'rig' and multiple bikes as your 'quiver'
3. Telling people that you're able to ride anything on a ridgid 29 inch penny farthing
4. Telling other cylcists how you 'owned' a DHer on the descent
5. Moaning about walkers on cycle tracks before going off to ride a 'cheeky' track
Posted 9 months ago # -
1. Skids!
2. Wheelie
3. Stoppy
4. No handed
5. Bunny hopPosted 9 months ago # -
50 WPM. Definitely on here anyway.
Posted 9 months ago # -
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.Posted 9 months ago # -
1. Enthusiasm
2. The ability to enjoy the ride regardless of terrain
3. Not giving a fig about how fast someone else is
4. Not giving a fig about something that someone else can ride and you can't
5. The urge to go and do it again after every rideI sometimes struggle with 1 & 5 but I'm working on it
Posted 9 months ago # -
buzz-lightyear - Member
Ok let's have a stab at this in no particular order:
Stand on the pedals
Look up to where you want to go
Brake in straight lines
Lean the bike not the body
Speed will carry you throughsurely they aren't skills, but guidelines or mantras....
i'd go with...
1. bunny hop
2. cornering
3. trackstand (helps a lot with bike handling, IMO)
4. riding drops/step downs
5. pedalling off/getting off the bike on a steep incline (am often amazed at how some people have now idea about this. people trying to scoot along to get enough momentum so that they can start pedalling or trying to step off the bike from the side - both manouvers resulting in a comedy (but sometimes painful) fall).Posted 9 months ago # -
surely they aren't skills, but guidelines or mantras
Yeah fair enough
Posted 9 months ago # -
Faffing
Making excuses
Obsessing about tyres
Lying about how awesome you are
And most importantly, raging on teh internetz.Posted 9 months ago # -
Faffing
Making excuses
Obsessing about tyres
Lying about how awesome you are
And most importantly, raging on teh internetz.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Experience riding every thing you can
Fitness makes it more fun
looking ahead
speed is your friend
dropping your ankles and wrists keeps me on my bike more
Posted 9 months ago # -
BASI (British Ski/Snowboard Instructing people) are the masters of this stuff. My mrs reckons it's like joining a cult. You have to be familiar with:
The Fundamental Elements
The Five Strands
The Central ThemeThe fundamental elements apply pretty well to mountain biking too:
Body management
Control of speed
Control of line
Flow(sure I've forgotten one there)
Posted 9 months ago # -
So is tyre selection one of the essential skills or not?
I'm confused.Posted 9 months ago # -
right view
right aspiration
right action
right effort
right mindfulness
right concentrationPosted 9 months ago # -
1. Technique.
2. Composure.
3. Knowledge of equipment (of yours, not the latest thing out there)
4. Humility.
5. Enthusiasm.Posted 9 months ago #
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