subject: Tips For Successful Competitive Mountain Biking [print this page] Competitive mountain biking provides a great rush and is a lot of fun. However, it is a dangerous sport and the rider needs to acquire great skill as well as practice numerous safety measures in order to cross the finish line in first place and with body and bike intact. Following these tips for successful competitive mountain biking will help to ensure your victory is sweet.
One of the top tips for a safe and winning mountain bike ride is to maintain control at all times. Mountain bike courses are difficult and often quite dangerous, so keeping in control is essential to both victory and safety. Many will argue that wearing protective gear, such as a helmet and knee and elbow padding, is the top safety tip. However, those things are to prevent injuries when one takes a tumble. If you maintain control of your bike and the course then a spill is less likely so the need for such equipment falls to preventative.
Control consists of keeping your bike under your power at all times. This not only helps to prevent injury to yourself but also for the other riders as well. Control also consists of staying in charge of the course which is laid out in front of you. Mountain biking is an extreme sport and the terrain is rugged, so keeping a keen eye out for upcoming obstacles and anticipating what might lie around the next corner is essential in maintaining control of the trail.
As mentioned, gear up properly. Wearing good protective equipment will help prevent serious injuries when those unavoidable falls occur. If you use mountain biking as a training venue for other sports then wearing a heart rate monitor to gauge your cardiovascular condition is a good idea.
Don't ever ride beyond your abilities. A key in being a winning mountain bike rider is to know one's limitations, when to push those limitations and when to withhold for another time. Competitive mountain biking is about pushing the limits, but a smart rider will tone down the ride if not feeling confident with the terrain. Besides, taking a nasty spill doesn't help get one to the finish line faster.
Knowing the trail provides a huge benefit to the rider, in confidence and also in calculating the abilities needed to push at key points along the race. If you have a chance before the race to ride through the course, it's all the better.
Run the course wisely. This incorporates slowing down for blind turns and stopping to analyze a particularly difficult course area in order to plan the best ride strategy. When riding through these areas, it is also important to anticipate where you might crash and look for obstacles to avoid which could cause severe injury if a crash were to happen.
Observing these important tips will help you arrive at the finish line in top form and in good condition. Keeping control of your mind, bike and trail will produce winning results. Enjoy the ride!
