Mountain Biking. Think about the term, the phrase for a moment. Think of mountains. Whether snow-capped on in temperate climates, whether covered with trees or absolutely barren, the prospect of climbing or traversing a mountain is just so appealing to human nature. It doesn’t matter if you go up using a vehicle or just our bare feet; No matter how we scale these natural goliaths, it is impossible not to appreciate nature at its best from heights thought unreachable.
Think of biking. Biking is just so practical to many people nowadays. It’s definitely faster than walking – you can match or exceed speeds of conventional automobiles, and you’re doing it by burning fat, and not gas and money. Biking is a practical, healthier means of transportation that can get you through trails and busy streets in no time.
When you putting these two together, you come up with mountain biking, a sport that involves the appreciation of nature in its rawest form, with the best practical means of transportation. Let’s choose your best beginner mountain bike and start with mountain biking.
Not Your Kiddie Biking Loop
Mountain Biking takes conventional biking and takes it to the next level by taking you way past your neighborhood cul-de-sac, into the intense outdoors. The desire to actually be in those mountain ranges you used to see in postcards and desktop backgrounds has to be matched with a willingness to deal with the wild as it is, in order to have some lasting experiences.
While having the right mindset is the initial key to advancing in mountain biking, it doesn’t stop there: Enhance your will and motivation with the right skills and the right gear, and you will have the literal power to overcome the trails and paths all over the world.
The Potential Of Practice
You’ve probably stopped for a bit when ‘right skills’ were mentioned, and you began to think, ‘What sort of skills are there to biking? All I need to know is to stay balanced, and to keep pedalling with the best mountain bike pedals .’ RecreationSpace.com is a helpful resource about mountain biking skills.
Well, that’s honestly what you probably need to do in an asphalt road going to the state fair, but try to imagine how to ‘stay balanced, and to keep pedalling’ through bumpy networks of unearthed roots while weaving through trees. You’re going to need the right skills for that.
Braking: The Unsung Skill Of Significant Importance
You may think steering and speed management as some of the skills you need to prioritize. Sure, they’re up there with some of the more crucial moves to practice when it comes to mountain biking… But do not underestimate the sheer importance and value of braking.
Braking is simply the mountain biking skill of stopping while in motion. While that was pretty anticlimactic, you need to realize that skilled braking is actually something you’d want to have when negotiating a sudden curve or bend.
You can keep crashing and burning on an actual trail in order to gain some experience in braking; however, you would probably save yourself time (and your health) by doing some simple practice before getting out there.
The Simple Facts About Braking
In your mountain bike you’ll notice that you have your drivetrain (where you have your gear system), and a simple system that should stop at will. Now, this braking system consists of two parts – a front brake, and a rear brake.
The front brake is usually where the bulk of the braking happens. Much like there is a lot of the braking system placed in the front two tires of a conventional car, so most of the stopping power is placed in the front brake of the bike.
That being said, you need to view the rear brake of your bike as an auxiliary component to ensure that you make a clean stop every time. Don’t make the mistake of pressing too hard on your front brakes, especially if you’re moving at higher speeds; that is, however, if you want to launch out of your bike and land face-first into the ground.
An ideal practice when it comes to braking can be summed up this way: Brake with both your front and rear brakes. This is how to ensure a clean and safe stop, each and every time.
Practice Makes Perfect
As mentioned earlier, you don’t need to be out in the trail to practice your braking. Some prior practice in a safer environment can make a significant difference.
It doesn’t have to be too complicated. On a surface close that what you may encounter on the trail, establish a boundary that you would drive to for a considerable distance.
All you need is drive towards the boundary, stopping using both brakes before you hit it. The catch here is to be as close to the boundary as possible, but not going past it.
Here’s a reminder: your control over your body weight is a huge factor on braking skillfully, and getting a serious injury. Though you may have most your weight on the front end of the bike most of the time, you should make it a reflex to make the right adjustments, just so that you stay as balanced as possible no matter how sudden your stop is.
Conclusion
While there is more emphasis being placed in braking, that isn’t the only skill you will be practicing. In mountain biking, you will notice that even falling correctly is essential to keep you safe and whole while riding even in the most treacherous trails.
Mountain biking is definitely an exciting venture, no matter how green or how advanced you assess yourself. However, like any other sport, you will need to practice, practice, and keep practicing so you would enjoy it to the fullest.
Stay safe, and don’t stop practicing your brakes. With the right application, you will find out that you would overcome obstacles faster with the proper combination of control and braking.
