Key skills and techniques for mountain bikers: Ride like a pro

Mountain bikers like to talk about progression. There are lots of ways of defining it, but the simplest explanation is taking the step from riding trails you are comfortable with to new, more challenging ones. This is because mountain biking is a skill-based sport more like rock climbing or snowboarding, rather than road cycling or running that are focused mainly on your physical fitness. 

In road cycling, where you cycle is pretty constant - the road. Even if you go to the high mountains or travel to remote parts of the world, a road is still a road. With technique sports like rock climbing the goal is to develop your skills to take on more challenging climbs, so a beginner would climb less demanding routes than an expert. Mountain biking follows a similar path, as you gain confidence on the bike you will feel ready to take on more challenging terrain.  

As we push to ride more difficult trails, we all get out of our depth some times. Whether you’re a newbie or a World Cup downhill winner like Marine Cabirou or Troy Brosnan, every rider feels like this at some point. This series of guides are aimed at people who are maybe new to the sport, changing cycling discipline or would simply like to feel more confident on the trails. They focus on some of the key techniques aiming to help you enjoy your mountain bike rides more. 

Going fast is exciting. We get that, we love speed too (it’s why we support so many racers). But before you go fast you need to check your bike is working properly - after all, a Formula One car does not leave the pits until the mechanics say it is ready. Without your own pit crew, it is worth making some simple checks, or asking a local bike shop to help you with this. This guide takes you through the key points to consider before heading to the trail and pressing send. 

The foundation for all mountain bike riding techniques is your posture on the bike. How you position yourself sets up every other skill, so spending time working on this is a good investment in your riding. This guide will take you through the steps to developing your ready position on the bike - the position from which you feel ready to tackle whatever obstacles the trail throws at you.  

Downhill races are always won and lost in the corners. Even if you aren’t aiming for a podium, increasing your confidence in the corners is one of the most important mountain bike techniques to master. It can seem like there is a lot going on, but corners don’t need to be scary, you can break them down into a series of small steps that you can work on. This guide will walk you through the key steps to start railing the corners like a trail boss.  

As you become more confident on your mountain bike you speed will naturally increase, and as your speed goes up you can find yourself in more challenging situations. Of course, it’s not a great plan to go fast if you cannot slow down again. To do this, you need to learn how to brake smarter, not harder. Some simple techniques can help you brake more effectively to stay safe at higher speeds. This short guide takes you through the steps to learn how to brake effectively every time.

No matter if you are an aspiring downhill racer, a lycra-clad XC rider or somewhere in between, your bike is not moving very far without you pedalling. The gears take the power from your legs to turn the rear wheel and move you forwards. Being in the right gear at the right time makes sure you are using all the power your legs can give. By working on some simple techniques you can make sure this is happening. This short guide takes you through the key steps to shifting your gears like a pro. 

These guides are just a start to the world of mountain bike skills and techniques. Part of the fun of mountain biking is that you can choose how you want to ride. Maybe you don’t enjoy the skills part, in which case hopefully they will give you a simple foundation to work from so you can get on and ride. Some people may fall in love with learning and these will be a first step in a long, deep journey to master the mountain bike.  

Of course, you can only learn so much from an online guide and if you really want to learn more about riding your mountain bike we would always recommend looking for a good local coach. They will be able to assess your strengths and weaknesses to help you take your riding to a whole, new level. 

Whether you're new to mountain biking or a pro, our guides have you covered. Explore the best entry-level MTBs in our beginner's guide or browse the full Canyon MTB range to find your dream bike, in our comprehensive mountain bike buying guide.