What makes mountain biking so good is that you can ride just about anywhere and on any surface: grass, leaves, rocks, gravel, hard-pack, sand, water, stones, roots, tarmac and of course mud. Each surface has its’ own properties that require different skills and techniques to master, and tyres make a HUGE difference to speed and control, so pick them wisely for the type of terrain you will be riding.

TOP TIP: The key to riding in mud (and other terrain where the traction is poor) is to make smooth pedal strokes, so the rear wheel doesn’t lose traction and spin.

Mud:

Something that you will be very familiar with, living in the UK. It sticks to the tyres, is slippery and causes loss of control, makes you dirty and cold, and clogs the rear derailleur, V-brakes and clipless pedals. It will also take a lot more effort to pedal than normal.

Sloppy mud can make changing direction difficult so approach on a line that avoids having to steer whilst in it – if steering is necessary try not to turn the bars, instead use your upper body to lean the bike.

Approach as fast as is safe, so your momentum carries you through the mud; aim for existing tracks as these will be slightly compacted, and firmer to ride.

Change down a couple of gears in anticipation; the gears are less likely to slip on a larger cog as the chain is in contact with more teeth and load on the drivetrain is reduced. Also being in too high a gear may lead you to stall and get a muddy foot.

Keep your weight back, de-weight or lift the front wheel slightly to avoid front wheel drag (which would slow it down more than the rear and could send you over the bars).

Be ready to pedal in smooth, powerful strokes once in the mud. Slow down, move your weight back and ease up on the front end, then push the pedals down firmly and smoothly, while pushing forwards (not down) on the handlebars, and before the next pedal stroke, gently move back again ready for the next surge.

Sand:

This is similar to riding in mud, but even worse for the moving parts on bikes; sand is incredibly abrasive. It is therefore not advisable to ride in sand on a regular basis, as it will soon make metal dust of the expensive moving parts of a bike.

Adopt the same tactics as mud riding i.e. straight line, aim for a shallow looking section, keep your momentum, keep the front end light, don’t steer or use your body to do so and make wide turns as the wheel will tend to dig in. If you are stalling or digging-in on a turn, sit back and turn the wheel the other way.

Moving between standing and sitting will give you a balance between power and traction; when wheels grip, put on the power by standing slightly, but keep weight low to keep traction. Also keep your upper body loose and ready, as sand is unpredictable.

Ice and snow:

These conditions will provide some tricky riding conditions, so be aware of what to do and consider the fact that snow can be hiding an obstacle, so keep your weight back off the front wheel. Braking should be forgotten about or done very lightly. Never lock the brakes, as you will lose traction and find it difficult or impossible to get back again. Steer with your body, keep your weight back, and stay on the saddle to keep some of that elusive traction.

Tree Roots:

Roots (especially when wet) are the slipperiest obstacles regularly encountered on the trail. They should be approached square-on (90 degrees) if possible, and every effort should be made to keep weight off the wheel in contact with the root.

To get over large logs, you will probably need to stop and lift the bike, so as not to damage the chainrings. If you feel confident enough however, you can lift the front over as usual, then using your pedals, lift the rear wheel up and surge forwards with your upper body, so that the chainrings clear the log.

NOTE: Don’t try jumping roots if you are not sure you can clear them; if the wheel lands on them, they make for a very tricky (and painful) landing.

Grass:

On a fine dry day, grass will do little more than slow you down, but when it is wet it becomes extremely slippery, making going up and downhill difficult. Stay seated and pedal smoothly and consistently to keep rear wheel traction, and make only small movements when steering (keeping your weight off the front end).

NOTE: Cut grass can invade every part of the drive train, quickly smothering sprockets and seizing jockey wheels, which will stop the bike from shifting or freewheeling. It can be a nightmare to remove, so every effort should be made to avoid it.

Rocks & Gravel:

Rocks usually become pretty slippery when they get wet, and can go from a welcome challenge to an outright menace. Their irregular shape and size requires more body movement than other surfaces, especially downhill – keep your weight back and poise yourself over the bike to soak up any bumps the suspension doesn’t. Brake carefully to avoid locking / skidding the tyres on loose rocks.

NOTE: Speed and momentum will help you over rocky sections, but too much and you risk wiping out onto a hard surface.

Cycling over small stones should not cause too much difficulty, although deep gravel is much like sand in that steering is difficult, as the front wheel likes to dig in, so maintain a straight line and light front wheel. Also, gravel on hard surfaces is like riding on ice or ball bearings, as the stones will slip and slide over the surface giving you little control. Stay off the brakes and keep your weight over the rear wheel, and keep your weight upright – avoid leaning over and hard cornering.

TOP  TIP: Off-camber sections can cause the tyres to lose traction, so try pre-loading/compressing the suspension just beforehand and springing up as you ride over the rocks or roots, to  lighten the weight and hopefully avoid slipping.