Building confidence on a mountain bike 101

[geargrrl]

We all have moment where a quick dab is a save, either in an off balance or slow speed flub.However, to consistently depend on it instead of learning to correct an error seems like a cheat, to me.

 

[bounceswoosh]

For climbs, I've taken some of @altagirl's advice to heart. Instead of b*tching about the climb, I chant, "I love to climb! I love to climb!" ... it kind of works, actually. Maybe it actually borrows from cognitive dissonance - it's too difficult to hold two opposite positions at once, so my brain accepts what my mouth is saying?

 

[altagirl]

For climbs, I've taken some of @altagirl's advice to heart. Instead of b*tching about the climb, I chant, "I love to climb! I love to climb!" ... it kind of works, actually. Maybe it actually borrows from cognitive dissonance - it's too difficult to hold two opposite positions at once, so my brain accepts what my mouth is saying?

It did totally change my attitude on climbing. (Think going from all too frequent total meltdown to just, discomfort/pain of burning quads and lungs but mentally calm). I don't always remember to do it, but when I do, it makes the experience much less horrible anyway. Sometimes even. .. good.

If nothing else, it usually makes me laugh to be chanting a total lie to myself. Haha.

 

[abc]

To @geargrrl 's suggestion about looking for a clinic, I got an email from REI about clinics of all sorts, including biking, kayaking, hiking, nature photo shooting.....
As an example, these are some in our area based out of Reno's REI.
https://www.rei.com/content/rei/en_...il_Mail_v1&RRID=47771694&ev11=1&ev36=20639769

I can imagine that most locations with a sporting goods store like this have other programs.

I would think Northstar have clinics.

In fact, I vaguely recall they do offer instruction of some sort, back when I used to ride there...

 

[geargrrl]

I've seen that many clinics are either sponsored by a bike club or bike shop.

 

[abc]

I'd venture to toss in that if you are consistently falling to the inside on climbing switchbacks you are not weighting the bike correctly and the front of the bike too light. If you are in too low of a gear, and your weight is back, this may be part of it. Get foward, get lower in front, select a higher gear... this may help.

I'm not sure the front-back weight of the bike is the issue. It typically happens at the moment I push down hard on the inside pedal. That's why it almost always happens to ONLY the right side, my strong side.

I would be going up a bunch of switchbacks... then at one of those right hand ones, the bike flopped over as I push down on my right leg! (I don't usually fall, just blowing my line and had to get off)

Come to think of it, it only happens when I was kind of tired and started to get sloppy with my form. Still, it's annoying to have that happen when I still have enough legs to make it up the rest of the switchback.

 

[geargrrl]

nm

 

[volklgirl]

I found that riding a single speed exclusively for a couple of years really added to my skills and confidence. It's not just not being able to shift, it's also not having to think about shifting at all....it means you learn to really "listen to" your bike and do everything possible to carry your speed through all sorts of terrain. It also requires that you learn to peddle through EVERYTHING. Dabbing on a single speed when climbing is the same as coming to a complete stop. The single speed also quickly teaches the ratchet stroke without really having to think about it. It also teaches that there are times that "sit and spin" doesn't work, at times, standing and hammering is totally the right call. A friend of mine says "single speeds actually have 3 gears; sitting, standing, and walking", and it's true.

 

[altagirl]

I found that riding a single speed exclusively for a couple of years really added to my skills and confidence. .

Ditto for me. Mine is a rigid single speed and that taught me to really absorb terrain variations with my body, and not just rely on the suspension. Suspension is wonderful, but even on a long travel, or DH bike - the amount of travel in the suspension is a fraction of what you can get with your arms and legs. So doing that for a while taught me to absorb most terrain variations with my body and then let the suspension just absorb the chatter and help when I mis-time something or make a mistake. And that improved my riding and made it a lot more fun.

You don't have to ride a rigid bike or a hardtail to learn that, but if you have the habit of just trying to steamroll everything with your suspension, it can be a quick way to force yourself out of the habit.

 

[SnowHot]

I would think Northstar have clinics.

In fact, I vaguely recall they do offer instruction of some sort, back when I used to ride there...

I think I said that earlier in the thread, and likely more than one time that I've done Northstar's DH101 course. There are some skills to be learned there, for sure, but we're talking about different skill sets when it comes to XC riding.

 

[geargrrl]

The skill set is exactly the same, just applied in a different manner on different bikes.

 

[geargrrl]

Altagirl, I'm riding my ss with flats now. Now, that's fun! Nothing like really powering up a climb that way.

 

[abc]

likely more than one time that I've done Northstar's DH101 course.

Maybe you need to sign up for the DH201 course?

We all know many women underrate their skill in skiing clinics...