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Questions and answers about sports

What body positions (or goals) create more stability over obstacles in mountain biking, and how do I lower my center of gravity?

5 min read

Asked by: Lennell Andrews

How should your body be positioned on a mountain bike?

Quote from video: Your starting position is the Attack Position the neutral position you adopt for general trail riding such a single track from here you lower your heels on the pedals.

How do you go over obstacles on a mountain bike?

Quote from video: The first thing to hit an obstacle is your front wheel. So it's going to take the brunt of the impact to soften the blow you should get as much of your body weight off the front wheel as possible.

How can I make my mountain bike more stable?

By keeping your neutral body position strong and central, and pushing — or weighting the bike — through the heavy parts of a trail with your legs, you can generate a huge amount of stability on longer turns.

Which position best prepares a mountain cyclist to react to changes in terrain?

Downhill Body Position Tips



Bracing your feet against the pedals helps your body maintain stability and resist the forces that downhill braking puts on your body. Keep your arms and legs bent. When your arms or legs are locked out, you aren’t able to react to the terrain.

How do you do the bike body position?

Quote from video: And then duck foot in your way down the next section of track on your heels dropping the heels benefits all pedal types by getting a bit of suspension from the pivot of your ankle.

How can I improve my descending mountain bike?

Quote from video: Pretty simple just by sticking another space or two underneath that stem if you've got enough room to do it or even taking one from the top sticking underneath its gonna make a massive.

How do you build bike obstacles?

Quote from video: Difficult use a two by. Two. Now we can start to get creative. I grabbed a 2×4. And attached it to one of the logs. Making this feature way more. Challenging. Now let's take the 2×4. And the log.

How do you go over the curb on a bike?

Quote from video: You right off the curb use your elbows and knees as part of your human suspension to help smooth out the ride. Practice this at different speeds.

How do you ride over rocks?

Quote from video: Safe it's much better just to have a slightly firmer tire. Obviously with a soft compound still helps the grip.

How do I make my bike feel more stable?

Quote from video: So a shorter more upright position will definitely help if you're looking to improve your balance.

How can I save my weight on my mountain bike?

Quote from video: Carbon yes literally anything on a bike these days can be made of carbon. And it's a great way of upgrading your bike and saving a lot of weight.

How do I make my mountain bike more nimble?

shorter wheel base, shorter top tube and shorter chain stays will make a bike feel more nimble and easy to move around but will make it less XC and less comfy for long rides.

What are the three main body positions in cycling?

Hand positions



Bike handlebars are shaped to give the rider three positions where they can comfortably grip – the tops, hoods and drops.

When should you stand on a mountain bike?

Definitely stand: If you find yourself entering into a roller or moderate grade in the big ring at speed, rise out of the saddle, sprint and use speed to bring you up the rise. Back off the pedal pressure or sit before making chainring shifts.

What is the best cycling position?

Quote from video: Holding your handlebars here on the drops. Gives you the most control of your bike. You can put on the brakes with a greatest amount of force. And also your hands are in a really secure. Position. So

How do you know if a mountain bike is too small for you?

Signs Your Mountain Bike Is Too Small

  1. Feeling Squashed. Bikes that are too small force the rider into a hunched position which reduces the amount the rider is able to move around on the bike. …
  2. Feeling Unstable at Speed. …
  3. Not Comfortable.


Is it better for a mountain bike to be too big or too small?

The best-case scenario is to choose a bike the correct size for your body, but if you are in between sizes a smaller mountain bike will be more playful and will offer more maneuverability but a bigger bike will be more stable, feel better on climbs, and will be overall more comfortable.

Is it better to have a larger or smaller bike frame?

Neither a smaller or bigger frame is better for everyone and generalizations in frame sizing are almost always risky. If your riding position is established first the best decision for you will likely become much more clear. Consider bike fit the holy trinity of comfort, power, and efficiency.