How to Ride a Mountain Bike: Tips & Techniques

1\Avoid The 'Bonk'!

Running low on energy, or 'bonking' as it’s often called, will reduce your ability to keep going! Cycling will increase your energy requirements, so aim to eat small, frequent meals and snacks on the go in order to maintain energy levels. On the bike, carbohydrate drinks will keep you well fuelled — or you could try taking a couple of energy bars or energy gels which are easy to eat in the saddle.

2\Hydrate Properly When Cycling

Whatever the weather conditions, your fluid requirements will increase significantly when cycling. Losses from exhaled breath and from sweating will serve to reduce your blood volume, resulting in your heart having to work much harder. By the time you feel thirsty you will already be dehydrated, so try to drink small, frequent quantities of water or a sports energy drink throughout the ride. You can check the colour of your urine in order to monitor your monitor your hydration in between stages of your training: a pale straw colour indicates that you are well hydrated, whereas anything darker means that you need to drink more.

3\Go For Long Rides

The foundation of all your cycling training should be your long ride. Ideally, do a long ride weekly or fortnightly. The long ride will build your endurance and also make you more efficient at utilising fuel. 'Long' means anything longer than your typical daily ride — so anything from one hour upwards is recommended, depending on your fitness and goals. A long ride is also a great opportunity to explore new areas and visit new destinations.

4\Try Biking Intervals

To balance out your long ride, try experimenting with some faster-paced riding. Sessions can be infinitely varied, but basically you are looking to ride faster for a short period, for example 10 minutes, followed by a recovery period and then a couple of repeats of the faster effort. Always include a good warm-up and cool-down before and after your session.

5\Build Up Your Strength

Specific strength training will enhance your cycling, particularly for the legs, back and arms. The following exercises are key ones to focus upon but should always be included as part of a fully balanced program:

Leg exercises: Gymnasium exercises such as leg presses and weighted squats, or lunges and bodyweight squats, are ideal for building leg strength.Arm exercises: Bicep curls and tricep presses will strengthen your arms and keep them balanced.Back exercises: Dumbbell rows and lat pull-downs will focus on upper to mid back strength, while back extensions will train the lower back.

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