Some MTB skills you can practice in the street

 While urban streets might not match the beauty of a typical mountain bike destination, you’d be surprised at how easy it is to replicate many of the features you find on a bike trail right outside your front door. So whether it's on your morning commute or in your driveway, here are seven bike skills you can get working on right away.

1. Skinnies


Riding in a straight line might sound incredibly easy, but as many of us quickly learn it’s much harder than it seems. While it might not be a skill to write home about, precision is fundamental in mountain biking so it’s well worth putting the practice in.

In order to ride skinnies, such as logs or ridges, you need to be able to hold a line and be balanced. The good thing about them is that you can practice skinnies pretty much anywhere and make them as difficult or as easy as you like – if you’re new to this, start with some flat road lines and work your way up to pavement curbs, then more raised ledges as you progress.

2. Trackstand

A trackstand is the term used when you stand on your bike while stationary. It's not the most exhilerating trick in the book, but it’s a useful skill for stopping and starting, as well as improving your overall balance on a bike.

Traffic lights are the perfect opportunity to have a go at practicing, although you might want to find somewhere a bit more private if you think you might crumble under the pressure of an audience. Keep your hands light, your weight centred and keep persevering, as once it clicks it's a skill you've got for life.

3. Manual


A manual might look remarkably similar to a wheelie, but instead of pedalling to propel your front wheel up it is instead initiated by shifting your bodyweight towards the back of the bike. It’s a particularly handy skill for avoiding ruts or other hazards that crop up on trails.

Once you've got a manual dialled you're then well on the way to learning a load of other tricks (including the bunny hop), so it's worth persevering with. 

4. Bunny hop

There’s nothing like an inconveniently placed log to kill your downhill rush if you find yourself having to slow down and shuffle around it. Such a problem can be easily solved with the bunny hop. If you can already manual then you’re most of the way there – you just need to shift your weight forward when you’re at the peak of your manual.

White lines are a great starting point for getting to grips with judging the distance needed for a bunny hop and then you can gradually increase the height of the obstacle as you gain in confidence. If you’re worried about falling then there’s no shame in hitting the park to have a go on the comfort of grass while you're still sussing it out.

 

5. Wallride


Riding into a wall is counterintuitive, so for obvious reasons learning how to do a wallride can be fairly intimidating. With more wallrides popping up as features in bike parks and trail centres it's a skill worth having up your sleeve and once you get it right it can look pretty impressive. When practicing off the trails just be careful whose wall you’re hitting…

6. Steps


Roots and rocks are a trademark feature of mountain biking so you’d be wise to get as much practice in as you can. Steps are a fun way of replicating the technical skills needed for riding roots and rock steps, so find a decent set and get sessioning. Once you feel comfortable have a go at taking your stair riding to the next level by trying some manuals. 

7. Cornering


Cornering correctly can make you visibly quicker on a downhill track so it's well worth taking the time to practice getting the style and fluidity right. With a bit of imagination, tight backroads and twisty alleyways can become the perfect scenario to help you master the art of cornering and get a handle on switchbacks. Make sure to mix it up with both fast and slow turns.

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