Riding Better in 2025

My attitude toward riding has changed over the years, perhaps in parallel with my attitude towards life. There was a time when I wished I was a more rad descender, but all I did to turn that wish into reality was ride my bike. I probably thought I was pretty good already, which I wasn't. This began back in mountain biking's dark ages, when there wasn't much information around about technique or skills. Or an Internet. Thankfully, I've since become a more attentive and (sometimes) even diligent student who is quite keen on progression.

I'd like to be a better climber and improve my endurance, but that's not what lights me up. What I really want is to keep improving my descending skills and become a faster, smoother and more skilled descender.

Getting better at something you love is addictive. I've made some gains in my riding performance over the last few years and I'd like to continue that trend, and perhaps accelerate it, and while there is a me-sized obstacle in the way, I'm gradually stepping aside.

The first step in that process is to identify habits that line up with progression. The second, which I have struggled with at times, is making those habits stick. I have been consistent with some, but most have been a bit haphazard, and I'm starting to feel like time is running out. Not for mountain biking that is, but for improvement. Short of a career-ending injury, I will keep riding as long as I can swing a leg over. I'll turn 59 shortly and I'd say I'm a better downhiller, in most ways, than ever, but gains are likely to be harder won as the clock ticks so, it appears to be go time.

With that in mind, here are a few strategies and activities that, when I've managed to be consistent with them, have helped push the needle in the right direction.

Strengthening (Deep) Core

I learned about deep core strength relatively late in life and when I did, the news wasn't cheery. My core stability was near zero. I could do lots of sit-ups and leg raises, so my abdominal strength (sometimes referred to as outer core) was okay, but my deep core muscles were shit. These muscles* connect our upper lower bodies, which is obviously pretty key to mountain biking.

This one is actually in the win column. In 2024 I was more consistent than ever about pushups and planks than any year I can remember. Every other day I do some pushups and planks first thing in the morning.** Obviously strong shoulders and arms are important to mountain biking but for me the main benefit of these exercises is core strength. This realization has also changed my approach.

When I was younger I could do pushups but my technique was garbage. Now, rather than focussing on how many I can do, I do the best pushups I can, trying to keep my body as flat and still as possible, but still to failure. I do other core exercises as well and try and incorporate these muscles into yoga and even walking the dog.

Strengthening my deep core has improved my balance, my stability on the bike, helped me avoid injury during a fall and reduced my chronic back pain dramatically. Working these muscles requires some attention and knowledge so if you are interested, find an expert or use YouTube as a resource. My core education began with instruction at The Fitness Table, which is pretty much dedicated to core strengthening and awareness.

*my understanding is that the most important deep core muscles are the transverse abdominis and the pelvic floor muscles - but I'm not an expert on this stuff. I just know what has worked for me.

**Trevor Hansen, the retired high school "physical engineer," taught me that gains and recovery are both maximized with every second day pushups (etc.) rather than daily.

Visit a Bike Park (indoor or outdoor) or a Pumptrack and/or Ride a Hardtail

Nothing resets my skills like spending time riding a hardtail or bmx on a pump track or on some jumps. When I get back to the trail, I feel like my suspension is kind of irrelevant to my performance and my riding takes a leap forward every time I do it. And how much do I do it? Not enough. Now that we have access to North Shore Bike Park, you'd think I'd be there all the time. Instead I have a hard time getting my ass there, despite how fun it is and how much it helps my riding. This one is a no brainer.

Riding a hardtail on trails is also revolutionary for your skills. When you get back on your dually, it will feel like every bump on the trail has disappeared. We get used to what we have, so handicapping ourselves can make for big gains. Of course Andrew Major would suggest riding full rigid, but I'm not a complete masochist.

Be Obsessive About Suspension Tuning

Getting OCD about knob turning when you are testing a bike is pretty much essential to squeeze out maximum performance. For me this means bracketing by repeating a section of trail while isolating one component of the bouncy devices, like fork rebound or shock compression, until you've found the sweet spot. Obviously I pay attention to my fun meters as well, to see if I'm using the right amount of travel and I check pressures before every ride. Where I tend to get lazy is my own bike (unless I'm testing suspension) and this happens too often. Sometimes I ride with a shock pump but not when I can help it, and I regularly find my pressure is off.

Suspension tuning gets easier when you lean into it, and twisting knobs one at a time to full off and then full on, riding the same section of trail, will give you a better idea of how each adjustment impacts your descending skills.

The next level, at least for air shocks, is to try some changes to your volume spacers, if yours have that option. More spacers will make your suspension more progressive, while fewer will make it more linear.

This is a very deep rabbit hole but even paying a little more attention to your settings, by recording your settings and any changes in your phone, (and including the date) can bring some big benefits.

Muck About

This covers two distinct areas; setup on the bike, and playing around and trying things whenever you are on your bike, even if there is no trail in sight.

Setup

Every time I change my setup a little, I learn something. I don't always decide the change is beneficial, but it helps me zero in on what works for me. The latest one, that has proven to help my riding, is riser bars; a small change to my riding position that has made a significant difference. Without trying them out, I wouldn't have known they would help.

This could be many different changes; pedal type, bar roll or width, seat post drop, grips, reach etc. You can buy stuff used if you aren't ready to commit or ride a buddy's bike to test something out. The important thing is to be open minded. I am pigheaded by nature, and a Luddite by birth, but becoming a bike tester has beaten both out of me.

Muck About In the Parking Lot

This idea was oringally articulated to me in an article Seb Kemp wrote for us years ago, but it seems to have been swallowed by the server. The idea is that practice can happen anywhere, and it often looks silly, which shouldn't dissuade us.

A few examples are practicing wheelies, bunnyhops, manuals or stoppies. You an also practice pivoting 360º, in small hops, on your front or rear wheel, doing level lifts etc. Some of these are directly transferrable to the trail and others help wheel position awareness and balance, but all of them are beneficial and can be done anywhere.

Another way to do this is by going on an "urban ride" and tackle elevated curbs, loading docks, stairs and some natural gaps. This is a great way to spend a few hours learning and honing some skills.

Below is a video by Aaron Lutze highlighting a few of these moves and explaining why they are useful.

Get Some Instruction

Obviously the best way to learn mountain biking skills is with the help of a qualified instructor, but YouTube can be pretty helpful as well. It's been a few years for me and I'm due for an in-person refresher.

Each time I go back, I learn something new and refine what I have learned before. Every time I ride, particularly when I'm struggling, I focus on things I have been taught by experts like Shaums March and Joel Harwood of Blueprint Athlete Development, particularly when I feel like I'm flailing.

You don't need an instructor to ride some cones (or rocks or piles of dirt) on a dirt road though and that's remarkable for skill development. Of course it's even better when someone other than your know-it-all buddy is there to tell you what you're doing wrong.

Be Fanatical about Maintenance and Repair

Nothing can mess up a ride like a bike that isn't running well. Too many times I have been guilty of putting my slightly broken bike away after a ride and then not touching it until heading out for the next ride. This is another one that is trending better, but when you know your bike is perfect, or close to it, it's a huge confidence booster.

One thing that helps this process for me is keeping the bike clean. You notice things when you are scrubbing off mud and are more likely to tackle maintenance on a bike that is nice and shiny.

Doing a bolt check every once in awhile is a good practice as is inspecting your brake pads, tires, wheels and chain. It's always better to bleed your brakes before there is a problem as well.

Obviously you can have this stuff done in a bike shop but the more you learn to do personally, the more likely it is that your bike will be in fine fettle.

2025

That's a fine number for a year and it seems like a good one to lean into with some vigour. Hopefully some of these tips that have worked for me will be beneficial to you in the year to come.

Please let me know what has you've found helpful.

Happy (almost) New Year!