SoCalTricurious wrote:
N+1, I'm definitely not dancing yet. I don't have a death grip but I did stay seated for as much of the ride as I could and that makes sense.
I will try to think of my limbs and joints as additional "suspension" to encourage the flow. Thanks for the feedback, I hope you feel fully better soon.
That's exactly how you want to think about it.
-> A light, but firm grip on the bars; similar to a golf grip.
-> Elbows slightly bent and arms/shoulders relaxed. (1) To help absorb bumps; and (2), if your arms are locked out/tight and you hit something that makes your front wheel jerk, you could cross up your arms and go down.
-> Get out of the saddle for rough terrain. You don't have to stand all the way up, but get your butt up and let your elbows/knees work and save your back; even if you have a full suspension bike.
-> Look ahead and where you want to go, the faster you go the further ahead you look.
-> Don't focus on an obstacle - you WILL hit it. Look, recognize it's there, and then look past it; just like trail running.
-> Counterbalance is important. If you can't pedal through a corner, your inside pedal is up and weight is shifted towards the outside pedal.
-> If you can't already - learn to ride up/down a curb.
-> There's no zoning out/day dreaming in mountain biking. If you do, you'll be picking yourself up off the ground; again, just like trail running.
Enjoy the dirt. That's my background and first love.
Try not to drown / rock the bike / hobby-jog