• Saddle Height: The saddle height should allow for a slight bend in the knee when the foot and pedal is at the lowest position. When adjusting saddle height, make small adjustments up or down and make sure to use the recommended torque for the seat clamp. Have athletes try the new saddle height and make further adjustments as needed. 

• Brake Levers: Brake levers need to be set up and adjusted specifically for the rider so they can rest a finger on each lever at all times. There are three ways to adjust each brake lever. 

  • Side to Side 

  • Rotation

  • Reach

How To Set Up And Adjust Your Brakes - Video 

• Cockpit Setup: The cockpit of a mountain bike consists of handlebars, grips, and stem, and levers for the brakes, shifters, and dropper post. Most cockpits are not set up for younger student-athletes with smaller hands. Riders need to be able to reach all of their controls easily and comfortably to ensure safety. 

  • Handlebar Rotation: A proper handlebar setup will feel comfortable across a variety of terrain. The goal is to find a natural position gripping the bar, optimizing the contact between your palm and the grip. You can play with rotating the whole handlebar forward or backward in the stem to move the controls back toward your body or farther away. It’s okay to make changes to your handlebar position after it is set up. Remember that when you change the handlebar position, you are also rotating the brake levers, shifter levers, and grips.  

  • Shift Levers: Shifters should be positioned so the rider can reach both shift paddles without having to move or re-grip their hand. The goal is to have both the shifter paddles fall comfortably under the thumb or index finger, without interfering with your thumb when it’s gripping the handlebars*. Mountain bikes can come with one, two, or three front chainrings. If the bike has two or three chainrings, there will be a shift lever on the left side of the handle bars for a front derailleur. The lever controlling the rear derailleur is on the right side of the handlebars. 

*Gripshift and friction shifters are exceptions for this.

• Dropper Post Lever: Some mountain bikes are equipped with dropper seat posts that are able to telescope up and down to provide the optimal riding position for climbing, descending, and riding technical terrain. Dropper posts are controlled by a lever that is typically mounted on the left side of the handlebars. On 1x drivetrains the dropper lever is typically the only control on the left side of the handlebars. On a 2x or 3x system, the dropper lever needs to coordinate with the shift lever. Find a comfortable position for the dropper post lever. It should be easy to access the paddle with your thumb. Prioritize shifting over dropper lever placement. 

How to Fit a Bike Helmet - Video 

The 3 key essentials are necessary to perform all mountain biking skills. 

1. Level pedals, athletic stance (Neutral Position)

2. Finer on each brake lever at all times

3. Head up, eyes, scanning ahead

Shifting is used to maintain an efficient and comfortable pedaling cadence while riding over varied terrain. When cadence is too low, more force is required to pedal which can cause early or excessive fatigue. It can also create unnecessary strain on the knee joint. When cadence is too high, the rider is unable to accelerate. As a coach, we want to provide guidance on how and when to shift the gears. Use terminology such as “easier/harder” gear because they correspond to sensations that the rider will feel when they shift. 

It is far easier to harm a trail than to repair or restore it. The more you respect the dirt the more fun we’ll all be able to have on it.

Soil types respond differently to moisture, so check with local riders and bike shops about trail conditions. Some rocky and sandy soils drain quickly and ride better with some rain. In contrast, soils with a high clay content hold water and take on the consistency of peanut butter or wet cement. Deep ruts and footprints form quickly in wet clay-rich soil, and trails can be difficult to repair once these ruts and footprints harden.

Even when trails are generally dry and appropriate to ride on, you may encounter occasional puddles or muddy spots. Your goal should be to keep the dirt where it is and to keep the trail at its current width. That means riding through the water or mud rather than widening the trail by riding around it. It also means slowing down to minimize the amount of soil you displace.

Respecting the soil also means minimizing your impact on trail erosion. Many trail systems pass through fragile ecosystems. Even with sustainable trail building practices, irresponsible trail use can lead to damage. Control your speed to minimize skids and power slides. Ride over obstacles because riding around them can create channels for rainwater.

Respecting the dirt ensures that individual trails continue to be fun and safe for all users. In the bigger picture, it is equally important to respect trail networks, the people who build them, and the people working to maintain access to them.

Switchbacks exist to create sustainable trails in steep terrain. Cutting switchbacks destroys vegetation that’s already hanging on for dear life and creates erosion channels. Similarly, respect the layout of planned trails; if the trail goes around the right side of a tree, don’t cut the corner by shortcutting to the left. This leads to trail braiding, which eventually turns narrow singletrack into a dirt boulevard.

Trail advocacy groups and land managers spend years working through the steps required to build trails legally. Unsanctioned trail building undermines their efforts and reinforces negative stereotypes about mountain bikers. Illegal trail building can slow or stop the building of new, legal trails. It can also eliminate mountain bike access to entire trail systems. 

Pack out whatever you pack in. This includes food wrappers, tubes, and human/animal waste. Leave what you find, including trail features. Don’t add things, either, like decorative cairns or ruts from skidding.

Trails are places people go to connect with nature, have fun with friends, challenge themselves, and find peace. The ways trail users interact with each other can enhance the experience or create conflicts. Learning to respect others is an essential aspect of using trails responsibly.

The ‘yield triangle’ has been the longstanding basis for right of way on multi-use trails. The basic rules associated with the yield triangle include:

·         Cyclists and mountain bikers yield to hikers, runners, and equestrians

·         Hikers and runners yield to equestrians.

·         Downhill users yield to uphill users.

The yield triangle is a good starting point for establishing right of way, but situational awareness and polite communication are crucial for minimizing trail conflicts. In many cases, particularly when cyclists slow down and use a bell or politely announce their presence, hikers and runners may yield because it’s easier for them to step to the side. However, as a cyclist you should not expect hikers and runners to give right of way.

Similarly, sometimes there is plenty of room for uphill and downhill mountain bike traffic to move past each other without stopping. In these instances, uphill traffic should be given access to the preferable line. There may also be instances where trying to stop places the downhill rider at greater risk. These are not ideal situations, and all attempts should be made to avoid such encounters, but when they happen harm reduction takes precedence over right of way.

Cyclists and mountain bikers typically move faster than hikers and runners on multi-use trails. High speed encounters with cyclists can be startling for hikers and runners, especially if they don’t see or hear you coming. Reduce your speed in areas without clear lines of sight, equip your bike with a bell, and/or announce your presence. If another trail user can’t hear you because they are wearing headphones, try to get their attention or wait until there is enough room to pass safely. Similarly, riding with headphones can prevent you from hearing other trail users.

Remember that a nice ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ can go a long way to creating a positive impression. If you are part of a group, the lead rider should try to tell a hiker or runner how many riders are coming. The final rider should similarly announce they are the last member of the group. If an encounter with a hiker, runner, equestrian, or another cyclist doesn’t go as well as you planned, be polite and diplomatic, and take responsibility for your part in the situation. Mending hurt feelings may prevent that trail user from venting frustration on the next rider they encounter.