Are you new to mountain biking? Launching into this intense sport can be a challenge yet prove to be so rewarding. Mountain biking helps keep you active, provides adventure, and is a great hobby to adopt with friends and family. We’ve compiled a list of 10 mountain biking tips for beginners to help get you started. Ski Apache has some of the best biking trails in New Mexico for you to begin and advance on.
1: Know Your Fitness Level
Different mountain biking trails and even the bikes themselves are suited to different riders. Treat mountain biking like interval training. If you try a trail that you are not prepared for, you can suffer serious injuries while riding. When you’re first starting out, pick trails that fit your fitness level and make sure to bring enough water on your ride.
2: Look Where You Want to Go
One of the biggest mistakes that novice mountain bikers make while on their first few rides is staring at the ground. Looking at the things you don’t want to hit will lead you right into them. Instead, look ahead to where you want to go. Look as far down the trail as possible and keep your chin parallel to the ground.
3: Always Wear Sunglasses
Mountain bikers don’t just wear sunglasses to look cool. Eyewear provides the necessary protection against debris that will come flying at you on the trail. To avoid rocks, wind, dirt, and tree limbs, wear sunglasses whenever you ride.
4: Study Your Trails Before You Go
This tip goes hand in hand with knowing your fitness level. Before you try a new trail, visit your local bike shop or go online to find maps and trail advice for your new destination. You can match your trail choices to your fitness and skill levels and know where the Up and Down trails are before you go. Check out Ski Apache’s mountain biking trails map.
5: Practice Uphill Biking
Practice makes perfect. To practice riding uphill, get into a lower gear and put more power and frequency into your pedaling. Make sure that your tires have enough traction so it does not pop up.
6: Practice Downhill Biking
Downhill biking is another skill you want to master before hitting your first trail. Big downhills can be intimidating, but make sure to follow this key advice: look ahead at where you want to go and your bike will follow. Shift into a higher gear to maintain stability while downhill biking.
7: Shift Your Weight in Rough Terrain
When you hit a rough patch of land while mountain biking, maintaining control becomes more difficult. When going through extreme terrain, shift your weight forward to keep your center of gravity over the rear wheel in uphill situations. In downhill situations, shift your weight back.
8: Go Easy on Your Brakes
It can be very tempting to grab your brakes and pull them hard. This could knock you off balance. Mountain bike brakes are very powerful, so only use one or two fingers to control your speed.
9: Use All of Your Gears
Trails can be unpredictable and often have rough conditions. You need your gears to control your bike over this uneven terrain, so make sure to use as many of them as you can. Anticipate changing your gears before you need to, so you can keep your momentum.
10: Trust Gravity
Riding a mountain bike can be scary, especially at fast speeds. However, don’t be afraid of using gravity to your advantage. Going too slow can make you trip or get stuck on an obstacle that you could easily glide over quickly. Use gravity to help guide you around obstacles on the trail.
Mountain Biking Trails in New Mexico
New Mexico, otherwise known as the Land of Enchantment, is filled with expansive landscapes that attract mountain bikers from all over the world. The state’s rural nature has made it an ideal destination for outdoor activities and remains largely untouched by the masses. While parts of New Mexico have gained popularity for mountain biking like Santa Fe, the state is filled with several trails that are far less busy.
Ski Apache in southern New Mexico hosts some of the best mountain biking trails in the area, suitable for all riders. You’ll bike through the Sierra Blanca mountains and explore over 5.5 miles of trails. We make it easy to explore all day with gondola rides up the mountain.
Now that you know a little bit more about mountain biking in New Mexico, you can begin safely navigating the state’s breathtaking hills. If you’re looking for professionals who can help you with downhill biking and more, visit Ski Apache today!