My advice to roadies is to learn how your body position affects your handling. I know a lot of roadies that don't know how to "ride" a mountain bike. They are too stiff, too rigid. On a road bike, you get on and pedal and pedal, turn occasionally, stand to sprint. That's it.

On a mountain bike, you are all over the bike. Seated but leaned forward when climbing. Hanging your butt off the back of the saddle when descending. Leaning back over loose dirt. Dropping the ouside leg, pointing the inside knee when slamming through a turn.

You've got to be fluid on your bike. Learn to get off the saddle and dance on the bike.

Another tip. Learn to bunny hop without the clipless pedals. Platform pedals for the first 6 months of riding off-road would be my recommendation. Learn to use your bike and your body, then go back to the clipless for pedaling efficiency.

Go to your local BMX track and have some kid teach you the proper way to bunny hop (or J-Hop) w/o the clipless. You'll appreciate this when your skill gets to the point where you want to start jumping your bike.