Im an experienced roadie who recently just bought an XC MTB.

Ive been out on the local trails only a couple times and I really need some advice.

I'm struggling with technique on the technical sections. Steep, loose, rocky ascents, tight downhill switchback corners with loose rocks, maintaining momentum without bouncing around, loosing traction under high wattage, the list goes on... There are some sections that seem impossible to carry momentum.

Im quickly realizing this is a tough sport that is very different from the road. My fitness is not holding me back at all. In fact, I feel like I cant fully utilize it because of interruptions. If I try to put the power down, especially up a steep hill, the back wheel just looses traction, despite my high cadence and trying to keep as smooth as possible. Then, I cant get the bike started again and have to walk it up the hill. Super frustrating.

On the road, I can somewhat keep up with the local fast guys rides. My FTP is 3.8 watts per kg, Ive got a couple KOM's, can run a 10k in 40min flat, etc... On the MTB, its a different story. I would probably get passed by less fit guys simply because they have better technique.

Also, fear is not really a determining factor for me. I used to race motocross, ride crotch rockets, ride BMX as a kid, etc... Ive never been a talented bike handler, but not a bad one either. I was always a mid packer at the local motocross races, could do basic BMX tricks, ride wheelies everywhere, etc... I'm not timid or afraid to push the boundaries a bit. Ive broken bones, taken risks, and grind my teeth in the dirt plenty of times.

I watch some of the fast XC guys on youtube, and its crazy how fast they are and how they are able to just deal with these technical sections no problem. And they do it with clipless pedals, which is just insane.

I would like to know where to start in general. Which order I should learn things, what are the essential fundamentals? How do I best spend my time practicing? When should I start using my clipless pedals?

I want to go fast, and need to start from square one. Please lay a roadmap to success for me that is straight to the point. I need a books, videos, articles with step by step instructions, broken down Barney style, that goes in order from the very basics all the way to advanced.

Rather than write a bunch of words...

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...o+climb+better

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...how+to+descend

Do you have your tire pressure dialed in? Coming from a roadie background, it can be psychologically difficult to go as low as you really can. Make sure the tires are right for the type of terrain you're riding, too.



Mastering Mountain Bike Skills by Brian Lopes & Lee McCormack seems to be the standard recommendation if you're looking for a book. I have it, and it's good. I don't think there's a lot of climbing advice in it though--can't remember for sure, it's been quite a while since I've read it.


https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715/ref=la_B00K1RWS9I_1_1/140-9980682-0628856?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492523781&sr=1-1

Bike details? Hardtail, full sus? Tire size and pressure? 2nd the Lopes book.

2010 trek top fuel 9.8 15", full suspension, 26" wheels. The tires are Schwalbe rocket ron. They do not list the width. I think I'm running about 25lbs of pressure. I weigh only 105lbs.

That's likely WAAAY too high. I'm 155lbs and I run 18F/23R with Schwalbe 2.35in tires.

Let 10psi out of your front tire, and 5psi from your rear tire then try again.

I don't know if I would go to that extreme. He running 26in wheels, we don't know the width of his tires, or if he is tubeless.

You really just need to ride more. You can watch all the youtube videos you want and they will help but you have to ride.

You're tire pressures are fine. I think your main problem is that your on 26" tires and all of the guys you are riding with or watching are probably on 29ers...which do so much better on the chunk.

"only a couple times" may be the issue.

My first few times out were a disaster, but I got the hang of it. It's frustrating, especially with the high standards you appear to hold yourself to.

If you want a more strategic plan to getting better, find a how-to video on a specific skill/obstacle/area for improvement and practice those specifically. Even if that means riding the same section over and over again. Once you feel you've improved sufficiently enough on that, move to something else. Increase your ability by focusing on one or two skills at a time, rather than trying to be the best at every single thing immediately.

Just my $0.02

29ers will give HUGE advantages to rollover, momentum, rolling over chunky stuff etc. As well as traction and a larger foot print for better climbing grip. No pros or serious racers use 26ers. Start there.

29ers aren't magic people lol. He is a newb and that is the problem not the tire size.

Someone who weighs 105 pounds is not going to be able to use a 29er effectively.

The best racing tips are going to be found on Youtube and over at MTBR. Skills with Phil is a youtube channel I really like. https://www.youtube.com/user/ThePhilkmetz

Is too, mine is made from unicorn hooves

" a few times" yup. needs a few years /coaching/group rides/ races. Or all.

Not magic but sure makes things a lot easier.

Ignore these people 29ers are better at some things BETTER not magic and they are also worse at other things. if you can't do something with your 26er you aren't going to be able to do it on a damn 29er either. This is a 105lb person riding a 15" bike anyway so their next bike should probably be a 27.5er which is barely any bigger than a 26er.


BTW I own two 29ers, a 27.5er, and just sold my old beat to death hasn't been ridden in years 26er yesterday so it isn't like I love 26er or something but there isn't anything wrong with them.

I've seen guys ride fairly quick with 26" wheels. The pros used to use them and still went fast.

I understand bigger wheels would be better. But I'm not convinced that it's the limiting factor in my riding.

"used to"

Now with 29ers they go faster.

29ers Are Faster than 26ers, Study Finds | Bicycling

If you understand that bigger wheels would be better then you should also understand it's one of the limiting factors in your riding.

I find it odd that you even bought a 26er.

I bought a 26" bike because it had better suspension, frame, groupset, brakes, ligher wheels than any 29er in my price range. All the 29ers I looked at weighed a good 2-5lbs more, had alloy frames, entry level group, worse suspension,

I didn't realize the wheel size made such a massive difference. This whole MTB thing seems to be more of an equipment sport where the guy with the best bike wins...

It's not . Proportionately, your on a great bike . My old 26" bike feels like a rocket ship in the woods compared to my 29'er.

I'm 5'8 and feel like I'm at the short end of the spectrum to be using a 29'er,

My 2 bikes have similar mission parameters, they are trail bikes, not XC race machines, -- one a 26" Santa Cruz Superlight, the other a 29" Yeti SB.
When I got the Yeti, I rode the bikes back to back on a number of trails trying to find where the 29'er had any real advantage- and this was using a stopwatch and evaluating the speeds on the graphs my Garmin puts out for certain trail segments

While the big 29'er showed some advantages in wide open sections, the smaller bike got it back on tighter singletrack and the overall average speeds are the same

If I do a MTB race I ride the Clydesdale class when there is one, but my license is a cat 2 (not the same as cat 2 on the road, but I'm just telling you that to illustrate that I'm familiar with trying to be competitive)

Don't listen to these guys. You don't need a 29" bike. Sure, they offer SOME advantages, but nothing that should hold you back.

You simply need to ride more. You can read all you want and watch all the videos you want, but riding more is what you need to do. When I first started mountain biking, I had the exact same problems as you. Slipping rear wheel on the steep uphills, descending was difficult, impossible to get started on the steep parts, etc.

It all came with experience.

Ride with someone faster than you. Follow them.

Half of the battle with mountain biking is PICKING YOUR LINE. It's not like road biking where you can just cruise down the path/road. On a mountain bike it's more like "Ok I'm going to go to the left of this rock, flick my tire out a bit, hop this root, brake before I get to the corner, use the berm, etc." All of this has to be done 10-30 yards in advance, depending on how fast you're going. Also, for descending, stand up, pedals level, knees bent, put your weight back. Put the saddle down and out of your way (dropper posts were invented for a reason.) A dropper post was one of the best purchases I ever made for XC (up and down hill) riding.

As for climbing, sit your butt down. Use a HARDER gear (less torque.) Get your weight back enough so you barely don't pull a wheelie. (Picking your line also applies here... why go over a root when you can go around it?)

In mountain biking there is a lot of "throwing your weight" and "throwing the bike's weight" around. Need to get up over a root? Lean back a pop your front wheel over it, then once your front wheel is on the ground and back wheel is about to hit, lean forward and pop your rear wheel over it and at the same time that forward momentum pushes you forward a bit.

You really have to play with momentum. You can't approach a steep technical bit and say "I'll just downshift and take it easy". You have to attack it. Spin up before you get to it and throw your weight up the hill. That's the hardest bit because most people are exhausted going up the hill and then you tell them they have to push HARDER before the hardest bit of the hill? Yeah, difficult, but it has to be done.

Mountain biking IS a technical sport. You need to learn the techniques before you can expect to be successful. You learn those techniques by riding more.

Wheel size doesn't make a huge difference for most riders on most courses. None of the "studies" are scientifically rigorous and are basically just junk to get page-views and clicks.

As mentioned above, pick a good line, learn to corner and learn how/when to brake.

Equipment wise, you probably need to adjust suspension if you are bouncing around -an issue for lightweight people. And if traction is an issue you may want to use different tires. See what others ride where you are and make your choice.

Besides that, technique is not something you'll get in a couple of rides. It will take experience. Some of it can be taught, but most if takes riding.

Ah yes. If you only weigh 105 lbs you likely need to VERY MUCH soften the suspension on your bike. Both the front and rear suspension should sag/compress ~15-20% when you sit on the bike. If the suspension is too BOUNCY, you need to adjust the rebound.

I'd take it to a shop and ask them to help you adjust the suspension.

The motor matters the most in the equation. Match motor to bike equipped to handle the terrain better then it's a win-win.