Shifting Weight on a Mountain Bike
A mountain bike is a fairly stable bike due to its wide tires. You can shift your weight from side to side to turn your bike. You can use the handlebar to make more precise movements. You can also shift your weight forward or backward on the bike to increase stability.
Here are some quick tips on shifting your weight:
When sitting, weight is distributed 40:60, front and back respectively.
When going downhill, shift weight back to improve traction on your rear tire and to help prevent going over the handlebars.
When climbing hills, lean forward to help prevent your front tire from lifting of the ground. Do not stand up. This takes too much weight off the rear tire. You will lose all traction and spin your tires. Over time you will notice that you will be shifting your weight a lot, both left to right and front to back. If you watch professionals racing, you will notice the riders constantly shifting weight you will notice the constant weight shifting the rider will be doing in order to have the bike in the place they want it to be at.
We will discuss more about distributing weight and how it will help you handle your bike when cornering, climbing or descending.
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