Wheelies & bunny hops

By this time just about all mountain bike trails in the Midwest have dried out and opened. So most avid mountain bikers have already hit the singletrack. However, few of us live near real mountain bike trails and getting to those trails during the week is almost impossible, especially while holding a job and raising a family. I actually know busy racers who train 100 percent on the roads and only ride singletrack on race days.

It takes more than a big engine to become an expert mountain biker. And since most of us don't have easy access to singletrack, there has to be another way. Last month we looked at some ways to improve our mountain biking skills on the roads, emphasizing low speed control, holding an intended line and ultra slow turns.

This month we'll continue to look at ways to improve your mountain biking skills even if your week day biking is limited to routes that start at your driveway. Again, this means leaving the road bike in the garage and heading out on the mountain bike.

Lifting the front wheel

Lifting the front wheel is the key to getting over obstacles, large and small. To hit the bigger ones head on is a sure way to an end-over-end crash with a potentially disastrous outcome. So lifting that front wheel is not a showoff move, It's a basic skill needed for safe biking. You'll maintain momentum much more easily if you lift the front wheel over significant rocks or roots.

The full story appears in the May 2012 print edition of Silent Sports. Don't miss an issue! Subscribe online here.