Finding your MTB balance is crucial to feel comfortable on the trail. That doesn’t mean skipping the basics and going straight to popping wheelies or a stoppie. Mountain biking is all about time in the saddle. Building upon things you learn. Hopping past fundamental skills only leads to trouble in the long run. So with that, one of the first things to help with your MTB Balance is figuring out where to put your weight.
Weight Is In The Feet, Not The Hands
Photo: Abner Kingman
Depending on how young at heart you are, you may remember the Crane scene in the original Karate Kid. Daniel LaRusso was perfectly balanced between each kick. Similar to him, your weight should primarily be on your feet. The only thing the hands should be doing is controlling WHERE the bike goes. Today we’re focusing on mtb balance. But if you want to learn more on how to control your bike better from the cockpit, be sure to read MTB Hand Position On Handlebars And Why It Matters.
Athletic Stance On A Bike
Here’s another way to look at it for those that played sports or remember gym class. Think of it as an athletic stance on a bike. Bent knees. Knees above toes and hips open. Chest and eyes up. Hips back. Solid and balanced core, insulated and isolated. The only difference is that instead of weight on your toes, you should have it in the middle of your foot.
As they old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words and so a moving picture is priceless to showcase the basics of MTB balance. Here’s Dylan giving a quick introduction on what you need to think about on your bike:
Just like Karate Kid, understanding where your weight should be will help ensure you’re balanced whatever the trail throws at you. Better yet, if you want to learn more and put it into practice, sign up for one of our in-person skills clinics. As our motto goes, “Get A Bike. Ride With Us. Ride Better” and that will be exactly what happens.
