 |
| Advanced Techniques |
| |
| Line Selection For Maximum Speed |
Your riding will advance to a point where you start to look at things you can do to increase your speed and reduce your race times. Selecting the correct line at every point on the track is very important for maintaining speed. This can mean you need to ride a more difficult line or sometimes take the more straightforward line that everyone else is taking. It’s very useful to sit on the sidelines and watch other riders on a section to see which lines are faster. Sometimes it’s up to you to be creative and use a new line that hasn’t been ridden. Remember, at a race you are permitted to ride any line that is within the event course markings. So, think outside the square, be creative with your line choice and experiment with different lines until you determine the quickest and best line for you.
A fast line selection isn’t always the most obvious line because there are many determining factors to represent a fast line. Consider things such as entry speed, exit speed, speed through the section and speed from that section to the next. Always consider the danger of choosing a line that is faster. It’s never faster to ride a line if you crash!
There are so many variables when it comes to choosing lines on different courses. So it’s impossible to detail every situation you will come across. Just remember to ride within your limits and observe other riders to determine fast lines. Trial and error can be a big part of determining lines that are fastest. |
| |
| Large Jumps And Drops |
| A large part of doing a big drop or jump is commitment. Never attempt a jump or drop that’s beyond your ability. Know exactly what you’re about to ride off and observe other riders doing it before you attempt it. Confirm the line you will use for the approach and stick to that line. Be prepared for the landing to be hard and use your legs and arms to absorb as much impact as possible. Determine the exit from the landing so that, as you take off, you are already prepared to change your line for the next corner or section. Finally, make the decision to do the drop or jump and follow it through to the end. Never pull out of the section at the last minute as you will find yourself in trouble. |
 |
| |
| Strength And Fitness Training |
For any rider, being as strong and fit as possible will help you improve your riding. The best and most fun way to stay fit is to ride your bike as much as possible. Even better than this, get a cross country style bike that can be used for riding longer distances, more comfortably. Riding for long consistent distances a few times a week will improve your aerobic fitness and will benefit you during DH racing because you are able to do more runs with less fatigue. If you have access to a XC style bike or even a road bike, take it out for a ride and try to increase the duration of your rides as you improve. In general, base training, or aerobic fitness training is concentrated on in your pre season, and as you come closer to the race season you may want to concentrate on increasing your leg strength and speed by doing some sprints on the bike. It is very helpful if you can simulate as many situations as possible that you will encounter in your racing.
If you have access to gym equipment it may also be very useful to work on your muscle strength. This can reduce the likely hood of injury and will make your riding experience more enjoyable. Always use the advice of a qualified fitness trainer for strength training. Push ups and sits ups are a great substitute to using weights and cost you nothing. |
| |
| Committing/Preparing for a section |
We will always come across sections of a track that challenge us and make you nervous. The best way to overcome this fear is to ride the section cleanly. To be able to do this you really need to make a commitment to the section and be confident on the bike. Even some corners and off camber section requires commitment to be able to ride them cleanly.
Approach the section with complete confidence and know exactly where you are going and what is approaching. Quite often, committing to a section means you need to carry good speed into that section. Use terrain that has a good solid base that you can have more confidence in changing your line or pumping through. It’s no good trying to punch through a section if you have nothing to work with except dust or mud.
Again, watch as many riders through a section to get an idea of how to ride that section confidently, but look closely at the more experienced riders because they will give you more confidence than less experienced riders.
Gear selection and maximum pedaling efficiency.
If you choose the wrong gear in your downhill run it can mean you could either lose a speed on a fast section, or it could mean you can’t complete a section or clear a jump properly. From the very start of the run, select the correct gear and change as the course speed changes. Make sure your drive train and gear systems are working smoothly otherwise you will always be battling to select the right gear. A new inner and outer cable will go a long way to improving the shifting quality of your bike for little cost.
Always make sure you’re in a gear that gives you the ability to pedal out of any corner with power and increase speed quickly. The first four pedal strokes out of each corner are the most important.
You need to adapt your pedaling between high speed and low speed on all courses. Sometimes it’s neither possible nor efficient to change gears too often between the high speed and low speed sections. You must be able to increase your pedaling speed and maintain the same gear for faster sections. Once you reach a certain speed in a section, you don’t need to change gears, just pedal faster. This will save you from making unnecessary gear changes. Make sure you have your gear selection before your race run and try using different gears during your practice runs to see which works best for you. For your starting gear you will use the same gear on most tracks. Establish which gear you have the best power out of the gate and stick with it. |
 |
| |
| Pedal |
| Pedaling down the course is a great way to increase your speed in sections. Sometimes you need to be very selective when you throw down the power. It is not always beneficial to pedal in some sections as you may be wasting your power and not increasing your speed. It may be a section that has low clearance for your pedals. In this case pedaling will cause your pedal to hit the ground ruining your flow. A good skill to have is the ability to pump your bike over bumps and obstacles. Sometimes pumping your bike can be faster than pedaling in a section and can save your energy. Save your pedaling efforts for when the track really allows you to punch out power and maximize your energy output. For particularly rough sections that require lots of pedaling, use a slightly harder gear than normal, as this will stop you from moving the bike or your feet too much. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
