5 skills that every cyclist should master
Many people know that Martin Söderström is one of the most stylistic bikers. The way he moves and stows his bike sometimes is really amazing. How does he do it? Well, sometimes Martin gives some tips on his Instagram account and elsewhere. But before moving on to complex movements, Söderström recommends perfecting simple ones-that way, your skating will look more stylish and become more fun and interesting to ride.
Note that such movements are relevant not only to those who enjoy slopestyle or dirt jumping. In fact, they can benefit any cyclist, regardless of their discipline, because they allow you to ride faster, clearer and better. And who, tell me, doesn't want that?
And so it's worth taking the time to practice these movements in the skatepark or somewhere else-in which case, you'll soon be rushing the local slopes, showing off the real style.
Willy
The wheelie is a classic element that can be used just about anywhere: during a downhill race, on the pump track, or simply while going grocery shopping. Willy looks good and is a really practical skill that can help you with your obstacles on the tracks.
How to work out
- Find a stretch of road with a slight slope and engage a medium gear.
- Lower the saddle to half the height you normally use.
- To lift the front wheel into the air, bend your arms and lower your chest toward the handlebars.
- Then pull out the steering wheel and raise the front wheel, starting to pedal.
- When the wheel is raised, straighten your arms and keep your weight behind you to prevent it from falling.
- Then combine lifting the handlebars with pedaling to move forward.
- And to keep your balance, use the dumbbell, move your knees to your sides and change your body position.
Manual
Manual and wheelie looks similar at first glance, except that during wheelie you are pedaling, and manual occurs when you shift your body weight back and pull the handlebars toward you. This is another great skill that can help you overcome roots, double rolls and other obstacles on the trails, and it is the first step in learning how to bunny hop.
How to work out
To begin, slide back slowly so that the pelvis is above the axis of the rear wheel. Pull the steering wheel toward you (but without overdoing it).
Use your legs and pelvis to find your balance point. Shift your body weight back and forth to keep the front wheel in the air
Bunny hop
Bunny hop is one of the necessary and useful skills on any track. It will allow you to jump over roots, fallen trees, rocks and other obstacles without slowing down. Actually, bunny hop is a combination of two movements: raising the front and rear wheels. These two lifts must be combined into one explosive movement to lift both wheels off the ground.
How to work out
Front wheel lift:
The first step here is, roughly, the same manual in which you have to slip into the bike and assume a low position approximately in the middle, bending your arms and legs. As a result, you pull the steering wheel toward you to raise the front wheel.
Once the front wheel is raised, lean on the pedals and stretch while keeping the bike on the rear wheel.
Then - lifting the rear wheel:
Keep the cranks horizontal and squat slightly.
From this position, move forward through the movement of your pelvis. Try to engage and lift the pedals and the entire back of the bike with your feet.
The more you shift your weight forward, the more the rear wheel will lift.
So you have to combine both movements-this will be the bunny hop. Bunny hop takes a lot of practice and perfection, so it will be easy and in one movement.
Jumping
Both bunny hops and ski jumps involve taking off from the ground, the difference being that you do the bunny hop on a flat surface, and the jump already requires a trampoline, and therefore involves a different technique. Knowing how to jump correctly on ski jumps will have a significant impact on your skating. Instead of flying out of control on local bumps, you will eventually be able to jump more elegantly, farther and higher, and in the future, perhaps learn a few tricks.
How to train
- Find a small jump that is comfortable for you and can be performed at a moderate speed (not too fast, not too slow).
- Keep your weight centered on the bike and lower your body.
- Guide the bike up the ramp by pushing the front wheel into it.
- So as you go down the landing, shift your weight from your hands to your feet and push the bike with them.
- The compression and unloading of the front and rear wheels here occurs in much the same way as the bunny hop. In the air, try to be in the center of the bike and, when landing, soften the blow with your hands and feet. Landing is best with both wheels at the same time.
VIP
When you are already comfortable in the air, you can learn how to VIP. The essence of the VIP is to turn the bike sideways in the air-it sounds simple, but it is actually one of the classic and elegant tricks.
How to train
- First, you can practice flying in an arc slightly and turn the wheel in flight, returning the front wheel to its place before landing. Here it is helpful to think about turning your shoulders, leaving your chest still.
- You move the front wheel with your hands, but the back wheel will go to the side because of the rotation of the pelvis.
- To land straight, simply do the opposite. For example, if you have turned the handlebars to the left and the rear end of the bicycle begins to rotate counterclockwise, you must turn the handlebars and pelvis in the opposite direction, that is, clockwise.
- Here, for many, the hardest thing seems to be returning the bike-and so it is best to start small and not try to wrap the bike too tightly at the beginning of training.