The Proper Pedal Stroke and Cadence

       A cyclist's pedal stroke is a much overlooked factor of his endurance on the trail (or on the road, for that matter). Effectively spreading the load across as many muscle groups as possible can noticeably improve your speed and ease of riding.

       First of all, make sure your seat is at such a height that you can get maximum power out of every stroke. When your tush is comfortably in the saddle and your heel is on the pedal at the bottom of your stroke, your leg should be pretty much locked. You should not have to stretch to reach the pedal, but your leg shouldn't really be bent in this position. Adjust your seatpost so that the above is true. Now, when the ball of your foot is on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke, it should have a little bit of bend to it. This is the best position for max efficiency pedaling.

       Your legs should move like they're churning butter, with a fluid but brisk motion. A good cyclist pushes down the pedal, pulls it backward, and pulls it upward all in a smooth action. This motion can be internalized very easily by most, just by concentrating solely on pulling the knees up towards the chest. The downward thrusting of the thigh is already ingrained in anyone who can ride a bike. Concentrating on drawing the knees up to the chest completes the stroke.

Now, spreading out the work of a pedal stroke amongst muscles other than the thigh is only effective if your cadence is effective. If you don't pedal quickly enough, you'll be grinding along in too high of a gear; only your thighs have the muscle mass to pedal like this. If your cadence is to fast, however, you'll find yourself bouncing around in the seat, wasting energy left and right. A good rule of thumb is to maintain as high a cadence as possible without bobbing around in the saddle. Remember, if you're just pedaling with your thighs, a high cadence will be flung out of control very quickly by the powerful muscle. It's important to focus on the chest-to-knee motion so that you're energy output (per stroke) is light enough for a high cadence.

     It can be difficult at first to get this technique down, especially with those that are reluctant to downshift! Try practicing on a road bike to get your stroke down pat before you take it to the trail.

The Wheelie Hop

Ah... the wheelie hop. So you can wheelie, and you can J-hop... but this begs the question: can you wheelie hop? Of course you can! A wheelie hop is a lot like a J-hop, but instead of just throwing all your weight back to get the front wheel up, a wheelie is executed to get it up in a hurry, then follow through with your jump. This is a lot harder to time than the two basic bike hops.

1. Coast at a good "wheelie speed" on flat ground, in a gear that you deem fitting for a STANDING wheelie. As in, a wheelie that is popped while out of the saddle.
2. When your strong foot is in the back of the stroke, push down with your weaker foot to start the wheelie. Popping a wheelie with your less dominant foot is more tricky, but this insures that when it comes time to hop, your "good" foot will be at the front of your stroke.
3. This step needs to be timed so that your weight transfer coincides with your pedal stroke. When your wheelie is at its peak, your dominant foot should reach the front of your pedal stroke. This is a very magical moment that must be seized! Really, just go with the flow; toss your weight forward a bit while lifting the rear wheel by the pedals (just like in the J-hop).
4. Try to land with the back wheel a tad earlier or both wheels at once.

This move is all about timing. It's crucial for your wheelie to be peaking as your dominant foot is forward so that you can go ahead and hop while your weight is in the right place. Even harder is timing this technique with an obstacle to jump over! If you master it, your reward is being able to clear even higher objects at even slower speeds.

How to Drop a Ledge

We see pro bikers "hucking" huge drops in every kind of imaginable bike media. Perhaps the mere mortal might like to huck as the the grandmasters do. Taking a drop really is extremely simple. All that it entails is a popping of the front wheel, much like in the J-Hop. However, a different strain of dropping on a mountain bike can involve pulling a wheelie off the edge at a slower speed. As I describe the process of dropping, I'm assuming that we're dealing with a 3-4 foot drop. Let's start with the easier of the two, the manual drop:

1. Make sure you are moving at a good speed as you approach the edge of the drop. Failure to do so will result in a nosedive. This would be unpleasant.
2. Pop your front wheel up as you prepare to drop the ledge. Do this by first crouching with your knees and elbows, and subsequently throwning your wieght to the rear of your bike while making a "jumping" or exploding action with your legs. Lead this backward thrust with the small of your back, and finally follow with your arms pulling on the handlebars.
3. The previous step needs to be well timed, such that your front wheel is at its peak hieght as your rear wheel drops off the ledge. It should also be noted, though, not to pop too much, as this will have you laying on your back on the low side of a 4 foot drop. However, be sure to pop enough, or a nosedive will result, which will have you on your stomach on the low side of 4 foot drop. Either scenario is none too pleasant.
4. Stay relaxed in flight. Don't straighten out. Don't scrunch up. Just look at your landing.
5. As you near landing, extend your legs a bit so that your rear wheel touches down first. Keep your weight back at this point so that your front tire doesn't smash down violently.
6. Exhale.

The wheelie drop is to be executed at at a slower speed, when a simple pop of the front wheel would not keep it in the air long enoung for the rear wheel to make it off the drop. It's a bit more of a balancing act. Don't try it until you're confident doing a wheelie on flat ground.

1. Appraoch the edge of the drop, standing up, at a slow enough speed to wheelie be sure to be in a higher gear than usual, since you pedal with more power when standing.
2. When the front wheel is at the edge of the drop, lean back and pedal up into a wheelie. Keep pedalling to sustain this wheelie until the rear wheel drops off the ledge.
3. As your rear wheel drops off the ledge, let your front wheel fall back forward just a bit to avoid going over backward.
4. Allow your rear wheel to land first, and ride on your way.
   

How to do a J-Hop

Doing a J-Hop is a bit more tricky than the bunny hop, if nothing else for the fact that it requires weight shift, not just leg spring. However, J-hopping is more applicable on the trail (and it's more impressive) because your front wheel enters the air before the back, which means that you can jump higher and that you can take flight a tad later, since you don't have to worry about your front wheel hitting the obstacle. Let's do this. Ready?

1. Find a flat area and start coasting while standing up. Make sure you have enough speed to be balanced comfortably, but not so much that you crash and burn upon failure. Once you get better, you can place an obstacle such as a log on the ground to hop over.
2. Rock your body weight forward a little to get some momentum, and then throw your weight backwards, pulling back on the handlebars. Imagine the small of your back leading the rest of you into the rear. Don't just throw your weight back, though; "jump" with your legs as well for some upward momentum. Practice to find a good combination of these two motions that will get your front wheel a good bit off the ground (no wheelies allowed!).
3. When your front wheel has reached it's "peak," just before it stops rising altogether, lift up the back wheel with the friction of your foot against the pedal, just like in a regular bunny hop. It's important that you make a "jumping" motion with your legs back in step two, because they need to be extended in this step to lift your back wheel towards your body!
4. Let the back wheel land first, your weight remaining in the rear. If your wieght is forward at this point, your front wheel with smash down not-so-smoothly; it's not a good feeling.

Part of what makes the J-hop so hard is that you need such a fluidity in weight transfer. To develop this, unfortunately, practice is required. Once you get good at J-hopping, here are some other tidbits to think about:

• Practice your timing so that you can lift the front wheel as you approach an obstacle, and take flight with your back wheel at the last moment. This makes it possible to clear objects at slower speeds.
• You can hop sideways onto surfaces parallel to your bike if you are weighted slightly in that direction as you lift the front wheel. Imagine beginning a turn, but then popping your wheel up instead.
• Using the simple front wheel pop without actually taking flight is infinitely useful as well. It's great when hitting a patch of mud or a puddle at speed.

Buying a New Mountain Bike

       The thing people ask me about the most is picking out a new mountain bike. There are tons of factors that go into the purchase of a new bike, but the dizzying array of possible setups can be much simplified! As I write this, I assume readers are in the market for a cross-country mountain bike. This is probably thought of as your "normal" mountain bike, as opposed to a trials or downhill bike. Anywho, let's get started.
       First, let's talk about brands. There are tons of brands out there, and some are not-so-legitimate. A good general rule of thumb is that any brand you find in your local bike shop (not Wal-Mart or Target) will be of sufficient quality for trail riding. I've personally had good experiences riding Specialized, Cannondale, Trek, Intense, and Kona bikes. As fate may have it, these are all reasonably priced as well (although Intense's price tags are debatable). In short: for the sake of all that is holy, don't buy a bike (if you plan to ride it on trails) from a general mega-retailer like K-mart. If you are just looking for some list of sweet bikes, jump to the last paragraph, and skip over the breadth of my infinite wisdom :)
       So now you know what NOT to look for. Perhaps the single most important thing you SHOULD look for, however, is correct size. Size really does matter in the context of a mountain bike, and dimensions that are too small or large will put you at a disadvantage. Really, your hieght, rather than wieght is what goes into picking out a correctly sized bike. Personally, I am 6'5'' and ride an XL Specialized Enduro as well as an XXL Allez; so I would know. A good shop should be able to fit a bike for your size better than I can describe, as I am not physically with you. Generally though, a guy around my height would want either an XL frame or XXL frame. Someone around 6'1 should opt for a large; someone 5'7'' would want a medium, and someone 5'3'' would be looking at a small.
       There are a few other dimensions that need attention. Handlebar length, for example, is too often overlooked. Bars that are too short don't allow your chest to open enough during heavy breathing. Huge bars, on the other hand, will hit every tree you ride by, and will generally be cumbersome. Find a happy medium that allows for maximum maneuverability while still keeping your arms far enough apart to allow for full breaths.
       Wheel size is also becoming a choice. Although 26'' wheels are the still norm, 29'' has been in vogue lately. Most should go for the 26'' to start with. However, 29ers are awesome for a certain type of riding. Although they are less maneuverable than standard wheels, they have the tendency to roll right over pretty much anything, which makes technical trails a breeze. Switchbacks and other tight situations... not so much. Someone who is especially tall, such as myself, might want to look into the 29'' option though, since the wheel is more in proportion with a taller body and bike frame.
       We now turn our attention to the much debated issue of suspension. Weight weenies will argue that rear shocks' "bobbing" ruin their uphill orgies. Those more gravity-inclined might argue that low-travel shocks are simply "lame, man." The truth is, there's no definitive setup. If you want to zip up hills with finesse but take on a bit more bumpy of a ride, choose a low-travel bike, perhaps a hardtail even (for newbies, a hardtail is a bike with no rear suspension). If you want to shred the downhills but sacrifice pedalling efficiency, choose high-travel suspension. I myself have an indecisive personality, so I own an all-mountain bike, which is a cross between a high-travel freeride bike and a low-travel XC bike. Look for Fox Racing Shox if you want the nicest suspension. Rock Shox, Manitou, Marzocchi, and Cannondale also make some pretty sweet, bomb-diggity shocks.
       As a last peice of advice regarding personal preference, be sure to (if you can) test ride the bike, if the option is even vaguely within the realm of possibility. This may entail taking it for a spin out back, but if you can, go ride it on a trail. Every body is different, and different bikes fit different people. Specialized bikes happen to fit me perfectly. I have a friend, though, who sticks by Cannondale. Even though Specialized makes a good bike, it just doesn't fit him that well. So don't be afraid to ask your shop for a billion demos. It'll be worth it.
In closing, I'll name a few awesome, straight-up cross country bikes that I would wholeheartedly endorse. Keep in mind, though, that every bike and body is different.

• Cannondale Rush. This bike is a great example of a happy medium between plush and rigid suspension. Pretty light, with dual suspension.
• Specialized Stumpjumper. Here's a bike that's tried and true. The first widely manufactured mountain bike ever, and a prime example of a do it all XC bike. Dual suspension.
• Trek Liquid. Another sweet, versatile XC bike.

       These three are middle of the road in terms of riding style: not too heavy, but not too stiff. Bear in mind these three bikes are all quite similar; it really depends on personal preference.

How to do a Bunny Hop

The bunny hop is the most simple way of jumping a bike: both wheels off the ground at once. Unlike the wheelie, there's no pedalling involved. Most who try to do a bunny hop on a bicycle, though, don't realize the key motion involved in the lifting up of the back wheel. In fact, many who are quite successful at the trick don't even realize they are doing it. Assuming you are not wearing clip-in pedals or cages, the trick lies in your foot's grip on the pedal, not necessarily weight transfer. Here's how to get it right:

1. Find a relatively flat surface, and start coasting. You should be standing up (out of the saddle) with equal body weight on the front and back wheels. This position should situate you a bit farther forward than a normal riding stance.
2. Drop into a crouch, bending your elbows and knees. You are "winding up" for the hop
3. Jump straight up, keeping your weight in the middle of the bike
4. When you are at the point of your jump where your knees are almost straight and your weight is no longer being supported by the bike, lift the bike into the air using the the pedals and handlebars. Most of the weight should be lifted by your feet. Do this by tilting your foot forward so that it is more vertical, pushing back against the pedal. This should give enough friction to literally pick up the bike with your feet.
5. Land with the back wheel first, or both at once. Don't let your front wheel touch the ground first. It will create ugly scenarios later in your biking career.
6. Pat yourself on the back for a bunny hop well done!

There you have it. Although the bunny hop is fun to do, it's only useful on the trail if you're moving quickly. To jump higher and more efficiently, learn how to J-Hop.

How to Do a Wheelie

Doing a wheelie is one of the most fundamental technical skills of a mountain biker, or any biker for that matter! Not only is it fun to play around with, but it can be an essential move on the trail. However, the trick can be extremely frustrating if you don't know how to go about doing it.

1. Find a flat or slightly uphill surface. It will make lifting the front wheel easier without throwing you off the back
2. Start pedaling at a pretty slow speed. Since it's the quick acceleration of the back wheel that lifts up the front, you want to be going as slowly as you can while still balancing easily, but make sure you are in a gear that can give a lot of kick. I would use gear one in the front, gear two or three in the back. I also suggest keeping your butt on the seat, which is a lot easier than trying to wheelie while standing (given the seat is high enough for you to have a strong pedal stroke when sitting).
3. At a point when you have your strong foot at the top of the pedal stroke and you feel quite balanced, push down hard on the pedal while shifting all of your weight backwards, which will raise your front wheel off the ground. This weight transfer is key. Make you are not just pulling back on the handlebars with your arms, but your whole body.
4. Try to balance there :)
   

Once you can get your wheel in the air, it's all about experimenting and finding your balance point on the back wheel. Lots of practice always helps, too! Here are a few other things to keep in mind once you start getting comfortable with wheelies:

• The faster you go, the easier it is to balance in a wheelie. However, it's a lot harder to get your wheel up at high speeds.
• You can use your rear brake to put your wheel back down if you are getting too far back. You can even use it to balance in the wheelie, but a little brake goes a long way in this regard!
• When using a wheelie on the trail to conquer obstacles, it's almost always best to lift your butt off the seat at least a little. That way your seat won't give you an impromptu colonoscopy when your back wheel hits the log, rock, pedestrian, etc.

Good luck, and happy wheeling!