Sharpen These MTB Skills with Yardi Practice Features

So, just which mountain biking skills and techniques can you improve using practice features? All of them! But first, here are some common drills and best practices to help get you going.

Cornering

Cornering or turning is typically where a crash might happen because that’s one way you can really make up the difference in your speed—whether you’re looking to shave seconds off your time or just increase the thrill of the ride. How can you improve your corners?

• Stay off the brakes through the corner.
• Practice flowing out of one corner through another.
• Take on steeper tracks without pedaling so you can focus on your pace and speed.
• Find the right combination of grip and correct body position.

Downhills

Oh, the thrill a speedy descent on a mountain bike can bring. Sure, riding downhill might just be the happy spot for many mountain bikers, but it can also prove a bit scary and harder to master for some. Here are some tips for tackling downhills.   

• Ride a section multiple times to get to know the lines.
• Focus on where you want to go, not what you want to avoid.
• Practice applying both brakes evenly for a fluid descent.
• Ride with someone more experienced to see how they approach a section.

Jumps

If downhills get a rider excited, so do jumps! Again, there’s a bit of a fear factor when it comes to jumps. But no need to avoid them. As you practice and build your confidence, you’ll be able to gradually increase the size of the jumps. Here are some ideas for improving your jumps.

• Examine the size of the jump first to determine your takeoff.
• Make sure the front wheel stays higher than the back to create the arc you need to clear.
• Center your body on the bike.
• Focus on what’s beyond the lip of the landing.

Using Practice Features When You’re Off the Trails

Mountain biking practice features aren’t just backyard obstacles to have fun with when you can’t hit your local trail. They can play an important role in helping you perfect and transfer some fundamental skills directly to the trail.

Rollers

Not only do riders use rollers to warm up before races, but rollers can also help improve balance, core stability, pedal stroke, and general bike-handling skills. They prepare riders for natural “rollers” on a trail and get you ready for a jump by assisting with control and speed while holding a straight course.

The Yardi Scout Large Roller or Yardi Scout Small Roller mountain bike features can help improve bike handling skills from your own backyard!

Skinnies

Riding a straight line or narrow path requires balance...and confidence on trail rides. Routinely using skinny features can prepare you for riding narrow trails, over rock gardens or rock bridges and trees over creeks, or any other narrow surface on a trail. Practicing on long skinny features can also help improve your balance on corners.

Yardi Scout Large Skinny Platform or Yardi Scout Small Skinny Platform can help you gain the confidence you need to take your mountain bike riding skills to the next level!

Launch Ramps

Learning to jump a mountain bike is one of the most important skills to master. When you’re out on a trail, performing a jump is crucial to clearing obstacles. But learning to jump takes a lot of patience and practice. Routinely using launch ramp features is a perfect way to help enhance a rider’s jumping distance and dropping skills.

The Yardi Scout Large Launch Ramp and Yardi Scout Small Ramp offer adjustable heights and variations to accommodate riders’ skills as they progress.  

Teeter Totter

By their very nature, teeter totter features are designed to help mountain bike riders develop their balancing skills so they can face obstacles on the trail with confidence.

Yardi Scout Teeter Totter brings the trails to your backyard to help you develop those all-important balancing skills!

Yardi Rubicon Features

Coaches or park directors, are you looking for commercial grade MTB features that are even more durable and portable? Yardi’s Rubicon line of mountain bike practice features may be perfect for mobile programming or permanent or semi-permanent placement. With endless combinations, you can recreate real-world trail challenges so riders can practice their techniques even when they can’t hit the trails. Contact us today to learn more.