Over his years of coaching and instructing mountain biking, Howard
has developed a teaching method for mountain bike rider improvement
that is broken down into six skills. Beginners to intermediate riders will
generally focus on the first three skills: gears and braking, balance, and
line selection. More advanced riders will refine their technique with
the last three practices: cornering, pressure control, and timing and
coordination. These descriptions are a sample of the methods and the
inner workings of ZEP techniques.
1. Gears and Braking – The most fundamental mechanical skill of
mountain biking involves manipulating the gears whilst pedalling to
accelerate and actuating the brakes to slow down. By staying in the
range of pedalling cadence of 60-90 revolutions per minute, the rider
allows the most efficient torque transfer while minimizing suspension
bob.
Although there are multiple disadvantages to braking including
reducing speed, reducing tire traction, stiffening the suspension and
upsetting the bike’s geometry, riders must work to find the balance
between bike control and bike performance while braking.
2. Riding Position and Balance – The fundamental bio-mechanical
skill is to keep the centre of mass (the rider’s body) as close as possible
to the base of support (the bike on its wheels). As the terrain changes,
so should the body position in order to keep the weight centred over
the bike at all times.
3. Line Selection – Every section of trail is different and whether
a rider chooses a safe line (beginner), a race line (advanced), or a
combination of both, line selection will ultimately depend on a rider’s
ability level, experience and confidence. Riders will also have to adjust
their riding position on the bike accordingly, select appropriate gear,
and decide where and when to brake.
4. Cornering – Cornering is essentially the amount of lean angle
a rider can make to clear a corner (or turn) without digging the
bike’s pedal into the ground. Cornering is possible through steering
and leaning. Different types and shapes of corners require different
amounts of steering and leaning. The more advanced techniques
include counter steering and bike-body separation.
5. Pressure Control - The changes in forces that the rider feels as
they roll over various terrains can be controlled either passively or
actively. For example, by relaxing the limbs, a rider’s body will act as
a suspension system to passively control the forces he feels. However,
force application, such as wheel lift, is a way of actively controlling that
felt pressure.
6. Timing and Coordination - The last of the six skills involves
putting all the previous skills together at the right time and the right
place. How quickly or slowly techniques need to happen and the
sequence in which they happen is the key to refining advanced/expert
riding.
Courses at ZEP techniques vary from single and multi-day clinics to
multi-week camps and personalized lessons to cater to all ability levels.
ZEP also offers instructor training courses, where upon completion,
participants are qualified to teach under the Professional Mountain
Bike Instructor (PMBI) certification. For a free instructional video
lesson or for more information, go to zeptechniques.com or call (604)
938-3498.
For bike rentals contact Valley Bikes (800) 766-0449, for bike tour options
call Whistler Eco Tours (604) 935-4900 or The Adventure Group (604)
932-0647.
