Riding cues #5

11/04/26 14:55 Filed in: Riding

One cue that PMBI repeats a lot is chin over stem. That ensures that the riders centre of mass is centred in the bike’s wheelbase - a stable position. It should be obvious that there is room for variation in this position - one can be centred and still not be optimally positioned.

Legs should, by default, be extended. And this is where the problems arise. Challenging terrain makes people crouch. Straight legs are more relaxed, more stable and provide better "suspension" (like a fork, you want your legs to absorb impacts and return to rest, not stay down in their travel). It is easier to keep chin over stem - centred - position when legs are straight. Most people bend their legs and either go directly backwards or find their way back. The cue, therefore, should be something about long legs. In challenging terrain the correct response is bent arms but long legs - hence the importance of the hip hinge in mountain biking (I'm sure I've written about hip hinges before and if I haven't I should as it is worthy of its own entry). Bent arms lower the riders centre of mass, increasing stability. And those bent arms can push the front wheel down which is generally more advantageous than being able to absorb the upwards movement of the front wheel (the fork can do that or the rider can lift up immediately prior depending on the size of the bump).

For 10 years I went to BC for a month of mountain biking and by day 3, no matter the prep prior to going, my legs were sore. That always settled after a couple more days and I just chalked it up to being unused to long days on bumpy trails. However! My recent trip to Thredbo for a week didn't generate sore legs at any point. I think the difference is my default straight legs has finally landed as an actual default position, and thus I'm not challenging my legs in the same ways as before. Between the elbow cue and the leg cue, I feel like I'm riding as well as ever, and in some ways better (despite being another chunk of years older).

Michael Hanslip Coaching

If you want to go faster, you have to pedal harder

Riding cues #5