[ivwshane]

So most of my riding is usually single track riding along the side of a hill (Valentine in Moore creek is one of my favorites), however my confidence on riding this type of terrain has not improved and actually seems to be getting worse.

I know some things that I need to work on are looking ahead and body position. When the track is relatively open (as in not much on the sides of the track except the hill) I do fine even if the edge of the hill is close and steep. However when the track is banked by things like overhanging grass or when the track is in a valley (where the sides are dirt, like a miniature half pipe) I struggle keeping my line and I feel my steering gets squirrelly and I stop looking ahead and I end up riding the brakes.

What are some good tips to help with this riding and correcting bad behavior?

How much does the bike play when it comes to feeling less squirrelly? I have an older (2007 sc nomad) bike that seems modern except for the wheel base (about six inches shorter than a comparable modern bike) and my bars are 29.5” wide and the tires are 26”.

 

[Harold]

I have no idea the sort of place you're talking about. This is a global forum, so specific place names will probably mean nothing to most unless you happen to be a lucky SOB and live in a notable mtb riding destination. So that makes it difficult for folks to get a reference for the sorts of trails you're talking about.

Skills practice is what you need. You can sign up for a clinic and learn some things from a coach to help speed the process, but either way, you're still going to need to spend time practicing the things you learn.

The best thing that I ever did was to spend time noodling around on my bike. I mostly did that kind of thing when I was a college student, but they were all things that a coach is going to direct you to work on. Slow speed balance work, wheel lifts, body position and handling, etc.

How long have you been riding?

 

[lsrn]

I have no idea the sort of place you're talking about. This is a global forum, so specific place names will probably mean nothing to most unless you happen to be a lucky SOB and live in a notable mtb riding destination. So that makes it difficult for folks to get a reference for the sorts of trails you're talking about.

Skills practice is what you need. You can sign up for a clinic and learn some things from a coach to help speed the process, but either way, you're still going to need to spend time practicing the things you learn.

The best thing that I ever did was to spend time noodling around on my bike. I mostly did that kind of thing when I was a college student, but they were all things that a coach is going to direct you to work on. Slow speed balance work, wheel lifts, body position and handling, etc.

How long have you been riding?

Moore Creek is in Napa County, CA, if that helps.

 

[ivwshane]

I’ve been riding since the beginning of summer.

 

[eb1888]

Too bad there's almost no demo days. It could help you to ride some current bikes on your home trails. Or on comparable terrain as a second choice. Ask the shops in your area about a demo or even a day rental. Small price for good first hand info.

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Couple hour road trip.
750mm bars could be wider 760-800mm are common. But not that big of a difference.

 

[noapathy]

I'd like to reiterate what Harold said. Take some time in a controlled environment to practice. Separate that anxiety from the experience while gaining skills and confidence. Make use of small obstacles, use natural ones, cones, whatever. Get creative. Youtube has tons of stuff on skill drills for information/inspiration. It may seem boring going in circles in a parking lot or your back yard, but it most definitely pays dividends.

 

[Nat]

However when the track is banked by things like overhanging grass or when the track is in a valley (where the sides are dirt, like a miniature half pipe) I struggle keeping my line and I feel my steering gets squirrelly and I stop looking ahead and I end up riding the brakes.

One tip is to be aware of where your rear wheel will be going. When you turn a corner the rear wheel tracks a smaller arc than the front wheel so if your front tire is directly in the center of the track it means that the rear tire will follow on the inside of the track. If the track is banked (e.g., your mini half pipe) then the rear tire will be trying to climb up the inside wall of the half pipe, which can lead to the bike getting unstable.

Put your front tire on the outer edge of the turn instead so the rear rolls down the center. I call this “leading with the rear wheel.”

Also, getting comfortable riding in a rut takes time and practice. Sometimes you’ll never be comfortable if the rut is gnarly enough.

 

[Harold]

I did early balance work on paint stripes in parking lots. it doesn't have to be fancy. throw a 1x10 or something on the ground in your yard. then do a 1x6, a 2x4, and so on. slow and skinny with low to no consequences if you ride off your line. start wide, get comfortable with it, then get narrower. if you go taller, go wider again.

do low speed, tight cornering practice. that'll help you get an idea of how your rear wheel tracks differently than your front. do it on flat ground. do it on a hillside. again, progression. weave around small obstacles (I use cheap rubber dog squeaker toys when I'm coaching beginners) instead of just circling stuff. keep both wheels on the same side of the obstacle. then, intentionally use the difference in tracking to put your front wheel on one side so the rear wheel tracks on the opposite as you ride "over" the obstacle.

learn to ratchet. learn to trackstand.

if you started riding in the beginning of summer, you don't have anything to worry about regarding perceived lack of progress. every rider goes through phases like that. if they ride long enough, they probably go through several phases like that. sometimes it's a plateau or regression in skills development. sometimes it's a plateau or regression in fitness. they key is to be persistent and put in the work to get through it.

 

[Jeff in Bend]

So most of my riding is usually single track riding along the side of a hill (Valentine in Moore creek is one of my favorites), however my confidence on riding this type of terrain has not improved and actually seems to be getting worse.

I know some things that I need to work on are looking ahead and body position. When the track is relatively open (as in not much on the sides of the track except the hill) I do fine even if the edge of the hill is close and steep. However when the track is banked by things like overhanging grass or when the track is in a valley (where the sides are dirt, like a miniature half pipe) I struggle keeping my line and I feel my steering gets squirrelly and I stop looking ahead and I end up riding the brakes.

What are some good tips to help with this riding and correcting bad behavior?

How much does the bike play when it comes to feeling less squirrelly? I have an older (2007 sc nomad) bike that seems modern except for the wheel base (about six inches shorter than a comparable modern bike) and my bars are 29.5” wide and the tires are 26”.

https://asingletrackmind.com/ Dylan does skill camps in your area and is a great coach. That'll get you on the right path to success. Good luck.

 

[Battery]

Great to see you are taking things up a notch and focusing on technique now. It's a great sign you love what you are doing. In my area, we have balance boards at my local bike park and I used to spend hours on them. Over time, I gained more confidence and started riding on tree logs which made my rides more fun. We do have this really long tree log ride that's about 4ft off the ground. Im not comfortable riding on that one yet. One bad fall could really ruin my day. I'll get there though!