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Saw a newbie the other day having trouble with EVERY technical spot on the trail. Judging from the ends of his grips the problem wasn’t new. I usually don’t offer tips unless asked. This rider had the total look of failure. I asked if he was ok. He unloaded about not being able to stay on two wheels even on the "easy" trails. We talked a bit and I told him about target fixation. During WW2 pilots were trained not to focus on the target or they may run into it. See the target, shoot the target and have a exit planned.
I understand my MTB isn’t a P-51. I do understand that the problem exists when riding a bicycle. You’re going down a trail and come up on a rock, log, or what ever. You see it and you hit it. You may want to hit it but if you don’t you’ll hit it anyway. Next to the log is a smooth way around it so why not go there? The reason is you go where you look. Focus on the rock you’ll hit it. Focus on the gap you’ll go there. See the issue and look and focus on the way around it and you’ll miss it. The key is to keep an eye on the trail ahead, it may be faster to jump the jog but you’ll be landing in a rock garden. Take the smooth line and ace the rock garden. Don’t fixate on the thing you want to miss or you’ll hit it. Don’t fixate on your front wheel look down the trail. You’ll ride better and spend less time on the ground. Ran into the newbie the other day and he was really excited and his riding was much better and had new grips. Experianced riders already do this not knowing why but I hope this will help some of the newbies and keep them from not having fun. 😄 Later, -
As simple as it is – you drive the direction, you’re looking at…
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Wisdom 😃
simple but true.
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One of the first rules in riding a motorcycle (and works great for biking too!)
Look where you want to go.
Go where you look.😄
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I was testing that technique out the other day, sure enough I hit everything I didn’t want to becasue I was staring right at it. 😆
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I droppped down a steep hill and it came to a sharp curve with a tree on the outside of the turn. When I shot around the curve all I could do was say to myself " don’t hit the tree" all the while looking at the tree. Guess what I slid into ? Yes the tree… The whole time never taking my eyes off it 😃
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not fixating on a target gets me in trouble sometimes. Coming around a WIDE turn i was already looking around the corner. Leaned in and…………..came to eating dirt and my ankle swelling quickly. Damn pine roots were much higher than my brain noted and they jumped up and snatched my pedals. 😆
Took me about 100 miles before I was told that your bike follows where you’re looking and its some of the best advice another rider has ever given me.
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I brought this over from alpine skiing. if you stare at it you will hit it.
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"brianW" wrote
I brought this over from alpine skiing. if you stare at it you will hit it.
Me too. I actually wrote a blog post about this over a year ago: http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-tr … mtb-trail/
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