Pro mountain biking tips for beginners

Tempted to leave the road bike at home and and want to know how to improve your mountain bike skills? We asked former pro British rider Emma Atkinson where you should start, how they can improve fast, and more.

Persist with off-road riding and you will reap the benefits of better bike handling, aerobic endurance and strength come the 2025 triathlon season.

Emma began downhill racing in 2008 and was selected for the Scottish Cycling Talent Team, from where she went on to race for GB as a junior in the UCI World Cup series.

How to improve your mountain biking skills

Take a course

“If you’re looking at getting into mountain biking I would highly recommend a day of instruction with a trail leader first,” says Emma. “They will sort you out with a good bike for the day and show you how to ride trails safely while having fun.

“From there, if you enjoy it (which you definitely will), invest in a decent bike and helmet then get out into the mountains!”

Practice makes perfect

“If you want to improve your riding, I would suggest just riding as often and as much as possible.

“If you want to be competitive then look at some gym work and specific skills training, getting a coach is a good idea if you want to get serious.”

Drop the pressure

Triathletes used to inflating the narrow tyres of their triathlon bike to upwards of 80psi often run excessively high pressures off-road, losing out on cushioning and control.

On wider mountain bike tyres, especially when set-up tubeless, you can drop pressures to 20psi and lower to boost traction without undue puncture risk.

Brake lightly

Modern mountain bike brakes are much more powerful than a road bike’s because they have bigger disc rotors and more effective piston calipers.

Therefore, roadies and triathletes often brake too hard when they’re getting into MTB. This can cause the wheels to skid and even lock up if you overdo it. Besides leading to a loss of direction and momentum, harsh braking increases trail erosion.

Instead, carefully dab the brakes when you need to reduce speed, which helps your tyres maintain grip.

Emma’s training and nutrition tips

• Plenty of rest/recovery between sessions and races
• Pace your training — it’s not about going all out every session
• Get into a routine — allocate a time of day for training and try to stick to it
• Prepare — Make sure you have plenty of water and warm clothes for after
• Commit – It will take time to see/feel results so keep it up
• Eat lots of green vegetables, especially during winter
• “Fat” isn’t as bad as everyone makes out – don’t fear it, you need it!
• Eat plenty of red meat
• Stick to fruit for sugar, only use unnatural sugar for competition (e.g. jelly beans/energy bars)

How to improve mountain bike descending skills

Xterra expert and Olympian Tim Don shares his tips on descending and ascending on dirt

Unlike cornering and climbing, you want to get up and out of the saddle when it comes to going downhill. By doing so you put more of your weight over the back of the bike, which frees up the front to float more easily over any obstacles. 

It also allows you to brake harder on steeper slopes without having to worry so much about being pitched forwards over the bars.

Even if you have suspension, it’s worth keeping your arms bent and as relaxed as you can. This will help absorb any bumps but also allow you to steer more easily.

Keep your knees bent, too, but also spread apart a bit so there’s room for the bike to move about. And, as always, keep your head up and your eyes looking ahead to pick out the best line.

Descending fast off-road just takes practice. The more you do it, the better you’ll get. It’s all about looking for the smoothest, fastest line and having confidence in your skills and kit.

Arms

Bent arms and a relaxed grip on the bars will give you greater control of the front wheel.

Eyes

Look ahead to spot any obstacles early and give yourself time to deal with them.

Backside

Get up out of the saddle to shift your weight back over the rear wheel so the front is free to roll over any bumps.

Knees

Keep your knees bent to help absorb any big hits, and hold them wider apart to allow the bike space to move.

How to improve mountain bike climbing skills

Tim now explains how to keep momentum up tricky off-road ascents.

Weight back

For long slogs up smoother climbs, stay in the saddle and keep your weight over the rear wheel for greater traction. Just straightening your arms out a little should be enough to shift your bulk back so you can apply more power.

Look ahead

Don’t let your head drop – keep your chin up and your eyes looking forward. This way you’ll be better able to see where you’re going and find the smoothest possible line, so you can carry your momentum up the climb.

Rev up

Gear selection is crucial for climbing. Find one that allows you to hold a smooth cadence. It’s often better to use higher revs than higher power because it lowers the chances of your rear wheel losing traction and spinning out.

Keep it down

Traction is an issue on shorter, steeper climbs too but so is keeping the front wheel down. Bend your arms to shift your weight forward when the ramps rise sharply. If the front wheel is still popping up, move on to the front of the saddle.

Now brush up on how to cycle fast downhill while staying safe on a road bike.