Downhill Mountain Biking: tips for beginners
Downhill Mountain Biking has become one of the favorite sports for many people and, as its name indicates, it consists of descending mountains at high speeds on bikes. In this way, we can affirm that this sport is similar to extreme mountain biking since, in addition to descending, you will have to avoid all kinds of obstacles that you may encounter along the way. It is important to mention that this activity, besides to practicing sports and keeping you fit, will allow you to experience a great sensation of adrenaline.
After having briefly discussed what Downhill Mountain Biking consists of, we want to comment on some of the best tips and tricks that you can apply when you begin to practice this sport.
The first tip and one of the most important, that you should put into practice before starting this sport is to strengthen your body and muscles so that you can perform Downhill in a better way. For this, it will be necessary to work the core to have greater ability and strength to perform the descent without any problem.
The position is one of the most important aspects to take into account since it will allow us to make the descent more easily and in a correct way. In this way, we must have the butt back and move the body backward, especially in the places with the greatest inclination. In addition, it is also important to mention that it will be necessary to have the knees and arms slightly bent and above all, to hold the handlebar tightly.
When we master the position, it will be necessary to use the legs and arms to not only control our body but also the bicycle. This control over the bike will allow us to maneuver more easily and to overcome stones and obstacles in a better way.
In relation to what we mentioned earlier, it will be necessary to work the balance in the position. That is, it will be necessary to get comfortable with the bicycle and the terrain through which the descent is made. It will not always be necessary to maintain the posture that we have mentioned above, but the inclination will have to be adjusted according to the obstacles on the road and the mountain’s characteristics.
Finally, we want to mention that many times you will find places with many obstacles, this type of road is called “dirty path”. What is important and necessary is that when you come across these types of roads you trace the area through which you will pass with your eyes. With this visualization, you will be able to see which parts of the downhill trail are “cleaner” and therefore, the less complicated areas. In this way, learning to read the route will be another of the most important aspects to take into account in Downhill Mountain Biking.
As in many other sports, it is necessary to take into account the material you need to be able to perform the descents without any risk. It is for this reason that we consider it very important to comment on the necessary equipment you need to practice Downhill Mountain Biking.
One of the most important elements is the bicycle or DH bike, and that is, it must have front and rear suspension. It is important to choose the correct and appropriate downhill bike as it will need to be stronger than conventional ones and have the necessary features to make a good suspension and proper bike handling.
The helmet is another of the most important elements you need, as protection is essential in this extreme sport. In this case, it is necessary to use a carbon fiber helmet ideally since it is recommended to use a light and resistant one. The helmet is important to be able to practice the descent without any risk.
Finally, it is important to note that in addition to the helmet it will be necessary to use other protection materials in order to guarantee that the practice of this sport is totally safe. Therefore, it will be necessary to also include knee and elbow pads in these elements to protect the body from possible falls.
