I received a great email from a reader yesterday wondering how to get into more aggressive FR/DH riding from an XC background. The question seems like a simple one, but nerves can start to get the best of you as you look at obstacles and covers of Bike Magazine. So how does a rider that wants to get into more drops, jumps, rock gardens and other freeride and downhill...

Even the tamest of trails have sections that are filled with rocks, roots and other high speed rough areas. Navigating this rough sections of trail at speed can be a nerve racking task for new riders or experienced riders looking to get more technical with their riding. For me, there is nothing quite like blasting through a rock garden and then looking back at what your...

We are dead in the middle of the wet season on the northern hemisphere. As I write this, my night ride has been canceled due to weather moving in from the west, so there is no chance of getting out on the trail. Hell…it seems like it has rained every weekend for the past 6 weeks! As potential saddle time decreases, we have to make due with what we can get and sometimes...

Track standing is one of the most important mountain bike skills you can have to become a better mountain biker. While it may look like a cool trick to test out in a parking lot in front of your friends, track standing is actually the crucial element of slow technical riding. The ability to stop your bike without having to get off will get you through some of the most...

I am starting to see a growing trend amongst riders who used to be pure cross country enthusiasts. As mountain bikes become more capable at a weight that used to be reserved for pure xc rigs, more riders are looking for ways to take advantage of their extra travel by riding more difficult sections of trail. With the bike’s increased abilities, the learning curve...

Depending on where you mountain bike, the fall period can be an interesting riding time. For those of us in the southeast United States, it is a riding season of negotiating all of the leaves that have fallen from our lush trees and onto our singletrack. For those of you in the desert…you do not have this worry…but anyone around a massive amount of trees knows…this...

Rock gardens provide an incredible rush and a challenge during a ride. There is something about blasting over a section of trail that you never thought you would be able to ride. The feel of the suspension soaking up every bump as you wonder if that next rock is going to throw you OTB or off your line is exhilarating. How do we tame these beasts on the trail? What Is A...