The clinic covered hill climbing techniques, downhill riding, skill development, and basic maintenance and road repairs. Further information on these topics will be published on the Marianas Variety at a later time.
The participants of the clinic were taken on some of the trails used for races on island, and the practices routes for beginners for further training.
One of the highlights of the clinic was down hill riding techniques presented by SASC’s very own Russ Quinn. “Today we are going to show you some tips that will help you feel more comfortable on your bike.” said Russ Quinn. “While many people think this is the hardest skill to learn, because of the higher risk of crashing, with a few learned techniques, you will feel better when you enter one of these areas.” he added.
Bike brake lever position is very important. For proper position, a rider may want to stand on the pedals in an attack position, with your fore arms and wrists should be in line. If a rider has front shocks available it must be turned on. On more advanced downhill riding, a rider may want to lower their seat a couple of inches.
A cyclist’s body position is very important as well for maintaining control as they ride down the hill. A cyclist should not sit on their seats when going downhill. You may want to use your inner thighs to help control the bike. A cyclist may also want to hover over their bikes.
Do not lock your arms or legs, be in a coiled position, use arms and legs as additional shock absorbers, have feet in neutral position. A cyclist must have their head up and looking at 10 to 15 feet past their riding space. The steeper the terrain the further back a person may want to position their bodies to be.
Controlling one’s speed on downhill sections is important and an art. Front and back brake percentages must be kept to a 50/50 ratio as best as possible. With the front brakes one must not brake during turns or on loose sand, rocks, or gravel.
If one feels as though their front brakes are skidding, they must release their brake until they regain control and they must try again.
With the back brakes, one must not skid the back tire. This actually causes a rider to go faster and lose control. A rider is advised to pick a braking area. The area must be smooth and not rutted. A rider must turn on straight roads and not during turns. When a rider applies brakes it naturally pushes their body forward, which a rider does not want especially when going downhill.
Another thing to consider while riding downhill is that going slower is not always the better option but a rider must always be in control. Sometimes a rider may have to faster than they’d like, but looking for braking areas on a hill can really help.
Other things that were covered during the clinic were how to change a tire, and how to maintain a mountain bike looking clean and running like new. Others were taught how to safely fall when the need would arise while riding on a trail.
Others were taught how to ride very slowly while keeping their balance and control on their bicycles. Everyone was taken on a route to practice their new skills and the learning outcome was great during the entire bicycle clinic.
